The Helena independent., 1894-12-04


support OF the experiment stations
throughout the union were the only mon
cys taken out of the national treasury by
an act uf congress for which no account
iug TO federal nuthoriticn was required
Responding to this suggcatlon the FIFTY
third congress. IN making IT, appropria-
tiou lor the department Tor the present
nsral year. provided that tho secretary OF
agriculture han prcRcribe the form OF
annual financial statement required ny
section two OF said act OF March .. iSSi,
and shall ascertain whether the eNpcndl-
turcs under the appropriation thereby
mode are lh accordance with the proVis-
ions of said act, and shall make report
thereon TO congress.
The bvst work OF the statlstician OF the
department. of agriculture h the ascertain
mcnt by diligence aud care OF the actual
and real conditions favorable or unfayor-
able of the farmers and farms OF the
country. aud TO causes which produce
such conditions. to the end that the facts
ascertained may guide their intelligent
treatment In obedience TO this law the
department OF agriculture Immediately
sent out blank forms OF expense accounts
to each station and proposes, In addition
to make through trusted experts system
attic examination OF the several stations
during the year. for the purpose OF ao-
Quiring by personal Investigation the de-
tailed Information necessary to enable the
secretary OF agriculture TO make, hs the
statute provides. a satisfactory report 10
congress. The boards OF management OF
the several stations with great alncrity
and cordiallty have approved the amend
ment to the law providing for the super
vision OF their expenditures. anticipating
that Il Will Increase the efficiency OF the
stations and protect their directors and
managers from loose charges concerning
their USE of public funds. besides bring
ing the department Of agriculture into
closer and more confidential relations with
the experimental stations, and through
their service largely increasing their use
fnlncss 10 the agriculture OF the country.
Acting upon a recommendation con-
tnlned In the report OF 1898. congress ap-
$4,000 10 enable the secretary
OF agriculture to inN Nestigate and report
upon the nutritiyc value OF various art-
clea and commodities used for human
food with especial suggestion OF full,
wholesome and edible rations. least waste
tul and more economical than those I'm
common use, Under this appropriation
the department has prepared and now has
ready for distribution, an elementary dis
cuEslon OF the nutritive value and pecu-
MARY economy OF food When we con-
sider that fully one-half the money
i1ed world is expended by them for food
the Importance and utility OF such an in
vestigation Is apparent.
The department eXpended-i in the fiscal
year 1899, s., 33i, 30956 and out OF that sum
the total amount expended In scientific
research was ass per cent. but in the year
ending June 30, 1894, out OF total expend-
iture OF Si,9iS.0sS the department ap-
piled Sis per cent OF that sum to scientific
very plainly observable, that the econo- |
my which has been practiced In the ad- !
Of the departments have not |
been AT the expense OF scientific research, |
The recommendation contained in the /
report OF the secretary OF 1898, that the \
vicious system of promiscuous free dis 1
trihution OF its departmental documents |
be abandoned Is again urged. These pub
lications may well be furnished without
cost 10 public libraries. educational insu-
tutions, and the officers and libraries OF
states and OF the federal government but
fiom all individuals applying for them a
price covering the cost OF the document
asked for should be required. Thus the
and documents would be Sc,
cured by those who really desired them
for proper purposes. Half million copies
of the report OF the secretary of agricul-
tnre are printed for distribution nt an an
nual cost OF about $4,000 Large numbers
Of them are cumbering store rooms at the
capitol. and the shelves OF second hand
book stores throughout the country, All
this labor ami waste might be avoided II
The recommendations OF the secretary
were adopted.
The secretary also again recommends
that the gratuitous distribution Of seeds
cease. and that no money be appropriated
FOR that purpose except TO experiment sta
lions, He reiterates the reasons given In
his report for 1898 for disseminating this
injustitlable gratulty, and fully concur
n the conclusions which he has reached
further important utility In agricul-
uTal statistics Is found in the elucida-
ion OF the relation Of the supply OF farm
PRODUCTS to the demand for them in the
markets OF the United States and of the
world. II is deemed possible that an agri-
'ultural census may he taken each Year
through the agents Of the statistical diyis-
on Of the department Such a course -
commended for trial by the chief of that
livision. Its scope would be: OD The area
inder each OF the more important crops;
y The aggregate products OF each OF such
rops. go The quantity of wheat and corn
II the hands of farmers at a date after
he spring sowtnRs and paintings. and
,efore the beginning OF harvest, and also
he quantity Of cotton and tobacco remain
ng In the hands Of planters either at the
late or at some other designated time.
rhe cost of the work is estimated at $780,
M.
Owing TO the peculiar quality OF the sta
isticlan's work and the natural and ac-
lLlred flnesse necessary 10 It's successful
Prosecution, the secretary of agriculture
Aprcsses the opinion that every person
Employed in gathering statistics under
he chief OF that division should be ad-
uitted TO that service only after thor
,ugh. exhaustive and successful exnmina-
ion at the hands Of the United States
'iyil service cOmmissIOn This has led
him to call for such examination Of candi-
lutcs for the position Of assistant sta
and also OF candidates for chiefs
Tor sections In that division. The work
lone by the department OF agriculture is
very superciliously dealt with In this
and commend the report
lf the secretary and the very important
interests with winch 1t deals to the care
'ul attention Of the congress.