[S.N. Patten's letter] June28,1890,Halle,Germany. [to F.H. Giddings], [written at the top upside down : What do you think of Laughlin's appointment to Cornell?]

June 28, 1890, Halle, Germany.[ written at the top upside down: What
  do you think of Laughlin's appointment to Cornell? ]

Dear Giddings,
       I have been
knocking around considerably
since I came back from
the Harz and am now
just back from a ten
days visit to Berlin.
I have met Brentano
at Leipsig (sic) and had a
couple long talks with
him and he wanted me
to dine with him.
 At Berlin I met Wag-
ner and Schmoller.
Wagner is a man of my
liking and my talk with
him was the source of much
pleasure. He is the only
economist of whom I
know that has the same
tone as to taxation that
I have. It pleased me
much to hear him say
that the present burden
of taxation was very light
relatively to that borne
by the past and that it
could be easily be
increased in many ways
with much increase
of the real burden to the
people.
 His whole tone was
a pleasing one to me.
My talk with Schmoller
was not satisfactory.
He was a little sick
and perhaps that made
him reticent but his
answers were short and
careless.
 The next number of
Conrad's Jahrbucher will
be of the greatest interest
because Prof. Dietzel (now
elected professor at Bonn) will
have an attack on the Austrian
school of economist and the
the theory of marginal value.
Conrad has given me the
proof to read so I know
what is coming and it will be
sure to stir up a discussion
as the Austrians are only to
ready for a battle.
 It is a long and very able
article and makes many
good points against his oppo-
nents. His point of view reminds
me some of yours though his
line of argument is quite
different. He defends the
cost of labor theory of
production and ends by saying
that the Austrian theory is
a backward movement
not a forward one.
 Of course my sympathies
are with the Austrians
and do not see that he
has won the battle although
it will be regarded so
by many.
 So I have said to you many
times I think the Austrians
will be compelled to
modify their line of
defence and broaden out
their point of view before
they can succeed. This
attack may help to do
this better than you have
done because it is in their
own language and thus will
force their attention to their
weak points.
I am now making arrange-
ments for a visit to Austria
where I shall meet the
leaders of the new movement.
Well what will you do this
summer?
 Best wishes to Mrs. Giddings.
                                             Sincerely yours,
                                             S. N. Patten