New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-09
THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT BILL
Icy IELEGkAPm 10 TIE rEIDUNEI


THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT BILL.
lBY TELEGKAPH 10 THE rRIBUSE
WAsuINGToN May S.-The House of Representa-
tives devoted the entire day and evening to dis
cussion OF the bill ." to enlarge the powers ana
duties of tie Department of Agricultural The
particular bill to which the debate was confined
to-day was one rel orted by Mr. Anderson, OF
Kansas from the Committee on Agriculture about
three months ago. This, and one reported by MI.
Hatch. from the same committee, were made a
special order two months ago The latter proposes
the establishment of bureau OF animal industry
in the Department OF Agriculture. to prevent the
expectation of diseased cattle and the spread OF
infectious or contagious diseases amoug domestic
ANIMALS" and is an elaborate bill.
The Anderson bill provides for a Secretary of
Agriculture who shall be Cabinet officer, and for
an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, who shall be
n practical agriculturIst. The bill also provides
that there shall be four bureaus in the new Depart
ment.
The Bureau Of Agricultural Products is to have
divisions of botany, entomology and chemistry
andlts chief, who must be practical agrcultu-
rist is TO investigate and report upon the modes OF
farming in the different States together WITH such
practicaI information as shall benefit farmers re-
specting the crops most profitable Ill the several
sections, the preferable varieties OF seeds piahts'
fruits. fertilizers implements, etc.
The Bureau of Animal Industry is to he in charge
of a competent veterinary surgeon, who shall IN
yestigatc and report upon the number, value and
condition of the domestic animals III the United
States their protection, growth and use, and the
causes. prevention and cure of infectious or other
diseases to which they subject, and the kinds or
breeds best adapted to different sections.
The Bureau of Lands is TO report upon the capa-
biltes and resources of the public lands for farm
ing stock raising timber, mining. manufacturing
or other industrial uses and to 1t it is proposed TO
transfer bodily the United States Geological
Survey. Through this bureau the Secretary may
make such Investigations and collect such facts
and statistics relative to the mines and mining of
the United States as may be deemed valuable and
important
The Bureau of Statistics is to collect and report
the agricultural statistics of the United States,
including those OF industrial, educational and
agricultural colleges and also statistics relating to
labor and wages in this and other countries; to
markets and prices to modes and cost of transport
ing agricultural products to market; 10 the de-
maud supply and prices IN foreign markets; 10
manufacturing establishments, otc
1t will at once be seen that this bill proposes
very elaborate organization. bill reported Dy MI
lIuhbell from the Committee on Reform III the
Civil Service last Saturday, Is to be offered as a
arc those OF detail and organization, the latter bal
providing for machinery somewhat less extensive.
The proposition to transfer the Geological Survey
TO the new Department is looked upon with con-
siderable disfavor by those members who believe
that il would he unwisc TO divorce that branch or
the service from the Department which contains
the General Land Office between which and the
Survey the relations and associations are OF course
neces sarily most intimate. The Geological Survey
has to do only with the public lands, aud 1t IS
purely n scientific branch of the service, bearing
close relations to the De partment OF the Interior
and to the Smithsonian Institution. inc pesl
friends Of the Geological Survey would regret to
see il transferred to the new Department, also,
because they fear 1t would there be IN gIcater dan
ger of becoming subject to political influences
than 1t now is, and this is of course an Important
consideration.
Eight speeches were made on the bill this alter
noon, and several this evening. or the elght Wem-
bers who spoke in the afternoon five are lawyers,
and two are farmers. Mr. Anderson, who reported
the bill, and has charge of it, Is not pTactlcal
farmer but he was for SIX years president oi the
Kansas Agricultural College, and has devoted Wuch
attention to agricultural matters Besides ne llko
all the others who spoke today, represents III
agricultural cOnst tuency.
That the bill will pass the House IN some tOim IS
regarded as certain. The subject was dIscussed Ill
the last Congress when DR.. Updegraii' OF Ohio'
made n cOgent ana careful speech IN laV0r Oh INC
proposition and the bill then presented lacked only
a few votes of passing under suspension oil rules'
The subject will probably be disposed OF tomorrow