DESCRIPTIVE SOCIOLOGY. A few words of analysis of the subject matter, namely, social phenomena, may fitly introduce an account of the second division, descriptive sociology. A fact of the physiographic order is the starting point. Throughout the universe as known to man, ob jects of like kind are commonly grouped or segregated in space, and not scattered in a dis orderly distribution. This is more particularly true of living organisms. all species of which have their respective geographic areas, and with in these their favorite habitats or haunts. Plants of any given variety are usually found massed in particular places. Animal organisms are com monly found in swarms, bands, or flocks. Hu man beings live in hordes, tribes, and nations.
From this purely physical fact, we pass in the analysis of society to facts correlated with men tal activity, and then to facts psychological. Of all the resemblances which may be observed in the units or individuals constituting a normal aggregation of living creatures, the two of chief importance are (1) morphological and physio logical similarities produced by common descent and interbreeding, and therefore correlated with degrees of kinship; (2) similarities of nervous organization and mental activity which may or may not be closely associated with degrees of kinship. On the functional side the most general phase of like nervous organization is a like responsiveness to the same stimulus or to like stimuli. Under the same or like circum stances two or more animals or human be ings of like nervous organization behave in like ways.
The physical and mental resemblances of ani mals or of men thus alike are more or less dis tinctly known to the resembling individuals themselves. Animals sympathetically feel them. Human beings both feel them and intellectually perceive them and reflect upon them. This awareness of resemblance, in whatever degree it exists, is the consciousness of kind.
Human beings who intellectually as well as sympathetically apprehend their eommo» nature find pleasure in comnumjcation and acquaintance.
They discover that, responding to the same hn pulses, they form common purposes and can work together for common ends. Systematic coiiperation thus arising holds men together in those relatively permanent relationships which constitute social organization. Social organiza tion reacts upon the welfare of the community, furthering survival and individual happiness.
A complete description of society should com prise the following parts: (I) An account of the social population regarded as a physiographie phenomenon, an aggregation of organic units determined by the situation and resources of its habitat. (2) An account of the mental qualities and the conduct of the social population, its sub jective resemblances and differences; its types of intellect and character: its antipathies and sympathies: its purposes, its choices, its collec tive will. These phenomena together are the social mind. (3) An account of the social organization which the social mind creates, and through which its purposes are achieved. (4) An account of the social welfare resulting from the policies which the social mind has approved, and from the normal functioning of the social organization.
(1) The ?S'orial Population.—An account of the social population must always be prefaced by a physical description of the territory occupied. although, strictly speaking, this is no part of sociology proper. This necessity has been recognized by the National Census Bureau. Since the census of 1ti0(1 an account of the dominant geographical features of our na tional domain has been included in the reports, and the distribution of population with refer ence to these features and to altitude, drainage basins, rainfall, and temperature, has been shown. Still more important would it be to show the distribution of population with reference to natural resources, namely agricultural fertility, mineral wealth, commercial and industrial op portunities.