The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-12
Professor weaver's Economic Views.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
In an editorial of 9th inst, in speaking of
the reduction of salaries at DePauw Uni
versity, you do me an unintentional injustice,
that should be corrscted in as public a man.
ner as committed, which / have no doubt
will be cordially and promptly done. At
tributing the present industrial crisis chiefly
TO attempted legislation looking toward free
trade. you assume that the teaching of
economies at DePauw has contributed to this
end; for, after speaking Of the munificent
gift of the late Mr.. DePauw having been
the result of protection, you continued:
These facts the professor refused TO rec
gonlze. but, instead. became the blind fol-
lower of the a priori theorists of Great
Britain and Professors Perry and Sumner,
Of this country. and taught and voted free
trade"
Possibly you may not refer TO the depart
ment of economics at DePauw in the above
quotation, but the inference is so easy, that
il makes one dreadfully uncomfortable thus
to be slandered in the house of his friends.
You will agree with me that the duty of
any professor is to teach the truth as he
sees it. and vote as he teaches; also, that
both sides of the question should be as
thoroughly and fairly presented to the stu
dents as possible, and then appeal to their
Judgment for their choice of sides in these
difficult problems. Consequently, hold that
Iteither free trade nor protection per Sc, is
taught i'm my classes: but that somehow the
latter view is carried by a large majority,
simply because under actual conditions the
argument fairly falls on that side of the case.
In the present class, consisting of twenty
nine students. after two weeks of discussion.
only three or four nonprotectfOnists were
left; possibly because, as one Of these said
The professor gives both sides, but all the
hard knocks fall on free trade In the syl-
ral sod will =
pro and con, TO the best OF my ability to
present them, and for the result L am not
concerned or responsible; but to my mind
the conditions justify. for the highest well
fare Of American society, our present Sys
tenn Of protection.
Possibly my residence and consular SER
vice for sixteen years in Europe, where [
closely studied labor conditions. have had
much 10 do with this judgment; for that
justify protection 10 home industries viz,
the protection and announcement of AneTi
can labor in order 10 maintain IL on a higher
level than that of Europe to which must
inevitably come # We permit free cOmpeti-
ton. 1 know all the sO-called arguments
against this position; but Il will stand the
assault of theory 1and practical legislation.
The present stress, it seems 70 me, is now
almost entirely the result OF uncertainty as
10 what the future has in store for our in
dustrialists.
The foregoing is only n 1.-THE OF what 1
feel and will indicate 10 the friends Of De-
Pauw and the profession IN general.
whether the department. OF economics in our
institution has blindly followed the singular
trend Of certain schools Of political phliosO-
ply toward cosmopOlitanism and English
observation-disclosures
JAMES r WEAVER.
Professor Of Political Science.
DePauw University, Jan. 10.
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