The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-04

sions which he has reached.
/ A further important utility in agri-
cultural statistics is found in the elu-
cidation 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. Tt is deemed
possible that an agricultural census
may be taken each year through the
agents of the statistical division Of the
department. Such a course is com
/ mended for trial by the chief Of that
division Its scope would be:
/ 1.-The area under each 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 a date after
the spring sowing and planting and be
fore the beginning or harvest, and also
the quantity of cotton and tobacco re
manning in the hands of planters either
at the date or at some othe1sdesignated
time The cost of the work is esti-
mated at 100000.
Qualifications of Statisticians.
Owing to the peculiar quality of the
statistician's work and the natural and
acquired fitness necessary to its sue
cessful prosecution, the secretary OF ag-
riculture expresses the opinion that
every person employed in gathering
statistics under the chief of that divi-
sion should be admitted to that service
only after a thorough, exhaustive and
successful examination at the hands OF.
the United States civil service commits
sion. This has led him to call for such
eNamina tic1 Of candidates for the po-
sition of assistant statisticians and also
of candidates for chiefs for sections in
that division.
The vel done by the department of
agriculture is very superciliolsly dealt
with in this communication. and | COM
mend the report of the secretary and
the important interests with which it
deals to the careful attention of the
Congress.
Civil Service Reform.
The advantages to the public service
by an adherence to the principles of the
civil service reform are constantly
more apparent, and nothing is so en-
cGuraging to those in official life, who
honestly desire good government, as
the increasing appreciation by our peo-
pie of these advantages. 4 vast ma
Jnrlty of the voters of the land are
ready to insist that the time and at
tention Of those they select to per-
form for them important public duties
should not be distracted by dealing out
minor offices, and they are growing to
be unanimous in regarding party or
CARNATIONS as something that should
be used in establishing party principles
instead of debating the distribution of
public places as the reward of partisan
activity Numerous additional offices
and places have lately been brought
within the civil service rules and regu-
lations and some others will probably
soon be included. The report of the
commissioners will be submitted to the
T
ton to the recommendations it con-
tains.
A National board of Heulth.
lam entirely convinced that we ought
not to be longer without a. national
board of health or national health Of
ficer charged with no other duties
than such as pertain to the protection
of our country from the invasion of
pestilence and disease. This would in
, volve the establishment by such board
Of officers of proper quarantine pre-
cautions, for the necessary add and
counsel to local authorities on the sub
ject, prompt advice and assistance to
local boards of health. for health Off
! GERS in the suppression of contagious
diseases, and in cases where there are
no such local boards or officers, the i'm
mediate direction by the national board
or officer of measures of suppression,
CcllSldil anu SulldDlS liliOIIldllOn COu-
/ corning the health of foreign countries
and all parts of our own country as re-
| lated to conta gious diseases, and con-
sideration of regulations to be enforced
in foreign ports to prevent the intro
duction of contagion into our cities and
the measure which should he adopted
to secure their enforcement. There
seems to be at this time a decided incli-
nation to discuss measures of protec-
in in
'ternational conference with a view of
adopting means of mutual assistance.
; The creation of such q national health
establishment would greatly aid our
standing in such conferences ind i'm
prove our opportunities to avail cur
selves of their benefits. l earnestly re-
/ commend the Inauguration of a nation
al board of health or similar national
instrumentality, believing the same to
be a needed precaution against con-
taSious diseases and in the interest of
the safety and health Of our people.
The Labor Commission.
BY virtue of a statute of the United
States, passed in 1898, I appointed in
! July last Hon. John D. Herman, OF tlae
state of New York, and Hon. Nicholas
r. WorthinEton, Of the state of Illinois,
to form, with Hon. Carroll D. Wright,
commissioners of labor, who was des-
4 Il
( for the purpose of making careful in
Quiry into the causes of the contro-
versies between certain railroads and
/ their employees, which had resulted in
an extensive and destructive strike. &C
companied by much violence and dam
gerous disturbances, with considerable
loss Of life and great destruction of
property. The report of the commits
sioners has been submitted to me and
~ n CrNnf -tsa1 10,
with the evidence taken upon their in
vesugation. Their work has been well
done. and their standing and inteli-
gence give assurance that the report
and suggestions they make are WORTHY
of careful consideration.
The Tariff Act.
The tariff act passed at the last ses-
sion of the Congress needs important
amendments if il is to be executed eff
fectively and with certainty. In addi-
ton 10 lch necessary amendments as
viii not change rates Of duty, I
am still very decidedly in favor of
putting coal and iron upon the free
list. SO Tar as the sugar schedule is
concerned I would be glad, under exist
Ing aggraVations, to see every particle
of differential duty in favor of refined
sugar stricken out of our tariff law.
ii, with all the favor now accorded the
sugar refining interest in our tariff
laws, it still languishes to the extent
of closing redneries and thousands of
discharged workmen, it would seem to
present hopeless case fer. reasonable
Legislative, aid. Whatever Else is done
or omitted, L earnestly repeat here my
recommendation I have made in an
other portion Of this communication
that the additional duty Of one-teuth
OF a cent per pound laid upon sugar
imported from countries paving
bounty on its export be abrogated. II
seems to me that exceedingly import
ant considerations point to the pro
r,,-inL,. Of tl,is n, ~, a-.,.,.. -.