Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-12-10
FARMER MoRToss WORK.
The Government should Encourage
the Agricultural Department


The department of agriculture Is So ihti-
mately related to the welfare Of oar peo-
pie ard the prosperity of our nation that
it should constantly receive the care aud
encouragement OF the government. From 4
small beginning. ii has grown to lie the
center of agricultural science and the source
of assistance TO our agricultural efforts.
Large sums are annually appropriated for
the maintenance of this department and tt
must he confessed that the legislation relat-
ing TO IL has not always been In the liree-
ton of practical farming. or pro|erly @uErl-
cd against waste or rxt.tv2ga,ec 80 ftr.
however. the public u,oGey has been no.
p:opriatel fairly and seasi5ly TO help tt:0sr
who actually sill the soil, and no c~Narndi-
ture has been more probably made o. iaore
generally approved by the people.
Under the present management OF the de-
partment, Its usefulness has been enhanced
In every direction. and at the same time
strict economy has been enforced 10 the
utmost extent permitted by congressional
action. From the report of the secretary
1t appears that through careful and prudent
financial management, he has annually saved
u large sum from his appropriations, aggre-
eating during his incumbency and up 10
the close of the present fiscal year. nearly
one-ifth of the entire amount appropriated.
These results have been accomplished by a
conscientious study Of the real needs of
the farmer and such regard for economy as
the genuine farmer ought 70 appreciate,
supplemented by Il rigid adherence 70 civil
service methods in the department which
should be conducted in the interest OF agri-
~calture instead Of partisan politics.
The secretary reports that the value or
our exports of farm products during the
last fiscal year amounted to S~570,oo0,000.
an increase of SIT 100000 over those Of
the year Immediately preceding. This state
ment is not the less welcome because of the
fact that. notwithstanding such increase,
the proportion of exported agricultural
products 10 our total exports Of all descrip-
tons fell on during the year. The benefits
Of an increase in agricultural Exports being
assured. the decrease In its proportion TO
oer total exports of all descriptions fell off
during the year. The benefits OF an in
crease In agricultural exports being assured,
the decrease In its proportion 10 our total
exports Is the more gratifying when we
consider that 1t is owing 10 the fact that
such total exports for the year increased
more than ST5.OOo.0oO.
In my opinion the gratIit0us distribution
of seeds by the department as at present
conducted ought to be discontinued No
one can read the statement of the secretary
on this subject and donbt the extravaganza
and questionable results of this practice.
The professed friends of the farmer. and
certainly the farmers themselves. are natu-
| rally expecting to be willing to rid a de-
| partment devoted TO the promotion Of farm
ing interests of a feature which tends so
much 10 it's discredit.
The weather bureau now attached TO the
department Of agriculture, has continued
| to extend it's sphere of usefulness. and by
| an uninterrupted improvement in the accu-
| racy Of its forecasts has greatly increased
It's efficiency as an aid and protection TO all
| whose occupations are related 10 weather
| conditions.
Omitting further reference to the opera
tions of the department. | commend the
| secretary's report and the suggestions Ii
! contains to the careful consideration Of the
| congress.