Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1894-12-06

ing June 30, 1894, out Of a total expcndi-
tnre of 81, g4s, 0Ss. IS che department APP
plied SIS per cent OF that sum to scientific
work and investigation. 1t Is therefore
very plainly observable that the economies
which have been practiced in the admins;
tration OF the department have not been at
the expense of scientific research.
The recommendation contained in the
report of the secretary for 1888, that the
vicious system of promiscious free distri-
button of It's departmental documents re
abandoned Is again urged. These publ
cations may well be furnished without
cost to public libraries. educational tnStl-
tutions and the officers and Libraries
of states and of the federal government,
but from all individuals applying for them
d price covering the cost OF the document
asked for should be required. Thus the
publications and documents would DE Sc
cured by those who really desire them for
proper purposes. Half q million 81
copies OF the report of the secretary
of agriculture are printed for distribution
at an annual cost Of about $300,0W. Large
numbers of them are numbering store
rooms at the capitol and the shelves OF
second hand book stores throughout the
country. All this labor and waste might
lie avoided II the recommendations Of the
secretary were adopted. The secretary
also again recommends that the gratuttotis
distribution of seeds cease and that Tic
money he appropriated for that .pur-
pose except to experiment stations
He reiterates the reasons given in his re-
port for 1898 for disseminating this UNI
iustifiable gratuity and | fully concur N
the conclusions which he has reached. x
! further important Utility III the ayricult-
ural statistics is found in their elucidatIoti
of the relation of the supply of farm prod
/ uce to the demand for them in the mar
kets of the United States and of the world:
1t is deemed possible that al agricultural
census may be taken each year
through the agents of the sta
~tistical division of the department
Such Il course is commended for trial by
the chief of that division. It's scope
would be:
1. The area of the more important crops:
2. The aggregate products of each OF
such crops.
3. The quantity of wheat and corn In the
hands of farmers at Il date after the spring
sowings and paintings and before the pc
ginning of harvest. and also the quantity
of cotton and tobacco remaining IN the
hands of planters either at the same date
or at some other designated time. The
oSt of the work Is estimated at soO,nn.
Owing to the peculiar quality OF the
statistical work and the natural ana ac.
CURED fitness necessary to Its successful
prosecution the secretary Of agriculture
expresses the opinion that every person
employed in gathering statistics under the
chief of that division should be admitted to
that service only after thorough, exhaus-
tive and successful examination at the
hands of the United States civil service
commission. This has led him to call for
such examination of candidates for tho
position of assistant statisticians and
also of candidates for offices III
other sections of that division,
The work done by this department of agri
culture is very thoroughly dealt with in
this communication and | commend tht
report of the secretary and the very impor
tant interests with which it deals TO the
careful attention of the congress. The adj
yantages to the public service of an adher
ence to the principles of civil service re
form are constantly more apparent anS
nothing is so encouraging TO those IN OIL
cial life who honestly desire good govern
ment as the increasing appreciation by GU
people of these advantages. n vast ma
jority of the voters of the land are ready Il
insist that the time and attention of thos'
they select to perform 10
them important public duties, should no
be distracted by doing out minor Offices
and they are growing to be unanimous il
regarding party organization as some
thing that should be used in establishing
| RdltN ptlINltpttS IIlNtCttl vi ulttsttiilS VI
distribution of public places as rewards o
partisan activity. Numerous additiona
offices and places have lately been brough
within civil service rules and regulations
and some others will probably soon be in
cluded. The report of the commissions
will be submitted to the congress-, and
! invite careful attention to the recommend
ations it contains. / am entirely con
! WINGED that we ought not to be longe
ithout a national board of health ofiic
uaargei with no other duties than such :.
pertain to the protection Of II couAtr
from the invasion of pestilencc and dis
ease.
The Railroad Commission
BY virtue of Il statute Of the Unite
States passed in 1898 | appointed in Jul
last Hon. John ID. Herman of the state G
New York and Hon. Nicholas i. Worth
ington of the state of lllinOi
to form with Hon. Carol i
Wright, commissioner of labor
a commission for the purpose of maxim!
careful inquiry into the causes of the col
troversies between certain railroads an,
their employees which had resulted in al
extensive and destructive strike. accom-
panied by much violence and dangerou
disturbance with considerable loss of lii
and great destruction of property. Th
report of the commissioners has been sub
mitted to me and will be transmitted t.
the with the evidence takes
upon their investigation. Their work TIA
been well lone and their standing and in
tellIgence give assurance that the repor
and suggestions they make are worth,
of careful consideration