Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-12-15

crafty have been allotted to many Of them
Such allottinents have been ma le to 10000
individuals during the last fiscal year, en-
bracng about 900, 900 acres.
The so,ution of the Indian problem de-
pends very largely upon cool administra.
tion. The personal fitness of agents an !
their a1aptability to the peculiar duty Of car
inc for their wants, is Of the utmost import
ance.
The law providing that, except in Especial
cases; army 6fficers shall be detailed rs In
dian agents; it is hoped will prove Success
full experiment.
There is danger of great abuses creeping
intothe prosecution Of claims for Indian de-
preciations. and [ recommend that every
possible safeguard be provided against the
enforcement OF unjust and fictitious claims
of this description.
FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURE.
The report IF the Secretary OF ofAgricu'ture
will be found exceedingly interesting, espe-
eially to that large part Of our citizens intla
mately concerned in agricultural occupa-
tions.
I especially commend to the attention OF
the Congress the statements contained in the
Secretary's report concerning forestry. Ihe
time has come when efficient measures
shodld be taker for the preservation OF our
rsrests fronf fftdiscfiminate AID ren,e'iiless
destruction.
The regulations OF 1892 c0ncerning Tex1s
fever have beef enforced during the last
fear, and tho latge stcckyards Of the coun-
iry nave been kept free from infection, Oc-
essionaIly local outbreaks have BEEN large
y such as could have been effectuslly
guarded against BY the owners OF the az
fected cattle.
While contagious pleuro- pneumonia In
cattle has been eradicltei. animal tuSer-
,ulosis. a disease widespread and more dan
yerous To human life than o-pnoumonia,
8 still prevalent. Investigations, have been
made during the past year as to the means
pf its communication and the metho1 OF its
correct diagnosis. Much progress has been
made In this direction by the stu lies OF tbs
! division Of fanimll pathology, but work ought
10 be- extended in cooperation with local
authorities until the danger to human lille
arising ffCm thi- carss ja reduced to mini
mum. ,,~,,i,.t
In the year 1899 the Congress appr0priate
$1,000, to be taken from the Patent Oflice
funds, for the purpose OF collecting and dis
tributing rare and improved varieties OF seeds
and for prosecuting agricultural 1nyesttga-
tions and procuring agricultural statistics.
From this small beginning the Seed Division
of the Department of Agriculture has grown
To its Present unwieldy aud unjustifably ex-
travsgant proportions:
During the last fiscal yeaf the cost Of seeds
purchased was $6j, ,54s6t The. remainder
bf an appropriation OF $135, 900 was expend;
ed id putting them up and. dis ributing
them: It surely never could have entered
the minds Of those who first sanctioned
appropriations Of public moneys for
| The purchase Of new and improved
varieties Of seeds for gratuitous distribution
that IRON this would grow large appropria-
tions for the purchase and distribution by
Members of Congress OF, ordinary SEEDS,
| billbs: and cuttings which are common in all
| the States an1 Territories and everywhera
easily obtainable at low prices.
In each State and Territory an agricultural
experment station has been established.
These stations, by their very character and
| name. arethe proper agencies to experiment
with and test new varieties OF seeds and yet
this indiscriminate and wastefu distribution
by legislation and legislators continues, an
, swering no purpose unless it be to remind
constituents that their representatives are
willing to remember them with gratulties al
public cost.
Tndet the sanction of existing legislation
| there was sent out from the Agricultural
Department during the last fiscal year
enough Of cabbage seed to plant 1J.20J
acres Of land. a suffie eient Quantity of beans
| i'd plant 4OOj acres. beet seed enough to
plant $500 acres. sweet corn enough to plant
1900 acres, sufficient cucumber seed 10
cover 2O25 acres with vines, and enough
mus',melon and watermelon seeds to plant
2675 acres. The total quantity OF Hover ana
vegetable seeds thus distributed was con-
tained in more than nine million packages,
and thew were suffi cient, II planted, TO cover
80. .59G acres Of land.
In view OF these facts this enormous ex
penditure without legitimate returns OF bGne
ht ought to be abolished. Anticipating
contamination 80 manifestly in the lnteres
If good administration, more than $780, ,OO'
has been stricken from the esttmate maze c
cover this object for the year ending Juh
30. 1895 and the Secretary recommends tina
the remaining 335, 900 Of the estimate be con
fined strictly to the purchase OF new ana I'M
nroved varieties Of seeds; and that these b
distributed through exp riment stations:
Thus the seed will be tested, and alter TN
fest has been completed by the experiment
station. the propagation of the useful va
rieties and the rejection OF the valueless ma
,afev be left to the common sense OF tn
people.
TIE CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.
The continued intelligent execution OF tn
Civil Service law and the increasing ap
proval by the people OF its operation ar
most gratifying. The recent extension ofit
limitations and regulations to the employe
et free delivery postofflces, which has bee
honestly and promptly accomplished by tn
commission, with the hearty cooperation
the Postmaster General, Is an immensely in
portant advance In the usefulness OF the sy'
tom.
[ am, If possible, more than ever con
yinced of the incalculable benefits conterre
hy the Civil Service law, not only in its effec
upon the public service, but also, wnat
,yen more important, in its effect IN eleva
NO the tone Of political life generally.
NEED or PUBLIC ECONOMY.
Economy in public expenditure is du;I
that cannot innocentIy be neglected b
Z hose intrusted with the control
money drawn from the people tor pu
lic nses. It must be confessed that OF
apparently endless resources. the iaml
Iarjty of our people with immense AZ
cumulations of wealth, the grown
sentiment among them that the expeho
ture of public money should IN some mannS
be to their immediate and personal aaVit
taoe the indirect and almost stealthy ma
nor In which large part of our taxes are e.
acted. and degenerated sense OF official a
countability have led to growing extraV'
gance in Governmental appropriations.
At this time, when depleted public trea
urv coufronts us, when many OF our peop
are are engaged in hard struggle for the nece
ssries OF life, and when enforced economy
pressing upon the great mass Of our cou
ifrymen, desire to urge with all the earnss a
ness at my command that congresslon
legislation be so limited by strict economy
to exhibit an appreciation of the conditi'
os the Treasury and sympathy with
straitened circumstances OF our lelio"-c
izens :;
The duty OF public economy IS also Oh u
-, -, 90 in its intimate and nect