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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



but who will pretend that it is consti- 

 tuted of men capable of comprehend- 

 ing even the rudimental interactions 

 of social forces, much less the far- 

 reaching consequences of experimental 

 legislation ? A large number of tliem 

 are illiterate blockheads, who have 

 never seriously studied anything — men 

 who have made money and used it to 

 get otBce. Many Congressmen are mere 

 practised political bullies and intriguers. 

 Many are shrewd lawyers who know 

 the technicalities of their profession, 

 and but little else. Others are edu- 

 cated men, but in whose education no 

 science of any sort ever entered. And 

 there are a few Congressmen of able 

 minds, who have critically studied the 

 facts and principles relating to human 

 society which should underlie sound 

 legislation. But they are precious few ; 

 their chances of getting into Congress 

 are slender, and of remaining there 

 next to impossible — even if their self- 

 respect would permit them to wish it. 

 And what chance would really profound 

 men have of influence upon the con- 

 gressional body ? He who speaks of dis- 

 tant results, and the indirect operation 

 of measures, is pooh-poohed as an ab- 

 stractionist and an impracticable. The 

 statesman is the man of far-sighted 

 forecast, who can act with a reference 

 to remote results ; the politician recog- 

 nizes only that which is direct, imme- 

 diate, and palpable, such as foolish con- 

 stituencies can appreciate, and of such 

 is our national Congress mainly made 

 up. If a man of mental grasp and force 

 should undertake to discuss questions of 

 social interest from the scientific point 

 of view, he would not be understood, 

 could not be followed, and would be 

 voted a bore by the majority of medi- 

 ocrities in the assemblage. Hence the 

 neglect of those remote but often potent 

 consequences of legislation of which 

 short-sighted partisans are apt to take 

 but little account. 



An illustration of this is furnished 

 by the long congressional treatment of 



the subject of "protection." The pro- 

 tective policy has always been defended 

 and urged on the lowest grounds of 

 immediate, palpable, pecuniary advan- 

 tage, such as unthinking and sordid 

 people can best appreciate. How such 

 legislation will affect this or that busi- 

 ness, or operate in this or that locality, 

 has ever been the vital consideration 

 that has obscured all other considera- 

 tions. "What is to be the ultimate out- 

 come of protective legislation in its 

 wide, indirect, subtile influence upon the 

 minds of the people is a question which 

 our national law-makers have not 

 troubled themselves to investigate. Yet 

 agencies that act quietly and take time 

 to develop are often the most moment- 

 ous at last. Congress has been busy 

 with inquiries as to how tariffs would 

 affect trade and manufactures, but it 

 has had no concern about the habits of 

 thought that the protective system 

 might finally engender among the peo- 

 ple. Yet we now begin to be con- 

 fronted with this serious question. 

 That there is a tendency to the spread 

 of socialistic and communistic doc- 

 trines in this country is undeniable; 

 and it is equally certain that the fact 

 inspires grave anxiety on the part of 

 thoughtful and conservative men. Not- 

 withstanding our popular educational 

 system, our numerous colleges, our 

 abundant newspapers and cheap books 

 — unparalleled agencies for the diffusion 

 of intelligence — doctrines are making 

 headway, and are extensively accepted, 

 that threaten the entire subversion of 

 our social fabric. It has not needed 

 much acuteness to connect communistic 

 tendencies with the system of paternal 

 care-taking and protective government 

 which has been growing in strength in 

 this republic for many years. But an 

 English writer of ability on economical 

 questions has lately presented this mat- 

 ter in a way that will command the 

 attention of reflecting people. Prof. 

 Fawcett, who occupies the chair of Po- 

 litical Economy in the University of 



