The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-21
AN ABSTRACT OF TIE: AEs>E2 ::<r'
OF co., =. z. Hs'EE.?::>
Delivered a the Fourteenth -1:.:;I::;!
Session OF the :%ta1" <-Tan%. IL:
Charleston. -. e. cn sr':-
rU:ry 3rd a.id Iii.
EN&f,

rGGEE 3rd 2:i4 rtn.
1886.
The State Department q Ag::c'i,; NJ
was created IT the regular session Gi t'.t
Legislature in 1870. and was organized
in 1880. IT consists Of 4 Boar; AID Com
missioner. Two Of the members OF IL,
Board and Commissioner az elected hE
the Legislature; and ;hc State Governor,
the Master OF the Statc Grange anil TIE
President OF the Agricultural "at Me-
chanical Society are. rr 1Gi,io members
The specific duties with which t!r d.
partment is charged arc: The collection
OF agricultural statistics and imfnrm%-
ton: the invcsti@ cation OF subjects re-
lating to Agriculture. and Inducements
for immigration and capital; the rc@i--
tration OF lands for sale il the State: the
distribution OF seeds: the collection OF
specimens OF wood, agricultural pro
ducts and minerals; the propagation c1
fish: the supervision OF tic rights and
interests of the State in the phosphate
deposits; the analysis OF commercial fer
tilizers, water and minerals, and the col
lection OF the tax on commercial fc!'tili-
Zers. The Department is supported en-
cluSivcly by the tax Of twenty-five cents
per ton paid by dealers in commercial
manures for the privilege OF selling their
goods in South Carolina. Prior 10 The c>-
tabliShmcnt OF the Department "t ~
riculture, these dealers paid ~ iH>pcc-
ton tax to Il State inspector 81 fertilizers
and now this fund t!&t was forIIcrlr
paid the Inspector. is used 10 prosecute
the work of the Department OF -i@ricul-
turc. There are no published rrHor; :
showing the amount OF IhiS tax c"'ic''. csI
during the arrangement existing Del re
the Department OF A%ricuitEr" WIS cs-
tablishcd, but estimating it upon tn"
shipment OF fertilizers, it amounted to
$S7, 900 for the eight years from l>12 10
1879, inclusive. The only benefit the
people received from the tax was the i'll
Spection of commercial fertilizers. i'h"sr
statements are made to show ti:aI I'll"
imposition of this fax and, consequently.
the creation OF the Department OF A%ri-
culture has not added to the price OF
commercial fertilizers or increased +tc
taxes of the people.
From 1872 to 1879, the supervision OF
the phosphate territory was made under
the charggr-of q phosphate inspector WHO
was paid I commission OIL all rock re-
moved, deducted from the royalty rc-
ceivcd by the State. During this period
of eight years, the State received *121, :
GG5, and the inspector was paid s2>.ylD:
leaving net balance OF less than $780,
900. When the Department oi Agricul-
ture was created. this office was abo;-
ished. and the Board and Commissioner
authorized to employ an assistant III the
phosphate department. to be paid ont OF
the fertilizer tax. Since this change
was made. less than six years ago. t!c
royalty has amounted TO SIP. 80: al
of which has gone into the State TrcaS-
ury without any deduction. al III" cN-
penscs of collection being paid from the
tax on fertilizers, which formerly WELT
into the pockets OF tho individual. The
Department OF Agriculture has paid ont
for all the expenses OF supervising the
phosphate interests in the last six years.
s21 OBS, including $500. expenses OF
litigation, leaving Il net cost of super
vision OF $13,23S, for six years work,
and 4 collection of nearly $S00.O00, a.
against cost of nearly $4,000 for the
collection of $300.000. Ii. therefore. the
expenses of this department had been
deducted from the amount collected.
which. as already explained, it was not,
it is shown that the State would have
been greatly benefited by tic change,
inasmuch as the expenses were les tl!an
half what they were under the Old man-
agement. :
1t has been said that this work should
be performed by the Comptroller Ger
eral, inasmuch as it consists. principally,
in the collection of taxes. But this is Il
mistake; the department is charged with
the development of the States resources
and in supervising this interest, il is not
only developing the natural resources OF
the State, but, ut the same time, raising
its revenue. The royalty now received
exceeds the proceeds realized by the
levy of one mill Of State taxes. and there
is every reason to suppose that it can be
still further increased by iudicious mali
agement. The Department Of Agricul-
ture does not collect this royalty; it is
paid directly into the State Treasury.
The only connection the Department OF
Agriculture has with it is to see that it is
paid. 1t is applied to the ordinary en-
penses Of the State government, and is
taken into consideration every year BY
the Comptroller General in making up
his estimate Of the amount necessary 20
be raised for the support OF the G1vcrH-
NJ r.tn nf fhic rny-Dl.y- u
been used to meet any part OF tic cN-
penscs OF the Department Of A@ricul-
ture, on the contrary, the cost Of super
vising the collsriio is rEion OF it, Is GcIlicrc:j;i
from 'pntE! inS appropriated for the sup
-pOrt of the department.
No more important work Is imposed
upon the Department OF Agriculture
than that which requires tn" analysis OF
commercial manurcs. The Use OF these
fertilizers is so extensive in the State,
that it is not an cXaggeration to say that
our agricultural production depends
mere upon the quality OF these artificial
aids than upon any other one thing.
The annual report contains tables show
ing what was guaranteed, (anG this must
also be branded on every pacNgc) and
alongside Of these guarantees, is printed
the analysis Of the department.. showing
at glance which brands have MAin-
tanned their guarantees and which have
fallen below. The farmers can examine
these tables before purchasing ana u>c
only those brands which have been kcp;
ND to the standard. The department.
has thoroughly equipped laboratory IN
charge OF 4 competent chemist, Who's
whole time is given to this work. and H.
is prepared not only to make an a"aly>i>
of official samples Of fertilizers. b"t oi
those sent in by the farmers, as we'll 4,
minerals, waters, &C., free OF c'!Ar@c
The department draws its samples O.
fertilizers in the country after The goods
have passed out OF the hands oi the mail
ufacturers, and beyond their power tC
change or alter in any way. and it i BE-
lieved that this is tie only way IN WiI!cl
full Justice can be done IN" honest
dealer as well Is the consumer. These
samples are all drawn BY al agent o
the department in the prcScnc" cl l"'
agent selling the fertilizer. and the lat