author
David Ames Wells
1828–1898
A scientist-turned-economist, he became one of the clearest American voices on taxation, trade, and public finance in the late 19th century. His career moved from writing popular science books to shaping national debates about tariffs and revenue.
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About the author
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1828, David Ames Wells studied at Williams College and later at Harvard's Lawrence Scientific School. Early in his career he worked in journalism, invented a newspaper-folding device, and wrote accessible books on science before turning more fully toward economics and public policy.
Wells gained national attention during and after the Civil War for his writing on finance and taxation. He served as chair of the United States Revenue Commission, helped encourage the creation of the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, and became known as a careful, data-minded commentator on how governments raise money.
He is especially remembered as a strong advocate of lower tariffs and freer trade. By the time of his death in 1898, he had built a reputation as an influential public thinker whose work connected economics, statistics, and practical government policy.