Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/356

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SOCIAL SETTLEMENTS. 303 SOCIETIES. children or boys; others try to reach families or men, or to Americanize a foreign element. Some are distinctly homes; others are institutional. The settlement workers are interested in the labor problem and the settlement is often a headquarters for economic discussions, or, occa- sionally, a meeting place for labor organizations. Civic interests are stimulated, and residents sometimes hold positions on State and munici- pal lioards. From time to time investigations are made from the settlement, and scholarships are sometimes given to further such work. See Hull House; Social Debtor Class; Toynbee, Arnolii; Ukiversitt Exteksion. Bibliography. Montgomery, Bibliogniphy of College. Social, University, and Chureh Settle- menis (4th ed., Boston. 1000) ; 'Sew York Bureau of Labor Slatistics (18th Annual Report. New York. 1900) ; Coit. Seighhorhood Guilds (•2d ed., London, 1802) ; Woods, EiigHsh Social Move- meiils (Xew York, 1891). SOCIAL "WAR (Lat. bellum sociale). A desperate struggle between Rome and her Italian allies (socii), which lasted for two years (B.C. 90-88) . The races of Central Italy, the Sanmites. Pelignians. Marsians. and Lucanians, had long been bound to Rome by a forced allegiance, with- out enjoying the rights of Roman citizenship, Avhich brought with them great social and polit- ical advantages. They had long sought in vain an amelioration of their condition, for while their men fought side by side with the Romans in the wars of the Republic, they were denied all sem- blance of equality. The hardy and vigorous mountaineers chafed under this oppression, and when, in B.C. 90, their Roman champion, M. Livius DrusuSj was murdered for his attempted reforms, they broke out in an extensive and well- organized revolution and aimed at a confedera- tion of all Italy to crush the growing jiower of Rome. It was the first dream of a united Italian nation. The union was to be called Italia, its capital was to be Corfinium, in the Pelignian country, under the new name of Ifalica. and its government was to be a republic administered by two elective consuls, as at Rome. Their armies were very successful for a time, and Rome met some serious reverses ; but by giving her coveted citizenship to those allies who remained loyal, and promising it to such as would return to her allegiance, she succeeded in breaking the strength of the revolution, which was virtually crushed in B.C. 88. But, though the Italians lost their independence, they gained their original demands, for they were enrolled in eight new Roman tribes, and soon became assimilated to the Roman liody politic. From the part borne by the Marsians in this struggle it is often called the Marsian (Marsic) War. SOCIETARIANS. A name not infrequently bestowed on the followers of Charles Fourier (see Fourierism), whose doctrines taught the reconstruction of society on a mathematical basis and the supplanting of wasteful individual effort (technically 'parceled' effort) by associated or 'societarian' activity. • Consult: Cnmpte-rendu de I'exposition du sysfdme sociHairc de Fourier faitc par .1/. Victor Oonsidcrant (Dijon, 1841) ; Pellarin, The Life of Charles Fourier, translated by Shaw (New York, 1848). SOCIETE DES CONCERTS DU CONSER- VATOIRE, so'sya'ta da koN'sfir' du kO.N'sar'- va'twiir'. La (Fr., the society of the concerts of the conservatory). The foremost concert insti- tution of France. The origin of this society in reality dates back to the time of Louis XV., when Philidor established the concerts spirituels. Operatic representations were forbidden on holi- days. Sundays, and during Lent. Accordingly, Philidor established concerts on Sunday nights, which he called concerts spirituels. In 1828 Habeneck organized an orchestra from among the pupils of the Conservatoire, and on March 9th began a series of six Sunday concerts on the same plan as those of the concerts spirituels. It was through this orchestra that Habeneck in- troduced the works of Beethoven into France. The conductors have been Habeneck, Girard, Til- mant, Hainl, Dcldevez, Lanioureux. SOCIETE EN COMMANDITE, UN ko'maN'- det' (Fr.. limited liability company), or Lim- ited Partxership (q.v. ). An expression used for at least two centuries in France as the name of a partnership in which one may advance capital without taking charge of the business, or becoming liable as a true partner for its debts. The term owes its origin to the old meaning in the commercial nomenclature of France of the word command, which was applied to one person authorizing another to transact business for him. The working partner had a commande from him wlio merely advanced capital. Tliis .form of part- nership existed in Louisiana while it Avas a French dependency, and was continued after it became a part of the United States ; but New York was the first common-law State to adopt this institution. That was done in 1822, and now limited partnerships are authorized b.v stat- ute in most of the States. They do not exist in England. SOCIETIES (Lat. societas, from socius. com- panion, associate). Organizations of individuals for the attainment of a common end through common action. Cooperation dates from the earliest times, and whether for the conquest of some material object or for the inner improve- ment of the individual himself, is met with in all parts of the world. In the present work the subject of societies has received a twofold treat- ment ; general articles have been devoted to a discussion of various definite classes of organi- zations as differentiated by purpose, while at the same time special articles treat of the best known individual organizations within such classes. Here it is sufficient to give a brief in- dication of how extensive the subject is and the manner in which it has been dealt with. Prob- ably the oldest forms of organization are the cult societies, which are foimd among many prim- itive tribes, as. for instance, the Duk-Duk (q.v.) of the island of New Britain in the Pacific, or the Mumho Jumbo societies of West Africa. These are mainly religious in character, but add certain political characteristics and possess an elaborate ritual and the feature of secrecy. Far advanced are the religions societies of the classic world like the Eleusinians of the Greeks or the priestly colleges of the Romans. Further still we have the various organizations which arose with the Christian Church and which, aside from the purely monastic aggregates, included asso-