The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-07
DEPARrM'r OF AGRICULTURE.
The Secretary Reports That He Has
Saved Much Money.

The department of agriculture is so in
timatelv related to the welfare of our
people and the prosperity OF our nation
that it should constantly receive the
care and encOura cement of the govern
ment
From small beginning it has grown 70
be the center of agriculture intelligence
and the source of aid and encourage
nent to agriculture effOrts-Large sums
of money are annually appropriated loI
the maintenance Of this department and
it must be confessed that the legislation
relating to it has not always peen ul-
rectly in the interest Of practical 1arln-
ing or properly guarded against waste
and extrava gance- So far, however, as
public money has been appropriated
fairly and sensibly to help those VINO
actually till the soil. no expenditure mas
been more prOf1tably made or more
generally approved 10y the people
Under the present management of the
department it's 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 ErOm the re-
port of the secretary it appears that
through the careful and prudent fnan-
cial management he has annually saved
a large sum from his appropriations,
aggregating during his lncumbency ana
up to the close of the present nscal
year. nearly One-nfth OF the enllle
amount appropriated These results
have been accomplished by cOnsclen-
tiOus study of the real needs or the
farmer and SuCn q regard TOT eCtAolll9
as the genuine farmer might appreciate
supplemented BY rigid adherence Io
civil service methods i'm department
which should be conducted in the inter
est of agriculture instead Of partisan
politics. The secretary reports that the
value of our exports of farm products
during The last fiscal year amounted to
$50, Ian increase of $lfVuO,UOO over
those Of the year Immediately proceed
INCREASED FARM EXPORTS.
u ~
come because of the fact that notwith-
standing such increase, the proportion
of exported agricultural products to our
total exports of an description fell or
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 more gratifying when
we consider that such total exports Tor
the year increased more than SO. 100000.
The large and increasing expectation
Of our agricultural products suggests
the great usefulness of the organization
lately stablished in the department for
the purpose of getting to those engaged
ia farming pursuits reliable informa ton
concerning the condition, needs and adj
vantages of different foreign markets.
Inasmuch as the success Of the farmer
depend upon the advantageous sale Of
his products. and inasmuch as foreign
markets must largely be the destination
of such products if is quite apparent
that knowledge of the conditions and
wants that affect these markets ought
and reaping with a better promise OF
profit.
Such information points out the way
to a prudent foresight in the selection
and cultivation of crops and to re-
lease from the bondage of unreasoning
monotony of production a glutted and
depressed market and constantly recur-
ring Improbable to it.
In my opinion the gratuitiOus disetribu-
ton of seeds by the department as at
present conducted ought to be discon-
tinued No one can read the statement
of the secretary on this subject and
doubt the extravaganza and questiOna-
bic results of this practice. The pro-
fessed friends of the farmer and GER
tainly the farmers themselves are nat
urally expected to be willing to rid
department devoted to the promotion OF
farming interests of a future which
tends SO much to it's discredit.
THE WEATHER BUREAU.
The weather bureau, now attached to
the department of agriculture. has
continued to extend its sphere of use
fitness and by an uninterrupted inn
prOvement in the accuracy of its fore
casts has greatly increased its efficiency
as an aid and protection to all whose
occupations are related to weather con-
ditiOns- Omitting further reference to
the observations of the department, [
commend the secretary's report and the
suggestions it contains to the careful
consideration of the congress.