Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1903-01-22
A PROFESSORS VIEW
FRANKLIN H. GlDDlNGS ON COR
RuPTlNG INFLUENCES.


Protective TariR Is Involved, but
Is Blind to Their Existence When
Exerted In Behalf of Free Trade.
In answer to some inquiries by the
New York Evening Post it is said by
Franklin II. Giddings, professor of so
GEOLOGY, author of ''The Modern Dfstrib-
utiye Process" 'The Theory Of Sociol-
ogy," "The Principles Of Sociology"
1.-THE Theory of Socialization," "The
Elements Of Sociology" and "Democra-
cy and Empire"
while it is quite unnecessary to go
into a discussion Of the opposing sys-
TENS Of protection and free trade. 1t
should be said that, practically ana
viewing existing conditions as they are,
our protective tariff has been shaped
and created by corrupt influences ana
has exerted a correspondingly pern-
cious influence both on the people ana
on industry"
This is a very grave charge, made as
it is in exclusion Of corrupt influences
by free traders, even by one who relies
so much on his own thought as FRO
fessor Giddings does, and we think he
should have excepted the tin plate IN
dustry, for instance, from his sweeping
condemnation of the pernicious inf1u-
ence of protection. No one, we take 1t,
will call a man necessarily corrupt be-
cause he receives pay for advocating
cause that he deems right The value
CT Wilberforce's efforts to stop the Eng
lish slave trade was not diminished by
the assertion that he received pecuni-
ary assistance from the people of Glas-
Cow, who did not object to the slave
trade for it's horrors, but to injure Liv-
erpool. Nor are Cunard's services to
Great Britain in patching up the quar-
rel between these two cities by promis-
ing, if he got his subsidy, that all Gu
narders should be built on the Clyde
and that all those sailing in the trans
atlantic trade should start from Liver
the successful result of his negotiations
changed his position from that of lit
tie "Bluenose'' forwarder to that of Sir
Samuel Cunard.
Both Of these persons were doubtless
actuated by philanthr6pic and patriotic
motives of high order, although corrupt
influences and practices were openly
prevalent in both instances. particular
ly as against the port of Bristol, which
already had two steamers engaged In
the transatlantic trade as against none
from Liverpool.
But when the importers of gloves sc.
cured the services Of noted Republic
an politician of this city by retainer
of $1,000 to represent their interests be-
fore the committee that framed the
Dingley bill or the importers Of crock
cry secured the services of one with
some reputation as statistician of the
protectionist persuasion to further their
desires before the same committee it
will be readily conceded that all Of the
influence exerted by these two. for in
stance, was as corrupt and pernicious
as anything imagined by our learned
and voluminous professor.
On the other hand, there is the still
obscure case Of Golden. AS all know,
when the Anticorn Law league cleaned
up after the successful issue Of it's
campaign in 1916 it had an unexpended
balance of fS0,000. This the officers
of the league gave to their chief advo-
cate, If not fellow officer, Golden.
During the Irish famine he was asked
to contribute some of this money to
alleviate the distress in that country
caused by the reduction of duty on
foreign wheat, and he answered that
1, H. Ill l,~
trust.
Does Professor Giddings believe, does
any one who has studied Cobden's
writings and speeches and who is ia
miliar with the reputation Of that mar
row minded and mistaken man believe,
that Richard Golden was a liar and a
sneak, losing that then immense for
tune of 100000 by speculations in ILL
nois Central stock? We do not believe
it. We believe with the protectionists
of fifty years ago that he put the bulk
of it into congressional and presiden-
tial elections, substantially the last Of
it into the election of 1856.
The American Economist is not con-
tending that all corrupt practices are
concentrated in one party or in one
school Of political economy. When, not
counting the domestic products con-
sumed at home, the exports and imports
Of a country aggregate over $2,000,-
100000 yearly, there are fortunes in a
small percentage of its production, with
power and wealth to those countries
that gather and distribute them; hence
it seems inevitable that men who are
thought venal should be approached
by both the entirely sordid and those
who are actuated by patriotic motives,
like Golden, or by mixed motives, as
in the case Of Cunard. What we wish
to protest against is Professor Gid
dings, as typical of the dishonest and
should be disreputable practice so gen.
orally INDUCED in by the educators Of
Our youth, of suppressing or, If that is
impossible, distorting well known facts
and filling the receptive minds of their
pupils with the idea that there are not
two Sides to most of fhis worlds o,1ea.