Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-03-17
AMERICAN AGRICULTURE.
UNTlRIN6 EFFORTS OF SECRETARY
RUSK IN ITS BEHALF.

The Farmers of America Pay Tribute to the
Good Work Done by the Department of
Observation-Disclosures OF Farmers Or
ganizations Commend the Secretary for
His Good work-More Money Needed to
Further the Work.
From National Bulletin.l
Nothing shows more clearly the exten t
of the efforts made under the present
administration to benefit the farmers of
the country than the almost universal
expression of approval and appreciation
of the department of agriculture under
Secretary Rusk's management, given by
bodies of men representing the agricul-
tural interest. At the beginning of
Secretary Rusk's term the National
grange, always cautious and conse rvative
showed these characteristics in marked
degree in all its discussions and deber-
ations in regard to the work of the agri-
cultural department. 1t had been oh
iected, by those who opposed the crea-
ton of cabinet officer in charge of the
department of agriculture, that the
tendency Of the new departure would be
to Identify the management of the de-
partment more and more with politics,
and that agricultural interests, pure and
simple, would be liable to suffer from
the Identification of department special
ly entrusted with the supervision and
extension of our agricultural interests,
with the political machinery inseparable
| n 81 h, f,o A.,
administration of one of the executive
departments of the government. The
grange. which had persisted for many
years in demanding such recognition
of the Importance of the agricultural
interests, awaited with interest the results
of the first few years under the new
regime. 1t was not very long, however,
before this body, one of the most influ-
entail of the representative agricultural
organizations, showed its satisfaction
with the conduct of the department
under Secretary Rusk, and at the last
meeting of the National grange it
adopted resolutions indicative of it's
cordial sympathy with the efforts under
taken by Secretary Rusk to extend the
work of the department., and to direct it
in all things for the benefit of its special
constituents-th farmers. Resolutions
were adopted indicating special approval
OF the efforts of the secretary of agri-
culture to extend foreign markets for
American agricultural products, and
authorizing the executive committee to
confer with the secretary with view to
further enlargement of the work under
taken by him in this direction.
In his annual address to the officers
and members of the Wisconsin State
grange, Secretary Rusk's own state, Mas
ter Carr spoke as follows:
Among the earlier objects set forth by Sec
rotary Kelley and Worthy Master Saunders,
two OF the founders of our order, was the
aim to bring American agriculture to the
front. to elevate the agricu tural department
Chen but little more than clerkship in the
patent office) to cabinet position with it's
chief member of the presidents political
family. The order demanded increased ap-
preparations for the farmers department, in
creased bureaus for investigation and dssem-
nation of news relative to the cultivation,
fertilization and growth of plants, fruits,
etc.; also as to the prevention of diseases
partment 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
department work under this administra-
ton.
At the meeting of the farmers con-
gress, held last fall at Sedalia, Mo-, at
which 80 states and territories were rep
resented by delegates embracing all po-
litical 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
agriculture, and
Whereas: The natural cattle Of our country
were before the advent of his administration,
dying in large numbers from "Texas" or
''splenic fever" communicated to them by
Texas cattle, which precluded the sale of our
stock cattle at market centers for any pur-
poses 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
efficient quarantine rules and regulations
promulgated and enforced by him, and
Whereas: 1t was largely through his efforts
that foreign markets were opened for the re-
ception OF our live stock products, creating
largely increased market value, therefore be
it
Resolved That the National Farmers con-
gress of the United States, composed of dele
gates from each congressional district in the
United States, in their eleventh annual con-
vention assembled, in the city of Sedaa,
state of Missouri, do hereby tender the Hon.
J. M. 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 con-
gress by representative of the state of
Kansas, expressing doubts as to the fidel-
ity with which the farmers interests
were cared for in the department of ag-
riculture, it may be worth while to re-
produce resolutions adopted at the annual
meeting of the Kansas state board of ag-
riculture. held in Topeka during the week
ending January 16, 1892, resolutions
which the secretary of the board was in
structed by unanimous vote to forward