Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-11-26
MR.. MORTON'SREPORT
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE SAYS
FARMERS ARE PROSPEROUS.

may be saved from the appropriations for
the current fiscal year, there will have been
covered back into the treasury since March
z, 1898, over 81, 600, 600 out of Il total ap.
preparation of $l1, 119, 400 As.
That this great economy was effected
without any loss of efficiency he attributes
in large degree to the improvement in
the personnel of the force under civil serv-
ice rules, which he declares to be ''abso-
lutely Indispensable to the maintenance of
an economic and efficient administration
of the public service"
To complete 1.-THE already almost perfect
system of civil service" in his department
the secretary recommends the appointment
of a permanent director in charge of bu-
reaus and scientific Investigations. The
chiefs of scientific bureaus and their as
sistants he declared are not adequately
compensated and strongly recommends
that the salaries of this class of employees
be increased
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 civil service
rules, which has been very rapid in this
service.
Mr. Morton urges strongly that govern
animals intended for human food, whether
for consumption in the United States or
abroad.
The report shows steadily increasing
demand in England for American horses
During the first nine months of the pres
ent year more of these animals were ship
ped to that country than for any previous
year.
During the year the department issued
37B publications, mainly for gratuitous
distribution. The aggregate number of
copies printed was 8, 56l, 700 He protests
against the intrusion in the act of appro-
priatton for the department for the current
fiscal year of $50, 300 for reprinting horse
books and cattle books to be given away
by congress
Against Free Seed Distribution.
The secretary again takes occasion to
express his opposition TO the gratutous
distribution of seeds and TO express the
hope that the practice will be discontinued
The report concludes with u Comprehen.
sive review of the condition of American
farmers
Seventy-two per cent of the farms in the
United States, occupied by their owners,
are absolutely free from mortgages or 9th
er membranes. The secretary refute.
the idea prevailing that the farms of the
west and south are more heavily burdened
with mortgages then those of the east and
northeast. States along the North Atlantic
he says, are quite heavily ncumbered with
farm mortgages, and New Jersey carries a
debt of greater in proportion to farms
value than any state in the Union The
frequent claim that the farmers are almost
universally indebted and suffering, he de.
clares to be without any foundation, be.
httlemcnt of agriculture and an insult to
every intelligent and practical farmer
Inc farmers are not mcndicants to be
treated to annuities, but the representa-
tlves of the oldest, most honorable, most
essential occupation of the human race
upon which all other vocations depend fol
subsistence and prosperity.
Legislation" he says, "can neither
plow nor plant The intelligent, practical
and successful farmer needs no aid from
the government. The ignorant, impracti
cal and indolcnt farmers deserve none. 1t
Is not the business of the government to
legislate in behalf of any class of citizens
because they are engaged in any specific
callings, no matter how essential the call
ing may be, to the needs and comforts OF
civilization. Lawmakers cannot erase
natural laws, nor restrict or efface the op
Grafton OF economic laws. 1t is a beneh
cient arrangement of the order of things
and the conditions of human life that leg
lslators are not permitted to repeal on
amend or revise the laws of production
and distribution "
Denounees Homestead Act.
Referring to the stress of competition
which the American farmer is compelled
TO endure, MIR. Morton calls attention tc
the nearly 1000, 900 farms of so acres
each, given away by the government un
der the homestead act of 1866. during tn
past 30 years, and to the amount donated
under the timber culture law, equivalent
TO over 3D. 600 more farms of the same size
Lands long titled and rendered partially
intertile could not, of course, enhance in
value and sell in competition with virgin
soil donated by the government. No legis-
lntion relative to the public domain has
been so directly inimical to the farmers
who had bought and paid for the lands
upon which they had lived and labored 1t
was impossible for farmers in the old states
to profitably sell their products in conpe.
tition with those of the newer states grown
upon lands which cost their owners moth.
ing.
Referring to the impression that greater
ldtcs Vi interest are charged for money
loaned upon farms than for that loaned
upon other kinds of real estate, Secretary
Morton states that the rate of interest
charged on mortgages upon residential
property other than farms averages eighty.
four -hundreSths of per cent less than the
rate of Interest charged upon farm loans.
During the fiscal year Just ended the ex.
ported products of American farms aggre-
gated S57O, O0O, 600, an increase of sl7. 600
600 over the preceding year In spite of
this there was falling off in the percent.
age of agricultural products exported to
the total exports, hut this was due to the
unprecedented sale abroad of American
manufactured goods The largest market
for our products is admitted to be the
home market, but the export trade is the
regulation, the balance wheel for the
home products, follows the interest of the
manufacturer as well as the farmer. Gen
eral prosperity depends absolutely upon
agricultural prosperity and any CONNER
cial system which will increase with celeri
ty and extend with certainty, the export
of our farm products will be of the utmost