Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-02-15
PROFESSORS ON THE SUB
SlDY SCHEME.
An Effort of the Subsidy Press Blu
reau to Develop Support Proves

An Effort of the Subsidy Press Blu
reau to Develop Support Proves "a
Boomerang.
The press bureau maintained by the
subsidy bill lobby and their senatorial
confreres has been doing heroic service
of late. For some time Mr.. Alexander
r. 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 a high position on the staff.
His acquaintance with Washington
newspaper men as well as with repre-
sentatives and senators makes his serv-
ices very valuable. He 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 a 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 T. H. Gid
dings of Columbia university in writ
ing of the bill said: ''This bill believe
to be thoroughly rotten piece of NOR
| al and political depravity. 1t is per-
fectly well known that the United
| States can build steel ships better and
cheaper than any other nation. There
! fore it is difficult for even an unsophis-
ticated mind to escape the inference
that the subsidy bill is a 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
markets for the United States will be
secured"
Said Professor S. M. MacVane of the
chair of economics and history, Har-
ward university, eff the Republican
party wants to commit suicide, the
passage of this ship subsidy bill would
be all that would be necessary"
Professor T. N. Carver of Harvard
university said, lowing to the develop
ment of the steel industry, this would
be the worst occasion for placing a
bounty on shipbuilding and the one
time in our history when it is least
needed"
Professor Charles H. Hull of the
chair of economics, Cornell university
said: "Such congressional dictatior
may be in some cases for the public in
terest, but the presumption is strongly
against its 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 a
work the mere economist has no mean:
Of knowing"
Said Professor Daniel of the chair OF
political economy, Princeton, "In gen
eral, subsidies such as those proposed
are, in my opinion, indefensible,"
Professor James W. Crook of Am
herst said, "Our experience is agains
the efficacy of such system
Professor F. R. Jones of Union col
lege said, "Not one sound economic ar
gument can be urged in support Of thu
ship subsidy bill. The principle involv
! ed is a species of paternalism, having
none Of the redeeming features of tn
protection theory and all of it falla
cies."
These are but samples of larg
number of adverse opinions expressed
by college professors and political econ
omists. They are men who have III
ships to sell and no exports to ship ant
whose views are entirely unbiased.