JOHN BATES CLARK AS AN ECONOMIST 
but failed signally to bridge it. It remained for Clark to press 
relentlessly forward and to lay this veritable corner-stone of a 
pure economics. 
The history of doctrinal thought is largely a succession of 
dogmatism, criticism and synthesis. Clark began his systematic 
work at a time when Roscher and Jevons, from quite different 
directions had given shattering blows to the classical theory. 
Even after a quieting interval, the effect of the impact was to 
revive in acute form the old opposition in economic approach, 
extending as far back as the controversies of Malthus and 
Ricardo—consumer or producer, demand or supply, utility or cost. 
Marshall in England and Clark in the United States adjusted the 
situation in fine spirit of scientific continuity. From their day 
forth we have heard less of “shunting the car of economic science 
on to a wrong line.” The shield was seen as a two-sided affair; 
interpretation corrected textual rigor, and the economic student 
was freed from a Calvinistic alternative. In all of this Clark’s 
work was constructive unification, not pallid accord. Disciples 
carried the process to completion, but the impetus had been 
imparted. 
d 
Clark’s work as an economist has been both the creative 
activity of a philosopher and the specific service of a scholar. 
But it ranges wider. For more than a generation he has been a 
teacher to students, a master to disciples, a critic to fellow crafts- 
men. In all of these relations he has shown a serenity of mind, 
a sweetness of manner, a gentleness of spirit that make up “eine 
schone Seele.” No other among American economists has come 
so near to founding a “school.” But over and above the impress 
which sheer intellectuality and rare originality have imparted, 
has been the contagion of mental tolerance and scientific gener- 
osity. It is in this spirit that the whole fraternity of political 
economists, far beyond the small company who here in homage 
lay before him their offerings, find it a delight to do him honor.