THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGIST 05 



we try to correlate them or trace out their causal nexi. And 

 in doing this work Dr. Burgess has made for himself a niche 

 rather high up in the temple of early American scholarship. 



If political science in Europe cannot understand, in its 

 full meaning, the highly original work Professor Burgess has 

 done, so may we say that political economy in Europe cannot 

 fully comprehend the work that has been done by American 

 economists. Jenks of Cornell, w^hose name is associated rather 

 closely wath examination of tliis phase of modern industrial 

 hfe, has made many suggestions of preparatory value, and 

 Clark of Columbia has made a noteworthy attempt to trace 

 down all processes of labor and capital to their roots in primitive 

 conditions; and this contribution of Clark's is perhaps the 

 broadest contribution as yet made to the philosophy of econom- 

 ics. If we now make due note of the fact that Dr. Ely of Wiscon- 

 sin has suggested the possibility of competition in a state of so- 

 ciety closely bordering upon socialism itself, we have taken a 

 glance, I believe, at the most conspicious original work that 

 has been done by American scholars in political science and 

 pohtieal economy. Before leaving these topics, however, per- 

 haps it would be well to say a few words in reversion to the 

 bearing of freedom of speech upon intellectual progress. 



Speech from the chairs of political economy in America 

 has been anything but free. That important fact is due, 

 oddly enough, to the more remote fact that in America we 

 live under a democratic rule. So far as legal freedom goes, 

 wh}^, of course, the teacher can say whatever he Hkes. But 

 in a democratic community the real rulers are the people and 

 not the central mechanism called government. No govern- 

 ment in America could guarantee a chair to that professor 

 who w^ould teach or publish views conflicting with the per- 

 sonal opinions of the men who pay the bills for the school. 

 We all remember how, a few years ago, Dr. Andrews was 

 disciplined for advocating free silver. And it is natural 

 that the rich men who are supporting ai^ university should 

 feel that they ought to be given something to say about 

 the doctrines taught in the school. Had we a king, or an 

 emperor, here, who could overrule such a state of affairs, per- 

 haps many of our economists would be more outspoken. 



