The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-13
GRANCERS HAD The POWER
They Welded a Greater Influence at
Harrisburg Than Ever Before.
A FORMIDABLE ORGANIZATION
State Board Of Agricu ulturo Wiped Out
TO Mako Room for the Depart.
mcnt OF Agriculture -Appli.
cants for Fat Positions.
Special to the Scranton Tribune.

administration and the corporations
the farmer element in the recent legis
| lature has gone home we'll satisfied
with what 1t got this session. The
Granger and Alliance members of the
| house had most formidable and solid
organza ton, and all the "agricultura
legislation that was passed was GER
tainiy due to their efforts and strength
The most effective showing of thei,
influence was the creation of the state
department of agriculture and the prac.
teal wiping out of the state board OF
agriculture, which has been in exist
ence during the past fifteen years. The
board is legislated out of existence by
Il clause in the general appropriation
bill granting $1,000 to it for the next two
fiscal years and which in addition says;
| provided, that no vacancies in the
membership of the board shall here
after be filled" This provision will
| knock out about one-half of the mem
| bership of the board between now and
Jan. /, 1896. The other half will all be
out by January, 1897.
The leading grangers in the state
however, were careful not to show their
| hand openly in their efforts to annihi-
| late the board of agriculture and Gre
ate a department of agriculture. They
even went so far as to urge upon the
| house appropriations committee the
| granting by it of $1,000 for the board
| but they took good care to tack on the
| foregoing provision by which they give
| the board an opportunity to slide grace
| fully out of existence.
oh Toe
| that the most Of the Republicans on the
appropria tions committee and the lead
| ing grangers throughout the state were
and are opposed to it for political ana
| other reasons. 1t is claimed that ma
jority of the members of the board We're
| in favor of the repeal of the oleo law
of 1885 and that they We're forced to
| take a back track on that issue at their
| fall meeting at Somerset last October
by the vigorous fight made against
them by the Changers, who have long
been opposed I'd the board, in Bradford,
Chester and other counties.
The Board TOO Extravagant.
Another objection to the board was
that it not only was too extravagant
in conducting farmers institutes. but
purposes Two years ago the board
was given 50, 800 for the use of the in
stitutes, while but $500 has been
granted to the new department of ag-
riculture. 1t Is claimed that the de-
partment will do more general and
effective work with the smaller sum
than the board did with $1,000. But,
perhaps, the most controlling reason
for the annihilation of the board was
the charge that it had gone too far
into Democratic politics; that it had,
in fact, been instrumental in aiding
in the second election of Governor Pat
tison. This was the all-powerful argu-
ment against the existence of the board
in the minds Of the recent legislature
and the Hastings administration.
The bill creating the department of
agriculture was one Of the first signed
by Governor Hastings, and Secretary
Edge, who is at the head of the depart
ment, Is now organizing it. For the
greater part of the offices there are
over 800 applicants. but there is no op-
position to DR.. j. T. ROthrock, of West
Chester, for forestry commissioner, and
DR.. b. H. Warren of the BIRD Book"
| fame, for economic zoologist. DIR. Roth
rock has been endorsed by the state
forestry commission and the faculty of
the University Of Pennsylvania. DR..
Warren has the unanimous endorse
ment Of the senate and the Academy
of Natural Ssciences, Philadelphia. For
state veterinary surgeon, DR.. Leonard
Plerson, head of the veterinary depart
| ment Of the university of PENNSYLVANIA.
| will be named. There Is a large num-
Der of applicants for the appointment
| of deputy secretary; Gabriel Heiser, of
Dauphin; Joel A. Herr of Clinton: A.
G. Sisser. Of Lackawanna, and ia likely
to be appointed. 1t is said that Sena-
tor Critchfield, Of Somerset, is also n
candidate, but he is a hold-over sena-
tor and cannot hold two Offices under
the constitution.
Other Granger Legislation.
Other Legislation in the interest of
the grangers was the act appropriating
S25,OOO to the state dairy and food com
missioner and $1,000 for tobacco ex-
parimental stations. Two years ago
$4,000 was appropriated for this pur-
pose. the chief experiments being made
at State college. York, Bradford and
Lancaster are the counties this appro-
priation Is to benefit. Other bills asked
for by the granger interests were: Le-
galizing the dehorning of cattle; the
Marshall act amending the oleo law so
that one-half of the fine shall 20 to the
use of the dairy and food commissioner
instead of the informer. This amend
ment, 1t is believed, will put an end to
the alleged system of blacmail carried
on at Philadelphia and Pittsburg An
other Dill in the interest of the farmers
is that appropriating 1000 to the
state college. This proposition was
Ditteriy opposed by Representative
Lawrence. and had 1t not been for tbc
energetic work Of the grangers in both
houses w would have been defeated. 1t
was hiiieu III the senate appropriation
committee and then reconsidered and
passed.
1t Is interesting to note in connection
with the success of the rural members
this session the plans laid by the gram
gers TO secure not only a firmer hold
upon the legislature, but a widespreod
influence that will have effect in the
coming state Republican convention.
AS the nomination of b. ]. HAYWOOD
for state treasurer Is assured, there Ia
effort being made to dominate the next
convention so far as candidates are
concerned. but there are many grangers
in harmony with Senator Cameron in
his free silver sentiments, and they
want the convention ito keep away in