Evening star., 1896-12-24
DEATH OF EX-CoNGREssNAN HATCH
For Many Years Hc Mas HE Fur,ncr.,
Friend In Congress

EX-Congressman Hatch of Missouri died
last night at his home near Hannibal i'm
that state, of Brifhts disease Although
els health FOR several Years had been some
what impaired by his arduous Public dut es.
IL was not suspected that he was i'm danger
ol serious illness. He had been confireJ
to the house but two or three DAYS and his
ueath was therefore. sharp surprise 10
his many warm and Iife-fong friends I'm
Washington
General Hatch was native of Kentucky
sixty-three years Old, and received his edu-
cation at Lexington, where he was ad-
mitted to the bar ard for a time cttced
law. In 1886 he moved TO Missouri where
he Was very successful in his law practice
ana local politics, being elected circuit at
tofGeS Tor the sixteenth judicial circuit IN
leoS ana reelected to the same position in
1860 With tie breaking out of the var
he entered the confederate army ard was
detailed TO service, as commissioner, under
the cartel for the exchange of prisoners
ana given the rark of assistant sdiutant
general He remained in this service from
December, 1852, until the close of the war
when he returned TO Missouri and engaged
in farming.
General Hatch was a member of the
Forty Forty-seventh Forty-eightb
Forty ninth. Fiftieth, Fifty-first FTftv-sec-
ohd aid flfty-third congresses. In the Pc
Tlou OF Ten years, when he was a member
OF the House, he secured the passage of
many important laws affecting the inter
ests OF agriculture. He originated and Sc
cured the adoption of a bill making tho
commissioner of agriculture a cabinet ON
Ger during the closing days of the Ffftieth
Congress.
He was the founder of the system of
agricultural experiment stations of which
there are now forty-fiye in the United
States that receive an aggregate of nearly
Sd 0U,w annually for their maintenance
Ihe founding OF these experiment stations
is regarded by agricultural scientists as
the T1ost important aid ever given to the
cause of agriculture
In addition 10 the large approximation
given by the general government, many
of the states also make liberal appron.-ia-
ions Tor these stations. The Iegislat
OF Massachusetts In Acknowledgement OF
the important service of Gen Hatch to
agriculture named the station in that state
the Hatch Experiment Station and pro-
videi an annual appropriation of s6l pW to
be added 10 that given 10y the general gov
ernment.
Gen. Hatch was also the author Of the
oleomargarine law. the law providing for
the inspection of meats intended for home
consumption or foreign export and the
anti-option bill. He WAS also n stalwart
supporter of interstate commerce law. un-
der the les d of Judge Reagan of Texas
Gen. Hatch had a large farm near HAN
nibal. Mo, where he very successful
in stock raising and carried large op-
eratons uI der his own immediate direc-
ton. Personally he was a man of de-
lghtful qualities and had a vast following
of friends. In his public service he was
an uncompromising hater of frauds and
shal.s and never for am instant forgot his
duty to the agricultural interests OF the
country. His retirement from public life
was regretted by the friends of the far
mer all over the country.