New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-05
ECONOMICS And THE COLLEGES.

ECONOMICS And THE C0LLEGhS'
One of the most encouraging signs OF inc
ponublican canvass is the formation OF League
clnhs in nearly all the Northern colleges Dur
inc recent wears il has been stock Democratic
declaration that Harvard and other colleges had
turned against the Republican party ana 'haV
the influence of the educated classes was on tne
side of the lOw-tariH movement. Inc TACT Uhdt
nolitical economy was taught on English lines
in many of the colleges, and that prominent
presidents and professors avowed themselves 10
no Free Traders apparently confirmed this view.
The large enrolled membership OF the kcpub-
Hcan League clubs i'll the colleges ana 'he Ze''
and enthusiasm displayed by students III the
Harrison canvass. are unerrng indications 1ha'
the educated youth of the country have no'
been converted to English Free Trade
II is not difficult to explain why Free Trade
has been taught in many classrooms Inc
literature of political economy is mainly Eng
lsb in origin. and college professor IN
stinctively solicts the support OF the writer's oi
hooks Moreover, Free Trade is system en-
bodying theories which naturally enlist 'he
svmpathy of those who do not travel far out
side their libraries Protection cannot be taught
with canal facility as theoretical science.
f. is \ system of raising revenues developing
home industries and multiplying sources OF
cmployment. which can be justified and Illus
tratcd by census tables and practical experience.
It is grounded upon plain facts, bur cannot De
analvzcd and developed III the classroom WIN
the same elasticity of treatment with Which
the formulas and theories Of the English school
of pcltical economy can be taught ana cNpahu
ed. Ii appeals to the practical judgment Oh
business men rather than to the academic IN
stincts of library students. II Is natural thlhg
70 find many college professors Sironei! as
posed 10 favor theories supported by the Eng
Iisb hooks on their shelves rather than to accept
the logic of American experience As demon
stratcd by the statistics Of trade and manu-
features for thirty years. Their example has
not been without weight in influencing the po-
litical action of students who have 'Warmed
out of college every year. Their influence has
also been felt in developing species oil eco
nomic agnoSticSm even among conservative
RopubicanS who have had a lurking suspicion
that tho Protective system, while It was work
inc admirably in Practice. might be theoretically
unScientihc.
Now during the last year there have hap
pcned good many things which have diScoh-
certcd the Frce-Trade professors AMI taught
them greatly needed lessons Of Seli-rc'iraIlt'
and which have also encouraged conservative
protcctioni>ts to believe that their sl stem was
more scientific than they had supposed. The
speech made by Lord Salisbury at Hastings has
created profound impression in The United
Epcltek Dr.nn Minister al
unrivaed experience in European affairs boldly
admitted that Free Trade had been carried too
far in his country, and advocated the lcN!hg
of retaiatory duties on merchandise from the
Continent there were scarchngs OF the near
in many an American classroom The effect
Of hi, plain, unc lmpromsing declar tpn tha'
English devotion to the Frec-Trade theory
might be noble and beautiful but that 1t was
not business was IL inspire many a humorous
protectionist in America with boldncss end
loyalty 70 principle. Tic Hastings speech Is
one of the causes OF the revival Of RcpnblIcan-
ism in American colleges. II was an cxtin-
guisher upon the well-oilcd and neatly trimmed
Free-Trade lamps in many ca,Tooms.
Another influence which has operated in the
same direction was the Senate Finance Com
mltlCc y l1Nt>liEdlI'U " pIl''N' H'' WV w
most thorough and scientific inquiry ever con
Quoted in tho United states and the results
could no, be explained away either here or
abroad II drew from able and well informed
a journal as "Thc London Financial News 4
confession that the Americans will undOubtcd-
" be able hcnceforth 10 put forward sub
s,antial justification Tor their Protective policy.
8" We might perhaps. 60 further" it remarked
land say that Free Traders all the world over
will be strongly inclined to reconsider their po-
sition. If such view could be- sustained in an
exhaustive and impartial inquiry, the members
of the Golden Club would be compelled 10
adopt a new set Of arguments in favor of their
cherished creed or the conventional ShibbOleths
of party which had outlivcd It's reputation
for sagacity would have to &C ANONYMOUSLY
by the board"
With English journals Of the highest author
ity i'm economic discussion making such con
fc>sions as these il has been impracticablc for
college professors to continue Frce-Trade dis
cussion on the old lines. The young men in
tho cassrooms arc convinced that Protection is
a system sufficiently scientific to endure the test
Of the most exhaustive non-partisan lnvestiga-
ton ever undertaken III any country and 10
wiring from an English Prime Minister and from
a considerable part of the l,.sSsh press the ad-
mission that Free Trade has been failure.