The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1885-07-25
ADVERTISING Bates:
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.)

saying: Pm very much surprised to
lind so many bright, capable men in
tho Treasury Department. Why, meet
them by the score every day, sharp as
briors, energetic, and With the details
of their duties at their tongues and
fingers ends. From what ! have hssrd
! really expected to soc great deal of
incompetercy aud corruption in this
place. 1t appears, however, that the ef-
ticcncy of the service has been growing
better and better every year, until it il
astonishing how perfect the machinery
IN"
Whether the Secretary wat accurate
ly quoted or not may be questionable,
bur Can say that his alleged utter
sances are exactly true to the facts in
the Case 1t ilas been the fashion for
years to denounc. the department vt
Washington as corrupt and idle, and
much has been heard of "otiicial rotten
ne.s," of "Augcan stables" and the
like, all Of which is very false and ab.
sur.. Not only is the civil .eryic- Of
this government the most honest, most
capable and ,aost courteous Of any pu-
bic service in the world, hut there is
no private business Of equal magnitude
where the honesty and efficiency Of the
service ia OH such II high level. Ofco,lrse
lin such a great multitude there are
some drones and seIe rasoxls, and
they should be weeded out; but charge
that t',s service IN such, is OH low
level is As false and almost as wicked
as II Ebel rs thxt other which assails
the character Of the ladies who are in
the employ Of the government.
The Professors Of Agriculture who
m.ther during the week at the request
Of Commissioner Colmnn we're fine.
looking lot Of men and they evidently
understand tlroir business. Their dis
cus.ions brought out s,me very int
restiu. facts however, One CT these waa
that Of forty-,,ine farmers in the Legis-
laturc Of Tennessee only two could APP
preciate tho value of the reports Of the
signal service Forty-soven vote! ag'i'.
them. The reason of this VA. that the
Professors thought it came from the
fact that the rol~rts are too tschnlcs.
and extended ia their nature. TIL.
farmer met generally speaking ~ read
ing man. Many fsrlnsrs can only find
rtimc to read the most simple and alb
brcvi~,ed matters. 1t WAS general,
agreed that the thing necessary to maks
such work successful Was frequent pu
bloation in 81 mple and practical form
The Commissioners did good thing
in calling this convention. He did ;
better thing in being very plain an'
frank with the Professors, He told then
that Congress did not feel satisfied will
the work rs it Was at present cenductes
in many ways he suggested that on'
Of the most serious things against tn
prcseat system lay in the fact that a
most none Of the graduates Of agricu
tural colleges became farmers. II
thought the reason for this lay in til
fact that very Few Of tho experiment
farms pay expenses,
One of the most interesting an
striking things that wss brought out i
the discussion was the sppos't'on tina
prevailed ia regard to the present u''
thod Of distributing seeds by Consres'
men. 1t was shown that the ignorsnc
that had be.n displayed in this way VS.
serious in its results. Insects and plai
diseases, very deletsrious in their nj
ture, had been disseminated far an
wide, and ia many Instances MOI
damage than good has been done.
was urged tha, this distribution ougi
to be made by the Commissioner hin
self, who is supposed to knew muc
more about sNeh matters thar the Co
gress,nau can. He has the means
knowing the various soils and the kin,
OF seeds that will flourish in them.
Oh the whole the meeting was graz
success. 1t gave an opportunity for Il
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