Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-21
The National Grange and Commits
SfOner LOring.


sfOner LOring.
CONFERENCE AT THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTNENT-
DISCUSSION AS 70 ELEvATING THE BUREAU-oPPosI-
TIoN OF THE NATIONAL GRANGE AS TO IT'S ExTEN-
SION TO OTHER INTEREsTs-coMMIssIONER LoRING
EXPLAINS.
Ihe committee appointed by the National Grange
now In session at the National Hotel to wait upon
Commissioner OF Agriculture Loring, to confer with
nun Ia relation to the elevation OF his department to
IisheT rank. and to convey the protest OF the Ma
eohaiGrange against including in that department
other industries interests beyond the legitimate
one which 1t represents - agriculture met the
commissioner this morning at II O'Clock at his de-
parCinent Alter cordial intrOductionS Mr.. w. A.
aiainserong: the chairman, addressed the CommlS,
be more fully understood by reading the preamble
ana resolutions Of the National Grange calling for
Tue appointment OF the comm ttee which he pro
ceeoed TO read. He said the resolutions had passed
at the session OF the Grange the morning sue
cceding the address of Commissioner Loring be-
lore mat body, heretofore printed in THE starr
IL was the one and sole idea OF that organ
lzation that the Department of Agriculture
should be elevated to a higher plane than hereto
fore, and that it should become in reality a gov
eminent department., with its head Cabinet OFF,
Ger, ana that it could best promote the great
all other interests This was the sentiment OF the
grange organization, which had the elevation OF
'i Th department It's CHIEF object
discussion, and was participated in freely by all
The members OF the committee who desired to give
expression to their views.
COMMISSIONER LoRING SAID
that he intended to make no argument in favor OF
the position he had taken, as none was necessary
he thought, and he was of the opinion that he had
not been rightly understood. He had advocated an
enlargement OF that department, so as to include
those interests which were intimately and to
great extent inseparably allied to agricul-
ture ae did not wish to antagonize any
Interest, but desired only to place the great
interests Of agriculture on the plane in govern
ment care and keeping, to which it of right is en-
Titled Ii he had further expressed himself on that
occasion he had not intended to do so, and did not
wish to be so understood The enlargement OF the
department, and the control of such interests as
now antagonize agriculture was of vastly more
Importance than the political aspect which might
De sought to couple with these questions. SO far
as ne was concerned, he could not urge any action
looking towards making his Cabinet Office. This,
he lett TO the country and to legislation which the
agricultural interests may demand. The mining,
LABOR, manufacturing, Transportation and labor
statistics are all interests which should be COM
bined into separate bureaus of the government,
In some form, and it would be for the interests OF
agriculture If 1T were DONE He was not in favor
with more than it could carry. The geological sur
VeyS was another important branch nearly allied
to the interests OF agriculture. He was simply in
favor or letting the Agricultural department as
now constituted go right along as it is. bureau
OF manufactures ought to be established where
producers could come to find out at any time such
information would be for their best interests in
the production OF cotton, wool, &C. In relation to
the mining interests he had seen at Atlanta enough
70 convince him that there should be a bureau of
this kind connected with the government. This
interest is known officially only through the geo.
logical surveys, and the late President Garfield
had but short time before he received his death
blow said 20 him that he thought the Land Office
ought to be connected with the new department
OF industries. AS to railroads he thought so far
as they affected the interests of agriculture that
something might be done by which the whole
country might be benefited in this way Of an
nd n flft tom hint
he did not propose To antagonZe any one interest,
but to advocate what was FOR the interests OF ALL
He thought it would be benefit to have tabu-
lated rate OF freightS and fares kept-shOwing the
working OF the railroad systems I'm different states
in connection with agricultural interests Trans
portaton both by land and water Is closely allied
to agriculture.
Several members Of the committee expressed
themselves pleased with the remarks Of the COM
missioner and thought they would like to have
another hearing with him tomorrow, md as the
commissioner had an engagement to attend TO at
IL O'Clock, it was arranged that another interview
be held tomorrow at a convenient hour, to be
agreed upon this evening.