Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-11-23
BY REFORM
Some $4,000, 900 Cash in the
Agricultural Department.
20 ASSERTS SECRETARY MORTON,

~ A0C604o C6OR61A6x AU6IV0s
Civil Service Law MaAe Il PsssShle, and the
Secretary Wants More u the saDe-Fie-
ures on the Inspection Of Castle-Oppo-
sifion to So Much Printing ana 70 Free
Distribution Of Seeds-Some Remarks -
Political Economy.
Washington. Nov. 2s@Secretary
Morton in his fourth annual report,
Just made public, shows that with $780,
700 which may be saved from the appro-
priations for the current fiscal year
4 there will have been covered back into
the treasury since March. Z, 1898, over
100000 out Of total appropriations Of
$l1,179.455.45. That this great economy
was effected without any loss of EN-
cheney he attributes in a large degree to
the Improvement in the personnel Of
the force under civil service rules,
which he declares to be absolutely in
dispensable to the maintenance of an
economic and efficient administration
II the public service" To complete
the already almost perfect system Of
civil service" in his department the
secretary recommends the appointment
of a permanent director in charge of
bureaus and scientific investigations.
| Figures ON Inspection Of Animals.
| The inspection of animals intended
for food is treated at length, and stress
is laid upon the increased efficiency of
the work due to the extension of the
| civil service rules, which has been very
rapid in this service. The total num-
/ no of MT fvu 80
tie, sheep. calves and hogs during the
year was 35.s17,S79, an increase over the
previous year of over so per cent. The
| total number of post-mortem inspec-
tons was 23.164. S5s. an increase of 25
per cent. The total number of abat-
| tOirs under inspection in 1896 was 102 in
| rs cities; in 1892 there were but 2S in IL
cities. For the sake of economy the ex-
ports of micrOscopically inspected pork
to countries not exacting such inspec-
| ton have been greatly discouraged.
The total amount thus inspected was in
round numbers $4,000, 900 pounds, of
| which 1,600, 900 pounds went to coun-
| tries requiring inspection.
Would Inspect All Food Animals.
Morton urges strongly that govern
| ment inspection should be extended to
| all animals intended for human food.
| whether for consumption in the United
States or abroad. The cattle and meat
trade Of Great Britain is reviewed at
| length. OF live meat arriving in the
United Kingdom during the first six
| months of 1896 the United States sup
piled Is per cent. Of the cattle and IS
per cent. Of the sheep. The testimony
Of the department representatives
abroad is that cattle from the United
States arrive in English ports in excel
lent condition. The Glasgow market is
especiallycommended to American ship
pers. The report shows asteadily increas-
Ing demand in England for American
horses. During the first nine months
Of the present year more Of these ami
mails were shipped to that country
than Tor any previous entire year.
Disapproves Of SO Much Printing.
During the year the department is
sued 376 publications, mainly for
gratuitous distribution. The aggregate
number of copies printed was 1851, 200.
The publication work has grown enor-
mously during the past few years, and
increased appropriations must be pro-
vided, but the secretary declares that
neither the department of agriculture
nor the government itself can con-
tinue for the next five years to increase
its publications for gratuitous distribu-
ton in the same ratio as for the last
five years without disbursing millions
Of dollars. He protests against the
intrusion in the act of appropriation
for the department for the current fis-
cal year of $500. for reprinting horse
books and cattle books to be given
away by congress. The secretary again
takes occasion to express his opposition
to the gratuitous distribution of seeds
and to express the hope that the prac-
tice will be discontinued.