New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-06
4 DISCOVERY IN AGRICULTURE.

A DISCOVERY IN AGRICULTURE
There never was Congress so lucky at
finding out things as the present. The last
Congress found out a good many things, but
it had to look for them, appoint investigating
committees, summon witnesses, slit testimony,
wresie with contradictions, and sometimes
examine memorandum books and bank ac-
counts. This Congress fairly stumbles upon
discoveries it finds things without looking
for them almost breaks its political neck over
things it comes upon unexpectedly. The
latest thing in that line occurred i'll what Is
called the Agricultural Department
II happened in this wise. Mr. George 7.
Marsh, our Minister TO Italy, having written a
paper on irrigation, which had come into the
possession of the Department OF Agriculture
so-called, some member of the House was
curious TO know about il. Whether he desired
information pertinent to the subject OF watered
stock in connection with the Transportation
problem, or thrsted for knowledge relative TO
the proposed watering Of the best currency
"in the world did not appear. ii Is barely
possible that he was thinking OF some new
plan of watering the horses, of which II seems
tbc Government has a sufficient number TO
warrant the creation Of a new department
with Veterinary Secretary having a seat i'll
tho Cabinet However that may be, he wanted
to know about irrigation and to get the views
of our Minister to Italy on the subject. Ac-
cordngly he drew resolution calling on the
Secretary of the Interior to produce the doc
ument, and the House passed 1t. The reply
of the Secretary was that it was in the posses
sion of the Department of Agriculture, and not
\ frNu
culture was supposed by Congress TO be n
bureau of the Department of the Interior, and
the Speaker read the statement to the contrary
with the lifted eyebrows of leading states
man undergoing surprise. The Commls-
sioner of Agriculture upon being applied TO
for the document replied with great serenity
that he was using il himself, and Congress
could not have it. He was Incorporating 1t III
his annual report. The only way to get it was
TO make an appropriation for printing the re-
mort. Another resolution being offered direct
ing the Commissioner to produce the paper IN
question, Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts, informed
the House that there was no law giving 1t the
power to require information Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture.
II was now the turn of the whole assembled
wisdom of the nation to be surprised. Here
was another unexpected discovery. The De-
partment of Agriculture was running on its
own hook, in an orbit of its own, with no
relations TO the Government or any Depart
ment of the Government, except that involved
in drawing pay. 1t was good thing to find
out. There have been doubts, to be sure, all
along, of the power of Congress TO obtain In
formation from the Department of Agricul-
ture but they related rather TO the ability of
the Department than to the authority of Con-
gress. And now, when Congress, reaching
out carefully for some sort Of information
that will not disclose public abuse or injure
somebody's reputation, goes confidently to the
Agricultural Department for a paper on
| irrigation Mr.. Commissioners Watts blandly
refuses to recognize its authority. II is really
too BAD Very likely now some uncomfortable
person will set up n more searching inquiry
into this business. And then when it appears,
as it certainly will, that this old gentleman
from Pennsyvania-who is not, as we under
stand, the author of Watts's Hymns-draws
handsome salary and has his rent free, and
nobody knows how many horses and carriages
and private servants at public eXpense-and
that the only service the department ever
TcuuCls Is 10 IuTHlSu HDNcIS lOI Vi
Congress and Cabinet officers, while 1t dis
tributes thistle seed, weeds, worms, and bugs
that are a curse 10 the farmer and cOnun-
drum TO the entomologist and that the ex-
pense Of printing and distributing its blunder-
ing and incohercnt reports is only a fraction
of the damage it does to honest industry
when all this appears upon investigation TO be
true, ten chances to one Mr.. Watts will be
removed and some other Pennsylvania man
put in his place
We say "upon investigation with full
knowledge that Congress does not as rule
investigate But this Is an exceptional case
The venerable Watts has treated Congress
with disrespect. When that happens, look for
investigation of the most searching character
We fear it will go hard with Watts. Better
for him that he had never studied the curl OF