The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-02
EREELEY'S SO-CALLED POLITICAL
ECONOMY.
From the N. Y. World.

From the NJ Y. World.
Mr.. Greeley essays on ''Political Economy
have this value, at least. They are an admis-
sion by one of the leaders of a great political
party that the issues upon which it has at
tanned and held power have passed or are
passing away. They are warning, also, that
the issues upon which the country is next to
be divided are of politico economical sort,
such as the distribution of the burdens of
our gigantic national debt by tariffs and taxa
lion. Mr. Greeley, in order to maintain the
class interests for which he labors, and in
order to commit his party to the support of
those interests, and to the continuance of
the protective tariff which multiplies and
aggravates the burdens of our debts, steps
TO the front with treatise on political eco
nomy suited to that purpose and contrived,
80 far as he is capable to contrive it, for his
party's present exigency.
Anything in the nature of a contribution
70 the science of political economy Mr..
Greeleys faculties are not such that he could
nope to make. He has absolutely no faculty
Tor abstract speculation, and can therefore
contribute not SO much as the smallest brick
10 the building of what is essentially an alb
5tract science. Such faculties as he has, more
over, are of the sort to incapacitate him for
ihat patient verifying process which goes even
20 any useful application of a science. He
ot those phenomena of society, arising from
the combined operations of mankind for the
production Of wealth, which have appeared
IN all past civilized nations as much as in
tnose now on the globe whether of the laws
Dl those phenomena whether of the efforts
made to trace those laws during the last half
century by scientific writer's, among whom the
latest are IN the most complete accord and
make the closest approximations to their verl-
boation. Thus it is that his essays, instead
Dt being an orderly unfolding of truths which
every well-educated person knows to be esta-
Dnshed, or discussion of what may yet be
held doubtful in the science, are hlggledy,
plggledy mess of truisms, half truths, ano
nonsense, and the nonsense is OF the sor'
which has been longest and most often ex
ploded. Thus he devotes valuable space tc
the discussion of ideas on paper money
which enjoy the support of no thinker o.
reputation, and which have never been less
plainly stated nor more feebly advocated
than in the book which is his text; and his
sermon is infected with delusions from which
even his author is exempt. He starts ou
with definition of his theme which either
implies that he is unaware of the distinction
between science and an art, otwhich else
denies to political economy the character Of
q science, or which else, calling it an art
defines its chief end to be nothing but
ihe removal of one of the least of ten
Thousand hindrances to the ends attainment
:, but as he continues the exposition of his
lneme' every essay makes it more apparent
Lnat nus purpose is not to lay down PROPOSE
uons Oh science which he has yet to learn,
Dor 10 make application of its laws for the
penent OF ms Ieuow-countrymen; but To dis.
pourse loosely and at large ON This or that
branch of his subject as it happens to tumble
into his head, and to give to the elass-interests