The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-09-18
THE QUESTION TABLE.

;doo, in orr studies in political economy is be-.
cause ethical conceptions have always governed
all social life more or less perfectly and because
industrial peace can never be secured uhtil 'ne
supremacy of ethics is recognized by public opin-
ion and is made effective by laws and constitu-
tions.
. The German author Won Scheel in defining
nolitical economy says: political economy de-
scribes the relations of private economies to one
another and their union into larger economic
communities Gas township, city. stated taxing into
account their origin, their growth and their con-
stitution and prescribing rules for the ordering
of these relations best calculated to meet the de-
mands of the degree of culture already attaineo
and to be attained in the future
3. The main parts of political economy may be
deyided into general political and special econ
omy and finance.
A. The different methods of economic research
are the deductive, the inductive and the status
teal the first reasoning from the general TO the
particular the second reversing the process ana
the third observing certain Irregularities among
men, when large number Of facts concerning
them put together.
5. By natural laws meant laws precisely
like those of the external physical universe.
6. The claim of political economy to the name
of science upon the fact that it embraces the
states and dynamics of society. The one treats
on the interrelations of existing economic phe-
nomena, and the other embraces a discussion Of
the progressive movements of economic society.
{. The influence Of the religious life upon the
economic life of people is illustrated by the fact
that love for our fellow subjects always prompts
to promote their physical welfare in every re-
spect, and this tends to conserve and increase
their strength.
s. The relation between production and con.
sumption is that the purpose Of production is con-
sumption, and if more is produced more must be
consumed. Power to consume is measured by
purchasing power, and power of consumption sets
limit to production.
9. The three natures of economic life are self
interest, public spirit, and brotherly love. They
are not exclusive one Of the other. Private and
public activity supplement each other while
brotherly love- supplies omissions fills in gaps
and mtigates the seventies of individual and of
public action.
10. The effects of luxurious expenditures upon
the rich, shown in the truth that they neglect
the care and development of themselves in the
cause of righteousness and consequently injure
humanity; and among the working classes this evil
urges them to aim at things beyond their powers
their families.
IL. Expenditures in luxuries is ustiable only,
when it does not hinder the development of a
better manhood in and in all those whom we
could influence.
IL. The falacy of the statement that expend
itures for liquor furnish market for the farmers
produce is exposed by the proof that if the seven
hundred million dollars annually spent for grain
in the form of LIQUORS were expended for food and
other farm products. it would purchase at least
seven times much grain in the form of flour as
it does in that of liquor, because it is true with
regard to liquor that the amount of raw material
used in their reduction is far less compared with
their cost to the consumers than it is in any of
the other products that satisfy human wants.
ANALOGIES ON ROMEs GOVERNMENT
In examining Nations history, we must thor
oughly study the people thereof in their national
childhood, their religious beliefs, and their
knowledge Of natural phenomena in order to de-
termne the worth of their government laws
whether said laws are detrimental to the people
or otherwise.
Authentic history of the early inhabitants of
Italy informs us that the Greeks colonized and
possessed extensive domain in many parts of the
Italian peninsula, and ages before the founding
VI nohie' 'ne Teiase' 'AiA carly UreeKsJ sent Dy
the Oracles from Dodona (Delphi) first brought
letters, and taught them. and were the improvers
of agriculture, and long the leading race and
masters of the fairest lands of Italy. But their
power declined two generations before the Trojan
war-1O4O. BIC The Greeks later colonized Italy
after the fall of Troy, and carried with them the
heroic spirit and peculiar character of their CIV
ilization, and the religion of the Homeric age
with all their oracle theogony.
In these times, and when the Romans conquered
their nearest neighboring nations, they undoubt-
eddy practiced nearly all the Grecian games; as
did the Etruscans; which appears by some vases
found at VEIL The Roman government was crude