The herald., 1896-12-08


! mortgage upon these aided parts of the
line. upon which the government holds
| a second and subordinate mortgage lien.
In consequence of these proceedings and
increasing complications, added to the
default occurring on the 1st day of jan
uary, l'9', a condition will be presented
at that date so far as this company Is
| concerned that must emphasize the man.
date of the act of 1887, and give to ex-
ecutive duty under its provisions a more
| imperative effect
! Therefore, unless congress shall other
wise direct, or shall not have previously
determined upon different solution of
| the problem, there will hardly appear
to exist any reason for delaying beyond
the date of the default above mentioned
such executive action will promise
to subserve the public interest and save
the government from the loss threatened
by further inaction.
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
The department of agriculture is so
intimately connected with the welfare
of our people and the prosperity of our
| nation that it should constantly receive
the care and announcement of the gov
! ernment. From small beginnings it has
grown to be the center of agricultural
Intelligence and the source of aid and
| encoura cement to agricultural efforts,
and large sums of money are annually
| appropriated for the maintenance of this
department, and it must be confessed
| that the legislation relating to it has
not always been directly in the interest
Impractical farming or properly guarded
| against waste and extravaganza. So
far, however, the public money has been
appropriated fairly and sensibly to help
those who actually till the soil. No ex-
| penditure has been more profita bly, made
or more generally approved by the peo-
pie.
/ Under the present management of the
| department its usefulness has been en-
HANGED in every direction, and at the
same time strict economy has been en-
! forced to the utmost extent permitted
by congressional action. From the re-
ports of the secretary it appears that
| through careful and prudent financial
management he has annually saved
| large sum from his appropriations, ag-
gregating during his incumbency and
| up to the close of the fiscal year, nearly
one-fifth of the entire amount appro-
prated. These results have been accom-
plshed by a conscientious study of the
real needs of the farmer and such a re-
gard for economy as the genuine farm
er ought to appreciate, supplemented by
! rigid adherence to civil service meth
ods in his department, which should he
| conducted in the interest of agricultuD.
Instead of partisan politics.
| The secretary reports that the value
| OF our exports from farm products dur
| INK tHt ldSl fiscal year announced TO
S570, 900, an increase of 81, 7,00O. 900
over those of the year Immediately pre-
| ceding.
This statement is not the less welcome
because of the fact that, notwithstand-
ing such increase, the proportion of ex-
ported agricultural products to our to-
| tai exports of all descriptions fell off
during the year. The benefits of an in
crease in agricultural exports being as
| sured. the decrease in its proportion
to our total exports is the more crafty
| ing when we consider that it Is owing
to the fact that such total exports for
the year increased more than $75, 900, 900.
INCREASED EXPORTS.
The large and increasing expectation
of our agricultural products suggests
the great usefulness of the organization
| lately established in the department for
the purpose of giving to those engaged
| in farming pursuits reliable informa-
| tion concerning the condition, needs and
advantages of different foreign markets.
Inasmuch as the success of the farmer
depends upon the advantageous sale of
his products, and inasmuch as foreign
markets must largely be the destination
of such products, it is quite apparent
| that knowledge of the conditions and
i wants that affect those markets ought to
| result In sowing more intelligently and
reaping with a better promise Of profits
Such information points out the way to
a prudent foresight in the selection and
| cultivation of crops and to a release
from the bondage of unreasoning mo-
notony of production for a glutted and
| depressed market and constantly recur-
ring Improbable toll. In my opinion,
the gratuitous 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 doubt the extravaganza
and questionable results of this practice.
| The professed friends of the farmers
and certainly the farmers themselves are
naturally expected to be willing to rid a
department devoted to the promotion
of farming interests of feature which
tends so much to it's discredit.
THE WEATHER BUREAU.
The weather bureau, now attached to
the department of agriculture, has con-
tinued to extend its sphere of usefulness
and by uninterrupted improvement in
the accuracy of its forecasts, has great
ly increased its efficiency as an aid and
| protection to all whose occupations are
related to weather conditions. Omit
ting further reference to the operations
of the department 1 commnd the secre-
tary's report and the suggestions it con-
| ta1ns to the careful consideration Of the
| congress.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The progress made In civil service re-
form calls for the utmost congratula-
tions. 1t has survived the doubts of its
friends as we'll as the rancor of it's enc
mics and has gained a permanent place
among the agencies destined to cleanse
our politics and to improve, econOmize
and elevate the public service. There
are now in the competitive classified
service upwards of $4,000 places. More
than half of these have been included
from time to time since March 4, 1893. A
most radical and sweeping extension
was made by executive order dated the
9th day of May, 1896, and if fourth class
postmasterships are not included in the
statements it may be said that practical
ly all positions contemplated by the
civil service law are now classified.
Abundant reasons exist for including
these postmasterships based on econo-
my, improved service and the peace and
quiet of neighborhoods. If, however,
obstacles prevent such action at present,
/ earnestly hope that congress will,
without increasing postoffice appropria-
tions, so adjust them as to permit in
proper cases a consolidation of these
postoffices, to the end that through this
process the result desired may, to linn
tied extent, be accomplished.
The civil service rules as amended last
year, provide for sensible and uniform
method of promotion, basing eligibility