SCOPE AND METHOD OF POLITICAL ECONOMY 67 



which, the attraction of students to post-graduate study, has ceased 

 to be necessary, and the further extension of which along existing 

 lines threatens serious evils. Beyond this, aid may be anticipated 

 from cooperation with governmental agencies and with endowed 

 institutions of research. But most of all, university authorities 

 must recognize that " investigation funds " are as essential to scien- 

 tific activity in political economy as laboratory apparatus is to 

 chemistry and clinical provision to medicine. I have elsewhere ven- 

 tured the opinion that " less and less will lack of material resources 

 operate as a handicap," and that " as long as the method be sound and 

 truth light the way, economic investigation will probably receive as 

 generous an equipment as the economic investigator deserves." 



In short, I urge a complete parallelism in method of investigation 

 between political economy and natural science. Comparative study 

 can fairly well replace deliberate experiment - - certainly in a country 

 as varied in resources and institutions as the United States. Beyond 

 this, we need but a larger equipment and a common spirit. Here- 

 tofore the economist has adapted his method to his resources. Let 

 him now demand resources, made necessary by his method. 



The significance of this great Congress is that every branch of 

 science is but a facet of truth, and that every aspirant is in motive 

 and endeavor as his fellow. No wise man will say, " I have the 

 true path and every other is false." But just as surely is he a blind 

 and foolish traveler who trudges along with eyes intent upon the 

 worn stone, neglectful of the shorter course and the smoother way 

 of him whose starting-point and whose goal are as his own. 



