The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-21

WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov. 2o.-The ro-
port of the secretary OF agriculture has
boen submitted to the President.
The report begins with comparison
OF the export trade OF the past fiscal
year with that OF former years and em-
phasizes the fact that of the moro than
one billion dollars representing the ex-
ports OF our domestic products for the
past year nearly SO per cent consisted
of agricultural products. thus not only
making the United Safes the creditor Of.
the world for a sum exceeding S200, ,000,-
900, the excess oi exports over imports,
but relieving our home markets from q
surplus product which would otherwise
have reduced prices to point below
cost OF production. For large share
in bringing about the conditions which
have made made these gratifying re-
suits possible the secretary claims credit
for his department.
In regard to imports he finds encour-
agemenL for the farmers in the TACT that
in spite OF an aggregate increase, there
is reduction in the proportion OF i'm
ports consisting Of products which COM
pete with our American agriculture, for
while in the fiscal year ended in 1889, 54
per cent OF the imports were competit-
ing, "A per per cent OF our imports for
the past fiscal year did so compete. He
nevertheless regards imports competlt-
ing with the products OF our own soil as
lar too great. He instances SAC, 600 600
worth OF animal products, S67, 100000
worth OF fibres, S27,0n0,000 worth of
hides, $30,O00,000 worth of fruits and
wine as articles of this kind, and cites
the imports OF raw silk amounting to
$25. 100000 yearly as an instance OF pro-
ducts imported which could with proper
encouragement be produced in our own
country. He declares these figures to
indicate the main ultimate object oil
the work in this department, which he
defines, in brief, as "the closest study OF
all markets abroad which may be reach
by our own agricultural products, &C.
companied bypersistent and intelligent
efforts to extend them and the substi-
tuition in our own markets OF home
grown for foreign grown products" "
Secretary Rusk notes tile production
OF the cotton area in this country as a
movement in the right direction. lie
says one OF the gratifying features OF
our agricultural industry during the
past year has been the marked reduc-
ton IN the cotton area throughout tho
cotton states. One OF the most difficult
things 10 control in the agricultural in
duslry is a fair ratio OF product to de-
mand. Every year Of good prices tend
to an over-production the subsequent
year, with the natural result OF depres-
sion in prices, unless this be foriunate-
ly prevented by fortuitous conditions
which no one can foresee or control.
With reference TO our cereals, he at
tributes the excessive anticipations
formed regarding the price for wheat
throughout the crop year Of 1891, to
failure TO appreciate the changed con-
ditions now surrounding the produce
ton and marketing OF the worlds
wheat crop. Taking the world through-
out, the tat crops" he says, more than
equalled the lean crops Of 1891, so that
there was actually more wheat grown
in that year than in 1890"
Even the exports from Russia. where
famine existed in so large section and
where exports were for time pro-
hibited. amounted to 100000, 600 BUSH
els, nearly as much as the average oil
the past ioHr years and more than the
average for the past ten years. de
says: "The conditions which have at
last overwhelmed the cotton growers
now confront wheat growers"
Hence, the American farmer must re-
duce the wheat acreage and so bring
production down to the normal demand.
In regard to the sugar industry and
its domestication in this country the
secretary says there is nothing TO add to
what he had to offer q year ago on this
subject beyond the fact that all the ex-
periments conducted by the depart
ment both in the laboratory and in the
field and at the special experiment sta
tions established for that purpose, con-
firm the hopeful anticipations he then
expressed as TO the possibility OF this
country in course Of time supplying its
own sugar.
The rainfall experiments, he says, are
beng made rs Congress directed, but
the facts in his possession do not, in his
opinion, justify the anticipation formed
by the believers in this method OF arti-
fetal rain-making.
Secretary Rusk suggests important
changes in regard 10 the future organs
cation OF the department by which all
divisions OF the work should be grouped
with reference to their character into
bureaus following the organization
adopted in the other departments Of the
government. and greatly reducing the
number of responsible chiefs in direct
consultation with the head OF the de-
partment. Such bureau system would
moreover, he claims, enable the secre-
tary to command by the reason Of the
offers of emoluments and dignity thus
created the services oithe best equipped
men in the country in their several
lines.
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Assignment.
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