Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-29
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
His Report Deals Largely With Our For.
hidden Meats
A Review of Our Agricultural Exports
Gold Suggested as q Buy
ing Metal.

The annual report CT the Secretary of
Agriculture is particularly interesting be-
cause of it's references to current troubles
with foreign governments over the i'm
portation Of American products.
He reviews the subject of foreign mar
kets and gives figures of our agricultural
exports, especially those for Great Britain.
That country paid during the year 1893
for American breadstuffs. provisions, cot
ton and tobacco over 1924. O00, 900. Includ
ing about ten million dollars worth Of
mineral oils with agricultural exports. the
united kingdom took 54.31 per cent Of all
exports of breadstuffs, provisions. mineral
oils. cotton and tobacco. OF dressed beef
Great Britain took from us during the
first six months Of the year 1894 ten mil
lion dollars worth. Australia Is our chief
competitor for this trade. Mr.. Morton
deems 1t probable that the American far
mer will find more advantage from the
shipment Of dressed beef than from the
expectation Of live cattle.
Referring to the frequent allegations
on the part of European governments that
live animals from the United States are
found diseased. the Secretary expresses
the opinion that these declarations are
sometimes based on fear Of infection. but
at other times made for economic reasons.
A Paying Affair.
With reference to the weather bureau.
the Secretary shows that nearly $4,000
have been saved from the appropriations
and covered back into the treasury. He
shows that by needing the admonitions Of
the bureau relative to the great tropical
storm Of September, 1894, vessels valued
at over seventeen million dollars were
saved. So. in October. when over twelve
hundred vessels valued at nineteen mil
lf0v AAlln bon In ri Inc n
the bureau warnings. Moreover, many hui
man lives were preserved. The Secretary
concludes that the investment is a paying
one and may properly come within the
functions of the government.
Prime Currency.
The report concludes with a statement
showing that of the total exports of this
country for 1894 farm products aggregated
s62s. 900 600 worth. or 72.5S per cent of the
whole. The markets OF the world. he says,
demand from the American farmer the
best quality of breadstuffs and materials.
The farmer exchanges his products, the
results Of his labors, which have a specific
purchasing power. for money having gen.
eral purct asing power.
Under the heading For Prime Pork Give
Us Prime Currency" the Secretary asks:
Would the S6OO,OOO,OOO worth of farm
products from the United States sold last
year to foreign nations have been as re-
munerative to the American farmer II they
had been paid for in silver as they have
been when paid for in gold or it's equiva-
lent?
when the standard coin of the republic
shall be made of metal worth as much af-
ter 1t is melted as 1t purports to be worth
in coin. and the mint values and the COM
modify values of all metallic money ap-
proximate equality, will not the American
farmer and all other citizens become more
permanently prosperous?
IF the American farmer, laborer and
manufacturer are compelled by law to
submit to the measurement of the value of
the products of their efforts by a silver
standard, will not the foreigner in buying
those products always use the same meas
ure? With his beef, pork and cereals the
American farmer buys money, and why
should he not demand as speculative quail
ity in that which he buys as the domestic
and foreign purchasers insist upon in that
which he sells? If those buyers demand
prime beef and prime pork, why should
not the farmer demand prime currency,
tho best measure of value the most fair
and facile mediation of exchange in the
NEST unfiuctuating money which the world
OF commerce has ever evolved?"