West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-02-21
ECONOMIC PROFESSORS ON THE SUE.
SlDY SCHEME.

An EGort OF the Subsidy Presa I'M
renu 60 Develop support Proves N
Boomerang.
The press bureau maintained by the
subsidy bin lobby and their senatorial
confrercs 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 MIR. George w. Rou.
zcr, 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 Il high position on the stan.
His acquaintance with Washington
newspaper men az well as with repre-
sentativea and senator's makes his sery.
ices very valuable. lie is 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 to 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
the question.
For instance, Professor II. III. Cid.
dings OF Columbia university In writ
ing Of the bin said: This bill believe
to be thoroughly rotten piece OF NOR
nj and political depravity. II ls per
fectly well known that the United
States can build steel ships better and
cheaper than any other nation. There.
fore II is difficult for even an unsophls-
ticated mind 20 escape the inference
that the subsidy bill Is steal, known
nnd Intended TO be n steal"
Professor Mayo-Smith OF the chair of
political economy. Columbia university.
said. There Is no certainty that the
necessary facilities for export trnde TO
countries Offering the most desirable
markets for the United States Will DO
secured"
Said Professor S. NJ. MacVane OF the
chair or economies and history. Har.
yard university. "If the Republican
party wants TO commit suicide, the
passage OF this ship subsidy bin would
be all that would be necessary"
Professor T. ". Carver of Harvard
university said. Owing TO the develop.
ment of the steel Industry. this would
he the worst occasion for placing n
bounty on shIpbuildlng and the one
time In our history when Il ls least
needed"
Professor Charles fl. Hull OF the
chair OF economies. Cornell university.
said: "Such congressional dlctatIon
may lie In some cases for the public in
terest. but the presumption Is strongly
against It's being so. In this particular
case I lave seen no argument OF public
Interest that seems 30 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. "In gem
oral. subsidies such as those proposed
are, In my opinion. lndofonsible."
Professor james w. Crook Of Am
herst said. "Our experience ls against
the efficacy Of such a system"
Professor +. Il. Jones Of Union col
'ege said. "Not one sound economic mr.
gumort can Ice urged in support of the
ship subsidy bill rho principle lnyolv-
cd Is species Of paternallsm. having
none of TIE rcdecming features Of the
protection theory and all OF Il falla-
cics."
These are 5ut samples of large
number of ndvcfrr opinions expressed
hy college professors and political econ
omiats 1ley are men who have no
ships 20 sell and no exports 10 ship and
whose vlcws are entirely unbiased.