Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-22
STUDENTS And FREE TRADE.
Questions as to the Teaching of
Free Trade Asked By a
Collegian.
Are Students Bound to Accept the
Conclusions Reached By
Professors2
Attitude Of Bismarck and Napoleon
On the Influence of Doctrin-
aries and Theorists.

A college student writes: 81 often see
it stated that the professors, presidents
and teachers in very nearly all OF our uni
versities and colleges are free traders.
They are blamed for preaching free trade
to the students in those institutions, while
the other students themselves are often
blamed for being free traders when they
leave those institutions, and are scofed at,
sometimes ridiculad and sneered al, on &C
count Of their free trade procliyilies.
But why should the students be blamed
or censured, for they have simply learned
that which they have been taught. They
go to universities colleges, etc, to learn
from those who are employed to teach
them. The question which | submit for
information is: Are we students lot
obliged to listen to, and are we not bound
to accept as final and conclusive the
teachings of the professors in our institu-
lions OF learning? They claim that they
have made political economy their study
for years, and have come to the conclusion
that free trade Is the proper thing for our
government to adopt. Must we not look
to the wise for wisdom? If not to such
persons, to whom must we look for proper
instruction? 1t is easy TO attack and de-
nounCe, both teachers and scholars, but
who IS Judge? If we do not go to school
10 be taught and to learn, what do we go
Tor? These questions are respectfully
submitted for answers.
The question and statements Of '.5tu-
dent, seem to imply that blind aud abjec5
obedience of the mind, with the suppress
sion OF the menta. and reasoning powers
of scholars, are due and should be Welded
to the teachings OF their tutors, whether
pre- ldents or professors Of universities and
colleges.
NOTHING MORE UNAMERICAN
could be imagined. An American stu
dent parts with none of his rights, nor
ought to yield up a particle Of his man
hood because he enters university or
college. 10 lessen his self-dependance, to
weaken In any sense or to lower the digni-
ty of his American manhood Is to defeat
tie very chief purpose of any or all gen
ulne American education, on which alone
depends the perpetuity Of our free institu-
ticns.
More than two thousand years since.
That eminent Greek philosopher Aristotle
said golden words:
All who have meditated on the art Of
governing mankind have been convinced
that the tate ef empires depends upon the
education of youth >
Pope's coupict:
CTS education forms the common mind
just as the tWig is bent the trees inclined.
is equally true, and no greater truth has
been uttered than that of Edmund Burke
that, Education = the cheapest defense
of nations. These sayings have passed
bicfpYyr n D,., ,oaD1,,iyal az. oy-IOr,C
with which all are agreed, certainly all
Americans, excepting only those who,
from desire for clerical or other despotic
control, would guide the minds of our youth
astray from Just and patriotic allegiance
to the cardinal principles of the American
republic. Any genuine American mind
revolts at blind and affect obedience to
any system whether OF direction or educa-
ton, civil, theological or political. To re-
quire it or to exact it from American
youth In universities or colleges is to ac-
knowledge or proclaim q despotism scarce
ly bearable III Il monarchy, and to be re-
sisted at all hazards in republic like ours.
History reveals to us the fact, worthy of
our remembrance, so well stated. The
practical teachings Of the early and happy
days of Greece and Rome built up the
state. Ihe later grammalians and sopl-
lists ruled it,
Bismarck, realizing the impending
danger to the country he had done so much
to build up to a high standard Of greatness.
exclaimed to Mr. Disraeii, Il want to
save Prussia from the professors. -" Na-
poIeon Bonaparte also exclaimed: If any
empire were made of granite. it would
soon be reduced to powder by political
economists
Nov, rs q political economy, or free
trade, which is the only political economy
Taught blythe mass of presidents and pro-
fessors, its ablest eXpoundel declares that
Free trade Is a science
BASED UPON ASSUMPTIONS.
In other and palmer language. 1t is an
unsound theory, and while it has never
been thoroughly tried, has proved failure
whenever only partially tested. and, IN
fact, has not ut this time any existence IN
any prominent country.
Student" asks: Must we not look to
the wise for wisdom?" Certainly we
should do so. But it Is an important mat
ter to FIRST find out who have, or proven
to be wise. Many of the ablest statesmen
of England and of other countries have
declared that the founders Of our govern
ment were the greatest body of men the
:
who wouldn't permit the colcnists to
make so much as d hob-naii' yet in par
lament extolled the papers sent by the
Colonists as equal to those of Thurydides
constitution Is probably familiar to
student, and he may. too. have read of
his advising the English manufacturers
in parliament In 1876:
cit is we'll worth while to incur a loss
upon the first expectations. in order 10y the
glut to stitie in the cradle the rising man
ufdcturers II the United States, which the
war hal forced into existence contrary to
the natural course OF things.
The committee of commerce and manu-
features (congres>ionaD during Mr.. Madi-
sons administration realized the import.
ance, to this country. of Brougham's adj
vice, and in their wisdom" reported:
The foreign manufacturers and mer-
chants will put in requisition all the
powers of ingenuity; will practice what
ever art can devise, and capital can accom-
plSh, to prevent the American manufdc-
turing establishments from tukirg root
and tlourisbing in their rich and native
sell.
Brougham knew how the country was
suffering. and being Impoverished daily
ruin staring it In the face until through
that conetitutiJn-he so euogize,I-gave
to congress the power to pass 4 tariff
July 4, 1889. which restored prosperity by
the revival of old and the creation of new
manufactures Yet Brougham claimed
that 1t was only by Il combination of Eng
lish capital and English manufactures,
which bad been created and fostered for