The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-03-10
A RECORD TO BE CHERISHED.
The Farmers Of America Pay Tribs
ute to the Good Work Done by
tie Department of Agri-
c111t!1rn


citation of the work of the Department
of Agriculture under Secretary Rusk's
management, given by the most influen-
tial and representative bodies of men
representing he agricultural interest.
AT the beginning of Secretary Rusk's
term the National Grange, always eau
tious and conservative, showed these
characteristics in marked degree in all
it's discussions and deliberations in re-
| gard to the work of the Agricultural
department.. 1t had been objected by
those who opposed the creation OF
Cabinet officer in charge of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, that the tendency
of the new departure would be to identi-
fy the management of the Department
more and more with politics, and that
agricultural interests, pure and simple,
would be liable to suffer from the iden-
LITIGATION of Department specially en-
trusted with the supe rvision and extern
sion of our agricultural interests, with
the political machinery, inseparable as
some people alleged it to be, from the
administration of one of the executive
departments of the Government. The
i Grange, which had persisted for many
years in demanding such recognition
of the Importance of the agricultural in
terests, awaited with natural anxiety
the results of the first few years under
the new regime. 1t was not very long,
however, before this body, one of the
most Influential of the representative
agricultural organizations, showed its
satisfaction with the conduct of the De-
partment under Secretary Rusk, and at
the last meeting of the National Grange
it adopted resolutions indicative of its
cordial sympathy with the efforts under
taken By Secretary Rusk to extend the
work of the Department, and to direct
1t in all things for the benefit of it's
special constituents-the farmers. Reso-
buttons were adopted Indicating special
approval of the efforts of the Secretary
of Agriculture to extend foreign markets
for American agricultural products, and
authorizing the executive committee to
confer with the Secretary with view to
a further enlargement of the work I'M
dertaken by him in this direction.
In his annual address to the officers
and members of the Wisconsin State |
Grange, Secretary Rusk's own State, |
Master Carr spoke as follows:
Z Among the earlier objects set forth
by Secretary Kelly and Worthy Master
Saunders, two of the founders of our
no ~, 70 1,rsrc A MI
agriculture to the front, to elevate the
Agricultural Department Chen but little
more than a clerkship in the Patent
Office to Cabinet position with its
chief member of Presidents political
family The order demanded increased
appropriations for the farmers departs
ment, increased bureaus for investiga
tics, end dissemination of news relative
to the cultivation, fertilization, and
growth of plants, fruits, &c. also as to
the prevention of diseases among cattle,
horses, and swine. The Department is
growing rapidly with all of the different |
divisions added to it and Secretary Rusk,
who was at one time member of the |
Grange in Wisconsin, is found to be the
right man in the right place."
Other State Oranges have concurred |
in similar expressions of approval of the
ton.
At the meeting of the Farmers Con- |
gress, held last fall at Sedalia, Mo-, at |
which thirty States and Territories
were represented by delegates embrac-
ing all political parties, the following
resolutions were adopted unanimously: |
WHEREAS. The advancement of the
interests of the farmers of the United
States, without regard to sect, color, or
religion, has been largely promoted by
the personal solicitude, efforts and acts
of our farmer" Secretary of Agricul-
ture; and
WHEREAS, The natural cattle of our
county were before the advent of his
administration, dying in large numbers
from "Texas'' or "splenic fever" com
municated to them by Texas cattle,
which precluded the sale of our stock
cattle at market centers for any purposes
except for slaughter for canning at
prices at least 81 per 100 pounds lower
than they would have brought for
. feeders had it been safe to use them
as such, which loss has been stopped
and all such disease or any symptoms
thereof entirely eradicated by the eff
Gent quarantine rules and regulations
promulgated and enforced by him; and
WHEREAS. It was largely through his
efforts that foreign markets were opened
for the reception, of our live stock prod
ucts, creating largely increased de
mand, and consequently increased |
market values; therefore be it
Resolved, That the National Farmers
Congress of the United States, composed
of delegates from each Congressional
district in the United States, in their
hlAd.
in the City of Sedalia, State of Missouri,
do hereby tender the Hon. j. NJ. Rusk:
Secretary of Agriculture of the United |
States, our sincere thanks for the great
and good work he has accomplished for
us, and to beg his continuance in the
same line.
Resolutions of like purport have been
adopted by State Boards of Agriculture,
by leading horticultural, live stock, and
dairy associations throughout the coun-
try, in such numbers as to make their
reproduction in detail impossible. In
view, however, of the fact that only re-
Gently resolution was presented in
Congress by Representative of the
State of Kansas, expressing doubts as to
the fidelity with which the farmers in
tarests were cared for in the Department
of Agriculture, it may be worth while to
reproduce resolutions adopted at the an
nual meeting of the Kansas State Board
of Agriculture, held in Topeka during
the week ending January is, 1892-reso-
buttons which the secretary of the board
was instructed by unanimous vote to
forward to Secretary Rusk, with a letter
disavowing any sympathy with the
criticism contained in the Congressional
resolution referred to. These resolutions
read as follows:
ResozDed. That we hereby express our
high appreciation of the work of the De-
partment of Agriculture OF the United
States and the efficient services of the
1 Secretary of the Department, the Hon.
jeremiah Rusk, and his able corps OF
assistants.
Resozued, That we regard the Depart
ment as the most powerful agency at
work for the advancement of all the best
interests Of the farmers of the nation
! Res0Zyed. That we have every and I'M