Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-27
That is What the Secretary Of Agri-
culture is Doing.
THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE DEFECTIVE
Changes Made and Suggested in the
Bureau of Animal Industry.
WEATHER BUREAUI IMPROVED.

as 2,491 ana states that there are now on
the pay rolls only 1894 a reduction Of sos;
and of the 1894 he says that eleven are on
duty in the Office of the civil service COM
mission. to which they were assigned by
| request of the commission. He complains
Of the gross inequality in the compensation
Of the department employees, which has ad-
ded to the difficulty of retrenchment. He
has. however, during the first quarter OF
the fiscal year reduced expenditures in
comparison with the corresponding quarter
of last year by over $4,000 He presents
a table giving the appropriation for the cur
rent fiscal year and his estimates for the
next year, showing a net saving in his es-
| Inmates over the appropriations for the
current year of 69,6J6.94
The Classified Service.
The classified service is pronounced to
be defective, largely owing to the Unequal
tiles in compensation with reference to
the services rendered. These inequalities
he attributes largely to the appropriation
acts making statutory positions for the
| clerical force. He argues that appropria-
tons should be made in gross for the cleri-
cal force. and that full discretion should
be given to the head of the department in
the matter of remuneration affirming that
there can be no good reason urged against
| the government of the United States Sc
curing efficient services in the same man
ner that they are secured by the successful
| business interests of the country" He
states that only 81 of the employees in the
CLASSIFIED service came in by certifcation
by the civil service commission. while 647
persons have been covered into classified
service of the department by presidential
orders-llS by President Arthur. 2U6 by
| President Cleveland in his former admin
istration, and 3l4 by President Harrison.
He points out an all too prevalent and
erroneous impression the notion that clerks
in the classified service are protected"
| That this is not true" he adds. land that
Tenure Of office in any department depends
upon industry, fidelity, and promptness,
ought to be italicised in the daily routine
of duties by those having authority" Sec
rotary Morton also suggests that the civil
| service commission should provide a nom
competitive examination for any employs
covered in by presidential order whom the
head of the department may select, aud
that upon failure to pass such an examina-
ton such employe should be dropped from
the rolls.
Bureau OF Animal Industry.
The work of the bureau OF animal indus
try is reviewed in considerable detail each
one of its principal features being briefly
considered The result of the Texas fever
regulations is pronounced to be highly sat-
isfactory; but to increase their efficiency
it is suggested that a penalty should at
| tach for violation of the department regn-
laticns by railroad companies Transporting
infected cattle. The total number Of i'm
port animals inspected the past year was
46S,3S9, the total of export cattle inspected
| 6l1,542. further reduction has been ef-
| fected by vessel inspection in the percent
| age of cattle lost at sea, the ratio being for
| the last year less than one-haf of one per
cent. The law at present does not provide
| for the inspection of horses imported into
| the country. and an amendment in this
| respect is suggested. As regards meat in
spection the microscopical inspection MS
been greatly reduced, the intention being
to confine ii rigidly to products intended
| for direct export to countries exacting the
! same. The microscopical inspection costs
| the country 1-2 per cent OF the value OF
meat sold TO countries demanding that in
| spection. Careful comparison OF meat ex-
ports for 1893 with 1892 shows that micro
| scopic inspection has not increased our
foreign sales, and the Secretary thinks 1t
does not pay.
Further recommendations in the work OF
| the bureau are for legislation compelling
| the immediate destruction of any animal or
| carcass condemned by the United States in
! spectors; for extension OF the work In
regard to tuberculosis In cooperation with
| local authorities until danger to human
| life has been reduced TO a minimum: and
| for civil service examination for inspec-
tors and assistant inspectors. with the re-
| Quirement of a diploma from a regular
veterinary college.
The Weather Bureau.
OF the weather bureau it is stated that
efficiency and economy, a reduction in cost
of maintenance of nearly 10 per cent being
effected and estimates for the fiscal year
being correspondingly reduced. A reor-
ganization of the bureau has been partially
| effected, designed TO modify expenses and
magnify the value of the service to agrt-
culture, commerce, and the people at large.
The attention of the force has been fixed
| more strongly than ever before upon the
work OF forecaSting as a primary duty OF
the bureau to the public. Especial efforts
| have been made to improve the river-nood
| service, and TO increase the efficiency OF the
! storm-warning system on the great lakes
| The wide and more immediate distribution
| of the weather maps is the subject OF ear
| nest effort which ii is hoped viii be success
! full. Full forecasts are now received at
| l022 stations, while nearly 5000 places re-
ceive them gratuitousiy, an increase OF LOCO
| during the past year. which ii is hoped 70
| further increase in the near future by LOO
| or 1000 without further expense TO the
| government. A system Of exchange with
| the department and the central meteoro-
| logical observatory of Mexico is announced
on terms similar to those in operation with
Canada, while the desirabilry OF full tele-
| graphic reports from the Bahamas Is en-
| phasized
Concluding Remarks.
Concluding his report, Secretary Morton
| says that there are in the United States
more than 100000 farms. upon which
/ nish more than "a per cent of the value OF
1 exports of this country. The department
| Is therefore, he argues, intended to be
charged with responsibility and duties
touching interests intimately affecting the
life, property and happiness OF the whole
people As no edifice, however symmetrical
| and perfect its superstructure, can endure
| except the foundations be solidly laid, so
| everybody knows that the successful per-
| petuation of the industrial activities OF the
| American people is based and possible only
upon an intelligent and fecund agriculture"
/ Promises Of improved service by the de-
| partment in the future and recommended
| tons of useful innovations relating TO the
| work in detail are withheld in view Of the
! indefinite character of the duties. forces and
| possibilities of the departmental year
| from this time IL is hoped after consulta-
| ton with the congressional committees and
| other representative forces which are en-
1 deavoring to educationally develop and de-
| fine duties for this department, that useful
| progress in the right paths may be truth
| fully reported"
/ p Francis Wells, aged siXty-one years
l bliShed BOSTON merchant died