The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-31

~ eoAps
Mr.. Cyrus Elder ana the Taritr-IEisRc.
,f ply TO Prof. summer.
PHILADELPHIA, October 30.-Tbe But.
letin OF the American Iron and Steel Asso.
citation gives fuller report than has here.
tofore been printed Of the argument Of Mr..
Cyrus Elder before the tariff commission
at Pittsburgh OH October i4th. lie said
that he did not appear rs II volunteer, but
at the request Of the manufacturers OF iron
and steel, who wished him 10 address the
commission upon the theories OF political
economy entering into the revision Of the
tariff laws. Referring 10 the appearance
ot Prof. Sumner before the commission, hc
said that that gentleman Ind given 10 tile
commission u theory Of wages and other in.
,cidental dogmas widely taught in our
schools und coi!egcs. Whatever weigh,
these dogn,as might have, alr. Elder s,.id,
was derived solely from their being part Of
a system alleged to be n science and called
political economy lie said that before
taking this science US Il guide in the con.
duct Of human affairs it would be we'll 10
inquire what degree OF acceptance is nc.
corded 10 it. It's claims are, be continues.
everywhtre disputed; the system taught
by the professor must be distinguished
not us political economy but rs Enslisl,
poll,ica! economy; and the more candid
writer's OIL the subject admit that the doc.
,rihcs which they teacl, DO not constitute
IN abstract science and have no !maxims
Of general application. i ri.fT
Apa,t from the doctrine OF free trade,
which appears to Mr.. Elder 10 be .,hc
only place where the Eccnce" Of political
economy "iIas any practical bearing" It's
chief dogmas, he continued, are Malthus'
theory OF population and Ricardos doctrine
OF rent. These doctrines OF. the "disn,al
science have been completely rciuted BY
MIR. Henry C. Carey, and in 80 far rs poli,i.
cal economy has any claim to be called /,
science at all, it is due to Mr. Carey, 'The
latter, sin establishing the true theory Of
the occupation OF the SOIL" has made "a
discovery OF greater worth aud significance
than any other contribution to knowledge
made in this century," There is hardly 4
proposition Of the English scllool wliicl,
should now be entitled 10 acceptance, in
alr. Elders opinion. The ''ineliable STU
pldi1y" known as the ''swages fund.- ho
says. has been long ago discarded
by tho Enslishmen who invented il,
tut has been reproduced by Pro.
fcssor Summer in bis paper.y The
revolt against the theories OF tile English
school has reached our American colleges
The general disposition OH the part Of ihe
American youths to dispute the doctrines
of the EnvliYlt fnxt. .hootc ho. loo,, -
many cases encouraged by their teachers,
though "thcre are some places in which The
light OF true science is not allowed to pcne.
'trate." II We inquire rs to the acceptance
OF the English theories Of free trade, We
find that no country that Gun be called free
makes any use OF them; even the English
colonies have rerpdiated the doctrines Of
tho home government. and urc giving ude:
quate protection 10 their industries. Eng.
lands insnceri!y in prcching free trade iott
America il palpable, because she taxes
heavily the products Of American asricui.
ture, s,lcl, as spirits aud tobacco, a. = ~ +,