The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-09
Pay Up. Professors. Free List Posi-
lively Suspended.

Our esteemed contemporary. the Kansas
City Times. AYERS that the House OF Rep
resentatives made one mistake in framing
the WILSON bill, and that was the failure to
put all books upon the free list and II calls
upon the Senate to - correct this mistake"
The mistake the House made in framing
the WILSON bill was in leaving in the en-
acting clause. As far as books are con-
cerned. there should lie a revenue duty
upon all imported books: not only upon
English books. but. as formerly. upon for
eign books in whatever language. from
French 10 Feejee. The Hon. WILLIAM Ev-
ERETr Of Massachusetts labored hard for
free books. but mis- labor was in vain. as he
has explained to President GATES OF Am
herst College. another gentleman who wants
to have the American people pay the taxes
on his books.
The pretence that books are a neces-
sity Ia students and scholars is beside
the question. A revenue tariff has no
favoritism to show between necessities and
luxuries. We don't admit that books are
necessities anyway. II American college
professors. including Prof WILSON. would
r. al less. they might think more. However
that might be. they have no reason 20 COM
plain Of duty on books. A fac-simile edi-
ton of the cid" or DR.. BIESENNUDEL' s
Restitution OF the Digamma" should pay
its way at the Custom House just as much
as a diamond tiara or a purple tunic for a
professors wife. Pay the fee. or go with
out. The Government is not called upon to
take thought for n professors insides any
more than for his outsides. II he can't feed
his convolutions at the usual rate. let them
starve. There should be no discount for
him and no deadhead list.
1t would be disgraceful to the professors
to make them beggars. How could any
sensitive man OF learning enjoy his i'm
ported book. whenever the saw 81 the paper
cutter would remind him that poor. litter
ate devils all over the country We're groan-
ing aud sweating to pay his taxes Under
such circumstances the downiest spinal
pillow would be iron to the professors back
The canine teeth Of Temorse would snap at
him. He would make confession and resti-
tuition in the conscience fund. What would
free books be 10 him who had a guilty sense
OF sponging upon his countrymen For the
peace OF mind OF the professors. II for no
other reason. the shame OF free books should
not be laid upon them. Far better. in the
court Of conscience. that they should steal
books. or borrow them, which is often the
same thing.
The buncombe about making education
and knowledge free should condemn the
users Of It to the spanking stool. Under a
tariff for revenue only. nothing can be i'm
ported free. not even salvation II it come
In a form upon which the officers can levy
tariff for revenue only. Professors all and
some. is a tariff Of payments, not of ex-
emptions. 1t is depressing to lind you try
ing to beat the Government out of your due
contribution to its expenses. You have
been hankering for revenue tarif for
years. Was this your idea Of one. tariff
which would allow professor To sneak out
Of his book taxes 4? Fie. he! We must ask
the chaplain and the professor OF ethics TO
talk 10 these persons; and in particular we
must ask Chaplain EVERETT TO be round
with Congressman and Prof. EVERETT.