The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-09
One more step, Secretary Morton deems

One moro step, Secretary Morton deems
necessary 10 complete the system Of civil ser.
vice In his department. This Is the appoint
uent OF permanent "Director In charge Of
Sureaus and scientific Investigations" who
ahall DO designated to serve as Acting Score
tary In case of the absence simultaneously
Of The Secretary and Assistant Secretary.
The inspection OF animals intended for
food Is treated OF at length. Mr.. Morton
urges that Government inspection should be
extended to all animals intended for human
bod, whether for consumption In the United
States or, abroad, but he maintains that
PAID by the packers. OF live meat
arriving In the United Kingdom during the
arst six months Of 1896, the United States
supplied 1910 per cent. Of the cattle and
Es.26 per cent. Of the sheep. The testimony
of the department representatives abroad is
that cattle from the United States arrive In
English ports in excellent condition.
American packers are not participating in
he profits of the growth In consumption of
swine fiesk and hog products In Great Brit
ain as much as they ought to, because they
40 not cure meats to suit the British demand.
On the other hand, Danish and Canadian
packers are increasing their shipments every
year. American bacon averages about two
cents per pound below Continental and Irish
bacon, and about three below English.
The shipment Of American horses to Eng
land is steadily increasing. In 1898 Great
Britain took 1877 American horses, nearly
5000 in 1894, and "a 900 In 1895, but dur
ing the first nine months Of 1896 more Amer
acan horses were shipped into England than
tr any previous twelve months.
The seeds distributed gratuitously by the
Government during the present fiscal year
weighed 230 tons. and occupied thirty mail
cars in transit. The cost Of carrying them
through the mails was over $70, 900. Enough
seed was sent out gratuitously to plant 115
suuare miles Of garden. Each Congressman
received enough to plant 1631s acres. For
the current year, at present prices, the
amount required by Congress to be expend-
cd In the purchase Of seed will make each
Congressman's quoto double what 1t was last
year. The Secretary calls this an unneces-
nry and wasteful expenditure of public
money, and hopes Congress may in good
time put stop thereto.
Secretary Morton refutes the idea prevail
ING that the farms of the West AMI South are
moro heavily burdened With mortgages than
those Of the East and Northwest, States
along the North Atlantic, he says, are quite
heavily ineumbered with farm mortgages,
and New jersey carries debt Of this kind
greater In proportion to its farm valuations
than any other State in the Union.
During the fiscal year just ended the ex-
ported products Of American farms aggre-
gnted S570. .000, ,000 an increase Of S17 900, 900
over the preceding year. In spite OF this
there was falling of in the percentage Of
agricultural products exported TO the total
exports, but this was due to the unprece-
aented sale abroad OF American manufac-
tpred goods
The principal market for American prod
nets is found IN the United Kingdom Of
Great Britain and her colonies. These Eng
hsh speaking psople bought So per cent. OF
all exports from the United States In the
ascal year 1896. Together with Germany,
France, Holland and Belgium. they pur-
chased S1.9 per cent of our entire output,
having 1871 per cent. for the rest OF the
world.
Secretary Morton asks If a Nation which,
IKE the United States, possesses the greatest
power and facilities for producing aud man
afaeturing things which the world demands,
Is not destined to monopolize the markets Of
ahe globe. With the most favorable condi-
Mons for varied and successful agricul-
Sure and the lightest burden OF
National taxation, what country, he asks,
san compete with this In developing the best
sesults OF human toll with minimum OF
Auman effort. With our wonderful labor
saving contrirances applied to nearly every
United States, IN the production OF wheat
and cotton. for Instance, are fifty to
100 per cent. higher than in the countries
NTH which we compete, so the wages patd
In the manufactures from metals are from
> to 10, per cent. higher than the wages
paid workers in the same industries by other
Nations 70: