The evening times., 1899-12-28

ITHACA, n. Y, Dec. 2S.-The second
days session of the twelfth annual meet
ing of the American Economic Association
convened here today. Delegates listened to
an address of welcome by President Jacob
Gould Schurman. of Cornell the presi-
dents annual address, by President Arthur
T. Hadley, of Yale; the discussion of Presi
dent Hadley's address, by Profs. J. r. Con
nors. of New York; L. NJ. Keasby. of Bryn
Mawr, and E. r. A. Seligman, of Columbia
University.
Papers were read on Seniors Theory of
Monopolies," by Prof Richard T. Ely. OF
Wisconsin University; THE Place OF the
Speculator In Distribution by Prof. II. c.
Emory, of Bowdoin College, and Taxation
as a PartiafS.bstitute for Borrowing to
Cover Permanent Municipal Improve
ments.' by Prof. E. R. Durand. of Stan
ford University. President Hadley's ad-
dress was on Economic Theory and Po-
litical Morality" and among other things
he said;
The press has taken the place OF the
legislature as forum for the formation OF
public sentiment. Parliaments and con-
crosses have become bodies for the making
OF laws rather than for'the making OF opin-
ions. That this change has been accompa-
MED by a loss in salutary influence OF leg
islative bodies is. l think, unquestionable.
No longer do the members strive 10 impress
their several convictions on the whole body
of which they form a part; they strive
rather to form a compromise in which the
interests OF the party which they represent
shall have adequate recognition.
To-
conviction as the ideal OF legislative &C
tivity is perhaps the greatest and most
pervasive evil under which our political
machinery suffers. II shows its effect in
the demoraiZing principle that the repre-
sentative should be guided in his utter
ances and his votes by the opinions OF his
constituents rather than by his own-a
principle which, in spite of all protests.
mas come 10 be generally accepted in prac-
teal politics.
''All this has gone so far as TO produce
. change in the public estimate of parlia-
mentary bodies The glorificston Of ideal
iZaton of the legislature. so common in
generations Immediately gone by, is rap
idly passing away. In matters OF munich
pal government We are lessening the ap-
plication of the old representative system
giving more power to the mayor and
less to the representatives OF the several
business that is done in the ordinary mu
nicipality We cannot afford TO let the gen.
eFal interests of the whole he plundered
il behalf of the several parts.
The same tendency shows itself in con-
nectiOn with State legislatures. whose ses-
sons are now being made less frequent, |
and whose spheres of action when they do
meet is being narrowed by constitutions
and other instruments providing for a ref I
erence OF all more important laws to he
people direct
Business has become trust. in sense I
far differ nt from that which the accident !
al application Of this word has carried 1
with it-a thing involving d delegation of /
power by the public 10 the hands of a few |
wise men which they are able II they |
please TO misuse to the detriment of 9TH |
ers without being Immediately overtaken
by any legal or commercial penalty. That
they will themselves suffer in the long
run from such misuse of powers entrusted
is very probably true; but the reaction
upon them is SO ind rect that we cannot
rely upon il as a pro lection 10 CONNER
cial society in the way that could rely
on every day cCinpe ,ition in the smaller
and more individualized business of fifty
years ago.
a similar change is taking place in mat
teTs political as well as industrial. Not
only are cur municipalities giving exam
piles OF combined action in the way OF pub
lie works undreamed Of a century ago but
cur nation as whole is undertaking vet
larger combinations in the shape CT colo
nial empires.
What will be the ultimate result of this
last change OF national character it is far
too early TO predict: but this is certain,
that it will necessarily be accompanied by
a recognition OF the fact ths, public Office
is a public trust more fully than il has
been recognized in the past. A federation
of States OF approximately equal strength
may govern one another on a principle of
separate pursuits of selfish interests. and
although there will be some aggregate loss
through the preference of local interests
TO general ones. there is likely TO be at
least a relative fairness when each mem
Der of the federation Is strong enough TO
secure its cwn share OF the plunder and TO
protect itself from undue imposition.
But when We come to administer the
Shairs OF a weaker nation, to which we
do not and cannot give political autonomy,
the evils of the old system become so OBJ
vious and the need of ideals in politics be-
comes so exacting that even those who i'll
:heir past public life have scoffed at the
OF higher law than their own
selfshness are, under the new conditions
by very shame to appeal TO such
a higher law.
81 believe that the American people and
The modern civilized world in general will
solve these problems. as they have solved
other problems which have come up in the
phases of their history; that We
shall meet the new collective needs Of
and government with true col
ectivIsm of spirit and purpose. Not with
that superficial collectivism or socialism
which. like the individual that it strives
to supersede. often makes TOO much of
mere political machinery. and believes that
men are to be saved by their institutions
rather than their characters, but with a
public spirit which demands as part OF
the national ethics, that men shall shape
their course on the bias of conviction
rather than of compromise, and that public
discussion shall look toward comr.2n un-
ierstsnding rather than bargain
4 Disastrous Lumber Yard Blaze.
CHICAGO. Dec. 2S.-The extensive lun-