New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-01

WHAT PRESIDENT HARRISON'S ADMIN1STRA
TON HAS ACCOMPLISHED.
TIE IMPORTANT PLACE THAT THE AGRCULr
URAL. DEPARTMENT HAS MADE FOR rTshLf
TIE WISE CHOICE OF GENERAL
pr-SK AS SECRETARY.
tsy 1yIEGaiPH TO TIE TRIBUsE.l

t.,,ure will so., IN stand ont more prominently amsng
the many excellent that characterize u 'a" 'n'
earnest work done on behalf OF the Ame'o"' i"'''''
Al the time TINT the present Administration came into
power, profound depression seemed to be the pe'u"
ing sentiment among tie farmers. A slight but
steady dmimtion In the prices OF most Of the ssp'e
agricultural products had been going on for some
wears amounting In the aggregate to con'iderhbie
percentage Of the average crop vnlne7 ana TINS "
suited In a depression necessarily severely IeH ny
class accustomed 10 measure their PROSPERITY BY
a moderate standard of profit. Dining ue very hr''
wear Of Mr. Harrson's Administration The adverse eur
rent which seemed TO threaten the country's ag1
cultnr.. prosperity srrc-tcd AMI then turpci
hack. ~ that today-to change the hguie cloud
which trv wears ago seemed 10 rest gloomly upon
American agriculture has kecn llghtened. and the
future once more holds out bright promises 70 inc
American farmer.
The first good stroke OF work done BY the present
Administration on behalf Of the farmers was tho sciec
ton of j. NJ Rusk for secretary Of AgTicutnre Many
people were disposed to regard the Department OF
Agriculture with the Indifference or, what was worse
with the good-nstured contempt with which Y had
been regarded in years gone by by many citizens and
not a few public men. Many persons failed n rcaliEe
That the change effected In the condition OF the De
partncnt by the legislation which made IL AN tx
erutvc Department OF tho Government ana placed us
head among the Official advisers Of the President. was
one Of
the utmost wisdom In the selection OF Hn'"oe pe'
son TO I'll the nov Cabinet ONCE.
Not 30 the President. Realizing that his nominee
would BE- practically the frat Secretary Of Agriculture
Of tie United states, that upon him would devoNo
the responsibility u showing to the country whether
the elevation Of tho Department to Its present rank
wa, wise OF unwisc measure; that his admins
tration In fact Of this important Department wolio
h. the test Of rs future value 10 the farmer and con
ooue,uv IN the whole country. President Harrison
wisely ned that the secretary must De not
ONLY a man Of Attain but man endowed YIN TX
ceptional good sense with energy and perseverance
and above all thoroughly familiar With TIE c"hd'uo
81 agriculture. thoroughly In sympathy WIN Inc
f,rmcrs and enjoying to the full ther confidence
sb rere the conditions that led tn the selection Of
General Rusk.
Having selected q secretary whom Ia believed 70 s
In. right man In the rgir place, the President eN-
tended 70 him the fullest confidence lending nm hH
rosslle Influence I'm carrying ont such measures a.
seemed necessary enlarge tho scope and sphere o'
the Departncnt and TO extend IT, power for the
benefit and advantage Of agriculture. In u" De
psr,ncrt OF the Government have the tangible reelIiS
o,aaiued been more important o. moro gratifying
.han those secured by the Administration In The
Agricultural Department results affecting DIRECTLY me
happucs and well -hcing Of IN" S,Wo'Do farn're -
The United states With their families and Their hired
shorers. nearly one hnlf Of tho population Of the
fu!Ou-und Indirectly inc I"'4ltl VI tN'1f "'"''"
OF industry and Of every class Of people In the
country.
When the Administration came into power tho i've
stock interests Of the country we're al 10" ehD'
Vexatlous regulations aud restrictions aud III some
c,untre- prolonged quarantine. discouraged ard ham
r.red the shippers Of livestock for export Will" the
rn. trnd- especially that In pork. w.1ch Of tho most
iuportatce to the greatest number OF farmers, WIS
practically srangl-d BY oppressive restrictions I'D
costly inspections ard in the OF the last named
proauct ty absolute psOhlItlOn in most 81 the
counties ni EuIVIe. The growth Of the pork u"hc
-, thriving and rapid during the seventies, was not
only checked bnt greatly rduccd durng The following
decade. resulting 81 II Disastrous fut Of the home
market n corresponding depreciation In prices ana
general depression among pork producers.
An admirable system of inspection has been de
ved aud carried out in the teeth 81 much opposition
based mainly allegations onmpractcablIty ana '"'th
ness with the result not only that both these nlcgi
,ions have been triunplantly refuted but that pro
hbliiOns against American pork have been removed
ly Germany. Denmark. Austria. France Italy ana
spain and this Important product now gOS To nearly
every portion Of the gob" without discrimination Or
restrictions. From september. 1901. to Apiil. 1899.
inclusive more than 30.OOooOO pound, Of Inspected
pork have been exported and such pork now brings
nbont one cent a pound In American markets than
the unlnspectcd.
In the case of cut. two evils had TO lc commended
with First the continued allegations, many oi them
unf,undcd Of the existence Of disease among Amch
can cattle allie -atiOns made in foreign countries largely
for the purpose Of justying the restriction, which
tended 10 make the trade Improbable and. secondly.
the existence In or two comparatively Insignificant
sections Of the country Of p-nro pneumonia. disease
which, however restricted. constant menace to
the cattle ntererts and perpetual argument In the
mouths Of foreign competitors against the American
cattle trade. no he circcual. measures TO remove
.t,1ta eA inf
aud considernto, Of the work to be undertaken was
almost staggering, involving. It did, cOinSpcctIon
by representatives OF the Department In Gtrat Britain
Of all animals Inspected by the British authorities.
ins pccon on THE side Of all cattle shipped
abroad. and than That. system of
numbering aud identifying each individual animal
so that any alleged case Of disease could b. traced from
the whence It originally came. II meant a
thorough Investigation Of the condition Of live cattle
throughout the country, the maintenance OF sttctcst
quarantine in those few sections in which pclro pncu
mona found aud the enforcement Throughout the
entire breadth Of the country Of rigid regulations con
trolling the transportation Of cattle by rail otherwise
from south T. north OF what Is known as The Texas
fever line.
Under the present Administration all this vast
amount OF work ha undertaken aud carried out.
so successfully Indeed that the single item OF in
surance Of cattle transit shippers are saving annually
81 900 900 on the prices paid three or four years
ago The dreaded peuro- pneumonia has been ef
fectualy stamped out Of every section where II ex-
sted three years ago with but one exception Ia single
county In New-Jersey). With that exception. MT
case OF the disease has been found In any part Of the
country where IL previously existed during TIM last
twelve months, and in the single exception noted over
two months have elapsed without new case having
been discovered while the rigid quarantine and vgOr
Gus measures which have successfully rid other
tons Of the country being there most thoroughly
enforced Yet this Is disease with which Great
Britain and many other countries have been unsuc-
cessfuly coping for forty fifty ycars, with the
suit that many authorities declare that lis thorough
cxtrpation Is impossible II Is not too much to say
that rs the result OF the work Of this Administration.
American cattle and other live stock are in n more
healthy condition than the live stock OF any other
country, and ip a mere healthy condition than they