Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-01-31
ECONOMIC PROFESSORS ON THE SUE
SlDY SCHEME.
An Effort of the Subsidy Press Bu-
resu TO Develop support Proves "a
boomerang.


reau TO Develop support Proves "a
boomerang.
The press bureau maintained by the
subsidy bill lobby and their senatorial
confrcrcs has been doing heroic service
of late. For some time Mr.. Alexander
II. Smith, one of the well known whoop-
ers-up Of the ship subsidy propaganda,
has been the director general of this
bureau. Recently Mr.. George w. Rou-
| ger, formerly the head Of the Washing
ton bureau Of the New York Herald
and later the press representative Of
the Republican national committee, has
been given high position on the staff.
His acquaintance with Washington
newspaper men as well as with repre-
sentativcs and senators makes his serv-
ices very valuable. He Is Il high priced
man, but this is high priced bill.
This press bureau in branching out
for new means to influence the public
and thereby the senate has lately sent
out letters 20 n number of college pres
idents and political economists asking
for expressions concerning the subsidy
bill. A number of replies have come in,
but they have not been printed. Their
conclusions were on the wrong side OF
tho question.
For instance, Professor II. II. Gid
dings of Columbia university in writ
ing of the bill said: "Ths bill / believe
to be a thoroughly rotten piece of NOR
al and political dcpravity. 1t is per-
fcctly well known that the United
States can build steel ships better and
cheaper than any other nation. There
fore 1t is difficult for even an unsophis-
tlcated mind to escape the inference
that the subsidy bill is steal known
and intended to be steal"
Professor Mayo-Smith of the chair of
political economy, Columbia university,
said, There Is no certainty that the
necessary facilities for export trade to
countries Offering the most desirable
llNl h'ln LII Ah' thllft w III ne
secured"
Said Professor S. NJ. MacNanc of the
chair of economies and history, IIar-
ward university, "If the Republican
party wants to commit suicide, the
passage of this ship subsidy bill would
be all that would be necessary"
Professor II. n. Carver of Harvard
university said, lowing to the develop
mcnt Of the steel industry, this would
be the worst occasion for placing
bounty on shipbuldng and the one
time in our history when it is least
needed"
Professor Charles IL. Hull of the
chair of economies, Cornell university,
said: Such congressional dCtation
may be In some cases for the public in
tcrcst, but the presumption is strongly
against It's being so. In this particular
case | have seen no argument of public
interest that seems to me strong enough
| to overcome the adverse presumption.
What forces of private interests are Mt
| work the mere economist has no means
| of knowing"
Said Professor Daniel of the chair of
political economy, Princeton, "ln gem
eral, subsidies such rs those proposed
are. In my opinion, indcfensihlc."
Professor James w. Crook Of AM
hcrst said, "Our experience Is against
the efficacy Of such system"
Professor Il. L. Jones of Union col
lcge said, mot one sound economic ar
| gumcnt can hc urged in support of the
ship subsidy bill. The principle involv.
ed is II species of paternalism. having
mono Of the rcdccming features of the
protection theory and all Of It falla-
cics."
! These are but samples Of large
number of adverse opinions expressed
by college professors and political econ
omiSts They are men who have no
ships to sell and no exports to ship and
whose views are entirely unbiased,