Michiganensian. [1900]

A word may not be out of place here, sugg-ested by this varied
activity of Professor Adams. It seems to us that it rel)resents new tan(l
happy features in both American scholarship and American government.
It indicates that the government is learning, to utilize trained and expert
men in the investigations of its problems. Is it not safe at any rate to
say that these labors of Professor Adanis and such brilliant work as
Professor Burr's in the Venezuelan boundary investi.gtion sug(-,est tlan
answer to the familiar charge that in this country scholars are grovwing
out of touch with practical affairs.
Of the two so-called schools of Political Economy, Professor
Adams has identified himself witll the Historical school. He waLs 0one of
the founders of the American EconoImic Association, l(S5, and contributed
on the side of the new school, to the considerations of metlhod and principle in Scicew( Ecomiic Di'sc.tsi,,, 1,6. Cossa classifies him as iltermediate between the two groups of the " G;erman-Aminerican " economiists;
one. the ' Historical ' group, being rel)resented by Professor Ely: and tlie
other "Pure Science" group, being represented by Professor Patten. We
would not be justified in attempting to classify him here. We know from
what has been presented in these 1pages that lie was not carried away Nl)
the German influence, and that lie does not give too lligll a value to tlme
German theory of the state. On the other hand, lie insists tllhat the ildidivualistic theory as represented in Englishl jurisprudence hias reaclied
the limits of its evolution. He is thle representative of such an econoimny
as he once pro)hesied must be established in tlle United States:;' a
economy that rests on history, that is motived by a passion for liberty,
and that is directed and limited by a knowledge of jurisprudence."
Upon his personal characteristics it would be out of 1)lace for us to
dwell here. His lovable disposition, his charming- modesty before classes
and his kindness to his students, are facts of ha)ppy memory to tliose who
no longer work with him, and of pleasant realizaton to tlose wlio are so
fortunate as to be now sitting at his feet.
HARILOW S. PEIIS()N.