The times., 1897-03-25
Trusts rhrottling Education.

| prohibitive tax on books and scientific
| apparatus imported for the use Of our
| colleges and other institutions of learn
| ing, has raised n storm of angry protest,
| entirely justified by the character of the
| outrage But il involves an object lessor
| to educators in control of leading uni
| versities and the like, the force OF which
should not be lost upon them.
During the Presidential campagin Of
1896 great many Of our great schools
| deliberately lent their popular influence TO
the conspiracy against the money Of the
people, and to the victory of trusts and
monopoles. In doing so they helped the
accession to power of the very clements
most fearful OF, and hence least friendly
to, the cause OF general education. They
need not he surprised, therefore, that one
of the first acts OF the robber combina-
ton they have indorsed, upon coming into
control of the House of Representa- tives,
is to put an effectuai handicap upon the
spread of knowledge by prohibiting the
introduction of foreign books and scien-
tific apparatus used in schools. The fact
that this is the first attempt in this direc-
ton for a century, is extremely sugges-
tive of the objects and determination of
the money and trust power that dominates
the popular" branch of the National Lcgis-
lature.
Considered intrinsically. nothing in the
way of fiscal legislation could be more
openly and flagrantly unjust The Ding
ley prohibition of knowledge, in the opinion
OF college presidents, directors of scientific
societies, and SO on, would reduce by one
half, at least. the book and apparatus pur
chasing power OF colleges and other insti-
tutions. 1t would put an end to the inter
change of scientific publications between
the technical organizations and the sa-
wants of this and other countries As
President Eliot, OF Harvard, justly charac-
terizes it, the scheme is simply barbar-
ous''
will stand or fall with the whole meas
ure. IL is an excellent provision for re-
duction OF the sum OF America n knowledge,
judged by Republican trust standards
While the people have the opportunity ror
unrestricted education, their enslavement
by the foreign money power, allied with
no Oh YpnranoitaS Will ONT
to be difficult. Education demands a scale
of living inconsistent with the conditions
that unlimited plutocracy would impose
upon the masses. While they remain in
telligent and thinking, economic slavery
and reduction 70 the state of peasants in
Ireland or Russia could never cease to be |
might be accompanied with dangers to |
the depressing oligarchy. Yet it is to |
just such condition that the financial and |
monopolist magnaues are seriously and |
premeditatedly determined to sink the
people OF the United States. The parry in !
power is their conscious and willing agent, |
dlu ohc DihHios oiii oiio oi 'iie CHiti anu
most effective instruments for the accom- |
pliShment of the end.
1t is infamous TO hang a tariff mill |
stone TO the neck of education; but it is |
not more SO than to double the price of |
every necessary of life to the poor, and at |
that compel them to substitute the rot |
ten rags of protected industry for the |
cheap and durable goods they have been |
able to buy under decent revenue tariff. |