The record-union., 1894-12-04

common use. Under this appropriation
the department has prepared. and now
mas nearly ready for distribution, an ele-
Mentary discussion OF the nutritive value
ana pecunlary economy of food. When
| we consider that fully one-half of all the
money earned by the wage earners of the
cIVlilzed world is expended by them for
1000, the Importance and utility OF such
an investigation is apparent.
| EXPENDITURES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
The department expended in the fiscal
year 1872 S2, 354, 500 56, and out of that sum
Inc total amount expended in scientific
researches was 1916 per cent. But in the
year ending June SO, 1894, out of a total
expenditure Of 81. .9iS, ,9SS IS, the depart
ment applied 5l.S per cent. of that sum to
scientific work and investigation. 1t is,
therefore, very plainly observable that
the economy which has been practiced in
the administration of the department has
not been at the expense Of scientific re-
search.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SECRETARY.
The recommendations contained in the
report OF the Secretary for 1893, that the
vicious system of promiscuous free dis
trlbutlon OF its departmental documents
be abandoned, is again urged. These
puDllcatlOnS may well De furnished with
out cost to public libraries, educational
institutions and the officers and libraries
OF States and Of the Federal Government.
But from all individuals applying for
them price covering the cost OF the doc
ument asked for should be required.
Thus the publications and documents
would be secured by those who really de-
sire them for proper purposes. Halt a
million copies of the report of the Secre-
tary OF Agriculture are printed for dis
trlDutlon at au annual cost of about
SoOO, ,OOO Large numbers Of them are
cumbering storerooms at the Capitol and
the shelves OF secondhand bookstores
throughout the country. All this labor
and waste might be avoided if the recon-
mendatlons OF the Secretary We're
| adopted.
The Secretary also again recommends
that the gratuitouS distribution of seeds
cease. and that no money be appropriated
for that purpose except for experiment
stations. He reiterates the reasons given
IN his report for 1893 for disseminating
this unJustitiable gratuity, and / 1ully
concur IN the conclusions which he has
reached.
A further important utility in agricult-
ufal statistics is found in their elucida-
tlon OF the relation Of the supply of farm
products 10 the demand for them in the
markets of the United States and OF the
! world. IL is deemed possible that an ag-
rlcultural census may be taken each year
through the agents OF the statistical di-
vision Of the department.. Such course
| is commented for trial by the chief of
| tnat diVlSlon. Its scope would be: First
The area under each of the more inn
! portant crops. Second-The aggregate
products OF each of such crops. Third
| The quantity of wheat and corn in the
hands of farmers at date after the spring
sowlngs and paintings and before the be-
ginning OF harvest, and also the quantity
| o tobacco in a
| hands of planters either at the same date
| or at some other designated time. The
| cost of the work is estimated at $500, ,0U0
! Owing to the peculiar quality of the
| statistician's work, and the natural and
| acquired hnesSe necessary to itsssuccess-
| 1ui prosecution, the Secretary of Agri-
culture expresses the opinion that every
| person employed in gathering statistics
under the chief OF that division should
! be admitted TO that service only after u
! thorough, exhaustive and successful SX-
animation at the hands of the United
! States Civil Service Commission. This
has led him to call for such examination
OF candidates for the position Of Assist
ant Statistician, and also of candidates Tor
Chiefs for section in that division.
ADVANTAGES OF CIVIL SERVICE.
The work done by the Department of
Agriculture is very superticially dealt
with in this communication, and | COM
/ mend the report OF the Secretary, and the
very important interests with which il
deals to the careful attention of the Con-
gress. The advantages to the public
| service OF an adherence to the principles
! of civil service reform are constantly
! more apparent, and nothing is so en-
! couraglng to those in Official life, who
| honestly desire good government, as the
! increasing appreciation by our people OF
these advantages. The vast majority OF
| the voters OF the land are ready TO insist
that the time and attention of those they
selected to perform important public
ties should not be distracted by doling
out minor offices, and they are growing
| to be unanimous IN regarding party or
ganiZatlon as something that should be
used in establishing party principles,
! instead Of debating the distribution of
public places as rewards of partisan
activity. Numerous additional Offices
and places have lately been brought
within the civil service rules and regula-
tions, and some others will probably soon
be included. The report OF the Commits
sioners will be submitted TO Congress,
and l invite careful attention TO the re-
concentrations 1t contains.
NEED OF NATIONAL HEALTH OFFICERS.
| am entirely convinced that we ought
not 10 be longer without National Board
of Health, or National Health Officers,
charged with no other duties than such
as pertain 10 the pFOieCllOu Oh our cOuu-
try from the invasion of pestilence and
disease. This would involve the estab-
lishment by such board or officers of
proper quarantine precautions, or the
necessary aid and counsel TO locate
authorities on the subject; prompt advice
and assistance to local Boards of Heath or
Health Officers in the suppression OF con-
| tagiouS diseases, and IN cases where there
are 10 such local boards or officers, the
| immediate direction by the national
| board or officer Of measures of suppress
| sion; constant and authentic Information
concerning the health of foreign coun-
tries and all parts OF our own country as
related to contagious diseases, and con-
sideration OF regulations to be enforced
in foreign ports to prevent the introduce
ton of contagion int, our cities, and the
measures which should be adopted TO
secure their enforcement. There seems
to be at this time decided inclination to
discuss measures Of protection against
S.9g5 tgSSZIz-.- Iz-.-z=z-= Y a STy7Szzry-,
ssS5 Tie GREAT. HyDYAN. .dS@gS
ksssac e ~ E-z.a- ~ .SSsssTstj SSssssTsttj
ls%US3qS/S