The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-11-26
AS TO 4 GRl c FUR &
.SECRETAR Y MORTON MAKES PUBLIC
HIS ANNUAL REPORT.
He Enects saving OF Two Million
Dollars, Which He Says Is the Re-
lss suit 4 OF & the Operation OF Civil Ser
vice RuIes-Review Of the Work
OF the ment-sjome Recon-
mendntions Made.

Washington, Nov "a Secretary
Morton, in his fourth annual report,
Just made public, shows that with
$3.50, GOO, which may be saved from the
appropriat for the current fiscal
year, there will have been covered back
into the trea sury since March Z, 1893,
over $2,000,OO0 out Of the total appro-
priation Of $11, 175, 455. As. That this
great economy was effected without
any loss Of efficiency he attributes in a
large degree to the improy enent in the
personnel Of the force under civil SER
vice rules, which he declar9 IS to be TAB
solutely indispensable to the mainten-
ance Of an economic and efficient ad-
minlstration of the public service
To complete 1.-THE already almost per-
feet system Of civil service" in this de-
partments the secretary recommends
the appointment of a permanent di-
rector in charge Of the bureaus Scien-
title investigations. The chiefs Of
scientific bureaus and their assistants,
he declares. are not adequately com
pensated, and strongly recommends
that the salaries of this class Of en-
ployes be increased.
Il 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 i'll this service.
The report shows steadily increas-
ing demand in England FOR American
horses. During the first nine months
OF the present year more of these ami
mails We're shipped to that country
than for any previous entire year.
The secretary again takes occasion
to express his opposition to the gratu-
5itous distribution of seeds and to ex-
press the hope that the practice will be
discontinued
Condition of Farmers.
The report concludes with compre-
hensive review of the condition Of the
American farmer. Seventy-two per
cent of the farms in the United States
occupied by their owners are absolute
" free from mortgages or other in
5cumbrances. The secretary refutes the
idea prevailing that the farms of the
West and South are more heavily
burdened with mortgages than those Of
the East and Northeast. States along
the North Atlantic, he says, are quite
heavily incumbered with farm mort
cages, and New Jersey carries a debt
OF this kind greater in proportion to it's
3ldlm Ni1udtlOu% LIN ally! STATE III the
Union. The frequent claim that the
farmers are almost universally in debt,
respondent and suffering, he declares
to be without foundation, a belittle-
ment of agriculture and an indignity to
every intelligent and practical farmer.
The farmers are not mendicants nor
wards of the government to be treated
to annuities, but the representatives Of
the Oldest most hOnOrah1 most nSsnn
tial occupation Of the human race, upon
which all other vocations depend for
subsistence and prosperity.
Legislation" he says, ''can neither
plow nor plant. The intelligent prac-
teal and successful farmer needs no
aid from the government. The igno-
rant, impractical and indolent farmer
deserves none. 1T it a beneficent ar
rangement of the order of things and
the conditions of human life that legis-
lators are not permitted to repeal,
amend, or revise the laws of produc-
ton and distribution"