New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-31
SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE.

. OFFENCE OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
!. Talk WITH A SCIENTIFIC MAN WHO BELIEVES
THAT 1T SHOULD Not De MERGED IN TIE DE-
pARrMExr OF AGRIcULTURE-HIs REASONS FOR
HIS BgIIEF-THE QUESTION or POLITICAL PAT
RoNAGE INVOLVED.
lBY TELEGRAPH TIE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON. Oct 30.-One measure which, II Is
expeeted. will be urgently pressed at the coming
session of Congress is that "to enlarge the powers
and duties of the Department of Agriculture"
bill for this purpose passed tho House on May 10 last
and was reported to the Senate by the COMMITTEE
on Agriculture of that body with sundry important
amendments on the 29th of the same MONTH
The bill Is A very comprehensive one, ana seems
not only TO elevate the present department 10 INC
rank of an executive department but also 10 confer
upon the Secretary of Agriculture very eA'ehsi'e
powers. The Secretary must be man yersed IN
the science and practice of Agriculture" tie IS
20 collate all important and useful information
concerning agriculture and also concerning those
scientific and industrial pursuits which relate to
and are connected with agriculture He Is also 70
develop suitable rural work for women ana emil
dren and also to cooperate with the agricultural COL
leges in the several States in making experiments
One of the most important amendments recon-
mended by the Senate Committee on AgIlcui'uio
the establish of "a DIVISION ol seoiosS'
whose dntv # shall be TO institute such lnyestga
g.. relative 10 the Tnines and mining and the re-
srrcas and capabilities of the public lands OF Tie
limited States as may be deemed OF value anu III
portance; and, for the purpose OF properly org'n1
ing this division the commission known as INC
Geological Survey with all its powers, duties anu
provisions, together with all onlVoi''
cIerks emploves and agents, as at pres
emit established and all instruments, records
hooks papers and other property thereof Is hereoy
transferred TO the said Department of Agriculture.
The nronosition to transfer the Geological Survey,
reducing it 10 the grade of division and placing 1t
nnder the control of the Secretary OF Agriculture
who Is only required to be man versed IN lne
science and practice of agriculture VIII be bitterly
onnosed nv the officers and friends of the Survey
A scientist who largely instrumental
in securing the passage of the act consolidating the
several geographical and geological surveys anu
establishing the present Geological Survey under
comnetent scientific head IN the course of con-
versation with TRIBUNE correspondent recently
said:
"Iexpect we shall have a bitter fight next winter
10 prevent the transfer of the Geological survey 10
the Agricultural Department L understand lha'
during great portion of the last session the COM
missioner of Agriculture was lnde1augaDie "a MS
efforts TO impress upon the minds OF Senators ana
REPRESENTATIVES the expediency and wisdom Oh
such transfer"
Nndb ODtCilOuS NouAN thNAN ~ " 1"~-- - $500
fer ~ the correspondent asked.
They are almost nnumerable,' was the reply.
As at present constituted the Survey kept out
of politics as it ought 10 be. II il were to become
part of political machine, 1t inevitably would,
if transferred to the proposed new depart
ment, its usefulness would be greatly I'M
paired if not destroyed; and 1t would
cease to enjoy the respect which II
now commands Thus far 1t has been fortunate IN
flqr Dppk
J. W. Powell In the bill as it passed the House
there was provision comforting upon the proposed
Secretary of Agriculture he power to call upon the
Geological Survey. which Is branch OF the Inte-
nor Department, for variety OF Information. Inc
infelicity of this arrangement was obvious as soon
as man began to consider that its effect would be
To subordinate a professional mIneralogst and
geologist to the authority Of man simply VeISed
in the science and practice of agriculture
Really | am unable to See in the nature OF
things any better for subOrdnating the Geo
logical Survey 10 the Department of Agriculture
than for subordinating the Department OF Agrcul-
ture TO the Geological Survey The mere fact that
geology and agriculture are related would appear
as fully to justify one arrangement as the other'
The Geological Survey embraces IN the range
OF its duties the practical application OF
the sciences of Astronomy. Meteorology, Nat
ural Hstory--including Botany and Zoology
-IODOQlaplN,
Its work is in the highest degree scientific and tech
meal and its modes of procedure are consequently
professional and therefore peculiar. The Geological
Survey Is not the creature of Legislative provision
merely but very largely the outcome OF work con-
nected with extensive geographical geological MIN
eralogica and other surveys and EXPLORATIONS
throughout the public domain Of the United States.
II has been and still is very efficient instrument
tahty in tn. settlement and development OF that
vast area the resources of which are almost exclu-
sively mineral. There yet remains for this arm OF
the public service an extensive field OF usefulness
What other objections occur to YOU" the cor
respondent asked
"WeU the whole bill is defective in that it a.
tempts TO bring under one officer the control OF
many subjects, simply on the ground OF their re-
latlonship TO each other. The adoption OF such
policy m ight give this department. Tor ex-
ample control of a very large part or the
entire Administrative branch OF the Govern Iheht Oh
the United States. Inc OH eo,, re-
auIres the Secretary 10 furnish mlOrIha-
ton to the country IN regard TO matters
so remately connected with the main OBJECTS OF
his official duties as mining, manufactures conl-
merce and education. This does not seem 10 me 10
be In the line of SOUND economy or good ad-
Iuinistration; and the result III my opinion, would
be TO invite perfuuctOrv performance OF the duty,
aud thus 10 bring the Office into disrepute. There
is no real difficulty IN setting limitations to the
functions Of offices the duties Of which are related
10 each other. The Geological survey now IN
cldentally furnishes information OF interest to
agriculture and to commerce. The Agricultural
Department incidentally furnishes Information OF
interest TO commerce and 10 mining ana the bureau
of Statistics of the Treasury Department, charged
with the DUTY of collecting ana publishing lntOrna-
ton in regard To the internal ana foreign commerce
OF the United States incidentally furnishes IN
formation Of interest IN regard to agriculture ana
mining. 20 ,.. .t CooIoo
ical survey is closely related 10 the Smithsonian
Institution. the Coast Survy the National ODserYa,