The herald., 1895-09-29

around that agricultural department
when he was first installed! Finding
every corner OF the building filled with
pseudo scientists and bureaus he pro-
ceeded to rattle up every one of them.
About the first thing he did was to write
a letter to the head scientist OF each de-
partment asking for his ''raison d'tere'
in plain English, what he did for his
salary. Imagine the effect letter OF
that kind on man who had held gov
eminent sinecure aimee the year go
something and had virtually forgotten
what he was appointed for. Since the
secretary possesses in a marked degree
the art OF neatly and epigramm atically
expressing himself he had fun with
these scientists. They all wrote letters,
entering into long winded explanations
of why they were on earth, and Secretary
N, trippleds them up s; one g. by one. O..
explanations the more remorselessly the
secretary pursued them. 1t is one of the
LEGENDS of the agricultural department
that the most interesting things in the
building are the secretary's books for the
first few months after his induction into
Office. Some time or another they will
be made public, but they are closely
guarded now.
One of the first results of Mr.. Morton s
regime was the abolition OF the depart
ment of microscopy-which Mr.. Morton
pronounces mick-kros-kopy, with the
accent on the 'mics." This department.
was posed of six men, with twelve
young ladies to help them and keep them
from feeling lonesome. Just what the
department of microscopy was supposed
to do is one of the things the secretary
never could discover, so he scattered the
six prophets and the assistants to the
four winds. That was just for starter,
for soon he began to investigate some of
the individual peouliarities OF his new
office. He was moved to this the more
bv the assiduous way in which certain
employees of the department hunted their
holes. Early in 1894 a resolution was in
troduc,d in congress directing Mr.. Morton
he department.. together with state
nent Of their work and the salaries re-
seived for the four years and six months
ending December 81, 1893. This was Mr..
Morton's chance to sho what his Repub-
lican Predecessors had been doing. The
report which congress asked for was
promptly furnished, and it created excite
ment and comment. 1t showed. for in
stance, that one happy man had been
drawing $1,000 year as salary for invest
eating the distribution of winds in the
United States with reference to their use
locally as sources of power. Interview
ing the wind seems to be rather favorite
job with special agents. for another man
drew the same salary for investigating
the winds OF the great plains. But the
star man of the lJt was j. III. Sanders.
who was appionttd July, ID 1890, as a
special agent of the bureau of animal
industry and was authorized to 60 any
where he wanted to and to charge his ex-
penses to the United States. For this he
was piad $3.50 day. The record of his
dangers, perils and sacrifices might never
have become ublicpropsrty had he only
Kept quiet. 1t seems that early in the
worlds fair year the secretary of agricul-
ture received letter from one OF his COR
stituents suggesting that Sanders be ap-
pointed to write up the livestock exhibit