River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-01-28
The Next Secretary of Agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture, the creation
OF which was at first regarded by some as an
act OF questionable national policy. promises
IN time to develop into the most important of
the executive branches of the government.
There never was any question as to the inn
portance OF the agricultural interests of this
country, but there was much justifable differ
ence of opinion as to the value of the service
which special cabinet officer might render
to the pursuits of husbandrv. Eight wears
of Development, however, under Rusk and
Morton, have not only demonstrated the
wisdom of its conception, but have indicated
the splendid possibilities of the department
provided it is kept under the control of prac-
teal, educated, broad minded agriculturists
The Secretary of Agriculture should be
something more than farmer. He should
not only be student of scientific husbandry
but he should have comprehensive knowl-
edge of all correlated interests. He should
be man who understands and appreciates
the importance of the live stock and dairy
interests, which have had a phenomenal de-
velopment in the last decade and which now
constitute very large source of revenue to
agrlculturists who are progressive enough to
know that profitable husbandry is not con
fined to mere tilling of the soil
An idea of the growing importance of the
Department of Agriculture may be cleaned
from the statistics of our agricultural pro-
ducts. Our annual crop of cereals is estimat-
ed as follows: Wheat, $4,000, bushels;
corn, 2,2Io, ooo, 900 bushels; oaJs, 100000
600 bushels; barley, $1,000, coo bushels; rye,
100000 bushels. The total value of the
crop is estimated at 81 ,oI7, 900 900.
The annual live stock product is estimated
as follows:; Hogs, $4,000, 900 head; cattle,
mot including cows) 1000, 900 head; sheep,
80, 100000 head; with an estimated annual
valuation of $3.50, 900. In addition TO
these there are 10, 500, 900 mich COWS, with
an average annual earning power of not less
than 80 per head, amounting to 5000, ooo,-
900, and which when marketed for beeves
would easily bring sI52, 200, 600, swelling the
aggregate for this branch of the live stock
interests to S7o2, 100000.
Very few people who have not familiaTized
themselves with the subject have any concep-
ton of the importance of the creamery or
butter making interests to the agriculturists
in the west. Thousands of western farmers
derive their largest incomes from marketing
milk at the creameries that thickly dot the
agricultural states and which create con
stantly increasing incentive to the farmers to
embark in the business of breeding and pas
great HcfuS OF DiOOQed mich COWS.
An idea of the vastness of the creamery
and dairy industry in the west may be CLEAN
ed from glance at the dairy statistics com
piled by the bureau of animal industry of the
Department of Agriculture A rough but
conservative estimate of the number of cream
cries in the western states gives the following:
Illinois, 700; Wisconsin, 75o; Iowa, o25;
Minnesota, AIS; Nebraska, I25; Kansas, $50;
South Dakota, 100; North Dakota, 30; Mis-
souri,, so.
These creameries not only supply the mar
kets of the United States with the finest
creamery butter in the world, but last year
they shipped 100000 tubs to Europe. With
improved creamery appliances and the attrac-
ton of a good profit in butter making the
tendency is toward overproduction, which in
time must be relieved by building up an ex-
port trade, which must be done largely
through wisely administered Department of
Agriculture under the direction of a man who
is in close touch with the vast dairy interests
of this country. In Illinois alone during the
year 1898 the value of the milk consumed
was SCI, 1924, 600, while the value of butter
and cheese products from creameries and
farms was $40, 342, Sos. The total value of
the entire Illinois dairy product for the year
was estimated at 75,6oI,765.
The next Secretary of Agriculture must not
only be able to maintain the high standard of
efficiency set by rugged, honest Rusk, the
capable and scholarly Morton, but he must
possess such a wide and comprehensive
knowledge of all the diversified pursuits and
products of the soil that he will be enabled to
make the department foster the highest in
terests of profitable husbandry under the
prosperous Mckinley administration. Times
Herald, Chicago.