The age-herald., 1902-02-28
Interested in Industries But His Chief Mission is to Study
 the Universities
WITH HARVARD
He Was Also Much Impressed With Johns Hopkins at Baltimore, With
 It's Unpretentlous Buildings and It's Scientific Atmosphere.

Dr. Heinrich Waentig, professor of po- liticaI economy in the University of Greifswa1d Germany, who is in the Uni- ted States as commissioned representa- tive of Emperor William to make obser- vations for the German government, and who has been in Birmingham for several days past, will leave for New Orleans to- morrow. He is rather a young man to be a German professor, apparently not over 2S or 2g years of age; but like all German scholars he is broadminded and matured. What he knows he knows thoroughly; and moreover he is a close and keen ob- server
 Dr. waentig is int crested in the social and industrial life of this country, and part of his time here has been occupied with visits to manufacturing plants and with social attentions. He has not seen Ensley but the steel city is on his list for today.
 pr. Waentig has ssbeen through the Pitts burg district, and he was greatly im- pressed with what he saw there. He ex- pected to behold marvellous progress in the steel industry, and he was not dis appointed
 Asked last night what he though of Bir- ningham Dr. Waentig said it seemed to have all the natural resources that had been claimed for 1t. It had made wonder full strides in a very few years, he said, and it's future as an independent manu- featuring center was undoubtedly assured.
 While I am taking an interest in the
 ,t- ,f1r chief business is to observe and report on your university methods" remarked Dr. Waentig.
 q have visited many of the famous universities of America; have been to California, where I was much pleased with the Leland Standford University and the University of California. The Stand ford will be a great institution in time I have been to the University of Chicago and to all of the universities in the East except Cornell.
 q am inclined to think that Harvard is more like European institution than any of the others which it has been my privilege to visit. It combines the uni versity atmosphere which comes with age and m odern science and modern methods. l It Is old enough to be venerable and new enough to be practical.
 Another great university is John Hop. kins at Baltimore. I was struck with the unpretentious character of it's buildings and the high character of its scientific methods While it Is one of the younger of the American institutions 1t Is begin. ing to have the university atmosphere.
 You know we Germans lay great stress on thoroughness and on the spirit of culture. Money will employ talent but money will not make an ideal university. The love of research the love of letters. the love of philosophy, the love of science for sciences sake are what go to form the real university Your country is coming ahead on these lines and will some day be abreast of the best in old world scholarship
 How about the study of political econ- omy in the United States?" was asked.
 This science said Dr. Waentig, 'ls much more valued here than formerly, but it does not yet occupy anything like the prominent place that it does in Ger many We have in Germany profound 
 more profound and constructive than the late John Stuart Mill of England. We have many of them, and, with us the theory of political economy is carried more into our practical business life than it is either in this country or in England"
 Dr. Waentig will write a book on Amer ican institutions, but he will not be in a hurry about 1t. When asked if his book would be ready for the press by the end of the present year he laughed and said: "Oh, no; that would be going about 1t in too much haste Before I start to write a book I will make another trip to the United States-maybe several trips. If I publish a volume within the next three or four years I will be doing well. But I will make some reports on what I have observed soon after my return home"