The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-28
HOME DEPARTMENT..

Ih6 ORGANIZATION uf Il Home department Ia gu
Government for the first time, will signaze the nd
minislration OF Gen. Taylor. The accomplishment
Of this long sought NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. b.
the founders OF the Government and first urged up
on the attention Of Congress by Washington, will
special regard to agriculture, and renewediy b,
Madison, and the younger Adams-is indeed al
occasion for general congratuaiion and IL Is forth
nate for the country that II commences under suef
favorable auspices. Though osensbly established
by Congress TO relieve the other departments of over
hurdening executive business, 1t viii yet, we trust
prove TO be- what Washington so earnestly desired
adepartmeni for the encouragement OF every oranch
Of Home Industry.
1 We nave good reason 10 believe that Gen Taylor
cordially adopts the views Of Gen. Washington on
this as on other subjects, and is prepared to en-
courage any proper measure mat may &c , devised 70
just now as always the one thing nsedu In the ex-
ecutive branch Of our government. The desirable
object may be readily attained by the Introduction oil
bureau OF Agriculture, which we trust public sen
Iirnent will imperaiyely demand from the next
Congress.
The importance Of such an adjustment Is so clear
" set forth b. Professor Mapes in an article in the
present number Of his WORKING FARMER, that we
commend il 10 the attention of readers; and with
the more pleasure, because we happen to know thai
the President has recently expressed similar views
OF the subject. The following extract especially
claims the attention Of readers all interested in the
great interests of Agriculture:
We have schools for the Army and for the Navy
We send Commissioners abroad, continually TO col
and every collateral branch Of science connected
with military engineering Is fostered by government
patronage Eminent foreigners have often been
placed high In office, thai we might profit by their
requirements as connected with these various sub
departments The pupils al our military schools are
taught many branches of even q simply ornamental
character, 10 fit them flore completely 10 fill the
character Of gentlemen well az that of soldiers
end so 1t should be. Farmers do not complain at
Ct this, although they pay for.ffh Of The erpense.
But when has commission existed under govern.
me nj for collecting information either at home
abroad, for the use Of the agrcultrst! What organ
izaion has ever been made to dinse information on
This nmportant subject In what Bureau al
Washington do we find an account of the organiza-
ton of the Agricultural Colleges of Europe What
proportion of the public purse -four fffhs of which
il furnished by armers has been expended for their
benefit
What part of the four or five million Of dollars that
has been paid for fostering inventions in the forms
Of premiums and experiments, at the expense of
government, has been applied TO inducing improve
niens In the construction Of agricultural imple-
ments, or improved modes of culnire2 Where are
our agricultural Colleges What other civilized
country Is without them.
Why Is not portion of the public domain given
20 the States for the purpose Of establishing and
dowing Agricultural Schools and Colegesl Why
nave not our foreign ministers, consus, &c. been
instructed TO collect the seeds and plants Of other
countries, for distribution through Members Of Con-
gress 10 their constituents
Why Is II that within twenty miles OF New York
hundreds OF farmers have globe arfchoke
or ednlfo,rer, while the markets of Europe and
even those Of our own country tain them
Why should not these wholesome luxuries be dis
semnaIed throughout the land 2
How long has the iron ploughshare been intro
duced into our country, and how long since its gen.
eral adopuon3 Has its use not increased the
amount Of agricultural product Of our country fifty
per cent and as the value of agricultural products
OF So 600 600 value in lsI6 have we NOT been the
gamers Of larger amount by Its used than BY any
other invention Of modern times; not even except
ing The improvements In cotton machinery Does
not England, at this time by the use of subsoil
ploughs, and other agricultural improvements, get
an average OF more thnn double the amount of pro-
duct from similar area Of land And why Is this
state of things suffered 10 exist 2
Would not a properly organized Home Depart
ment De able 10 suggest to Congress methods for
remedying these evils
What would be the probable effect, If The mechani.
cal ingennity OF the country could be engaged in i'm
proving farmers implements7 Suppose that each
year Tor the last ten years, premium OF ten thou
sand dollars had been offered for the best improve
ment in the poughj can any one doubt that a ma
chine would have been invented that would have In.
creased the amount OF products one per cent? And,
II 80, would not this have added TO our permanent
wealth .fffy.fonr millions Of dollars per annul2--
Would not such increase of production lead 10 an
increase of mercantile activity and thus to national
wealth. Apart from monetary considerations. we
live under agovernment of aeritten lar and we call
upon our citizens TO obey that law. We know that,
with the exception Of such States aud Districts as
have improved modes Of agriculture, the ploddne
farmer cannot afford 10 educate his children dnd
that until be enabled TO advantage by the improved
processes Of more fortunate localities he cannot do
so. The few States where education Is easily OBJ
aained must not forget that number nearly or cutie
equal to one quarter of whole population cannot
read the very law they are called on 10 obey.
To remedy this evil IL part of the legitimate dn;y
Of Home Department.
prosperous agricultural district Is nerer with.
ont patriots to defend H." Let our whole country be
IN this position and small but experienced standing
mfr IT, e.
gency while an educated agricultural community
would find apt recruits who would be good soldiers
IL SO ofiiceTed IN one month
I'VE learn from the ploughing matches of the Anne
rcan and other Institutes that differences In tbe
shape OF the ploughshare alone VIII make a saving
in the amount OF power necessary TO move them n
niriy-ihree and third per cent. Leta Home
Department but make the best form known in a
manner to be believed by our farmers aud they can
plough onsihrd deeper with about the same amount
o. power. Does any well informed agrculiurist at
this day, doubt that such average increase In the
depth OF pioughing would give an increase of wealth
IN hve years OF more than all the legislative wisdom
Of our Representatives In Congress could give u by
other means In ten yearsl
Let our political economists ask themselves the
question, why France with all the faults of an nm
stable Government, and without the advantages aris
Ing from profitable colonies has been enabled 10 war
win nan Europe and still be less in debt than most
other hationsf II is because ahe holds the 1rhole
1sora under contribution for the products Of her in
austry; while The fostering aid OF her rarious Home
departments Of Government enables France mol on.
~ 10 supply her home consumption with agricnl-
tuTal products but you can find even her pershable
products Of the field, in any market Of the world
that can be reached during the time required for ts
decay. France has agricultural colleges Of every
grade we md the peers Of the realm acting pro-
fessors In those colleges and one Of them requires of
those entering as students, that they should have
previously passed through some other college, thai
Ineif knowledge OF the adjunct sciences might be
such as 10 fl Them for the higher study OF aericul
ture. II such system be found profitable and pro.
per where but few are land owners, how much more
requisite ~ in country where every aborar NAV
tiii MS own acres Nsrark, NJ j., Adreriiser.
-
Ohio.
Inc production OF iron is rapidly Increasing
Ia his state, and one good evidence Of il IL elve5
IN me cincinnati Gazette. The editor OF thai naner
writing from Chilcothe makes mole of ,he pnpr
lions VI Company which has been chartered nr ,he
purpose Of engaging in the manufacture Of iron In
Laurence county: Their charter gives them power