The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-01-13
Legislation for Farmers.


HARRISBURG, Jan, l0.-In his second
annual report. Thomas J. Edge. Secretary
of the Department of Agriculture, says
the farmers institute system of Pennsyl-
| vania has reached a condition of devel-
opment never before attained and which
is scarcely second TO that OF any other
State in the Union. The State has been
divided into three institute districts, and
a corps of speakers and institute workers
assigned to each. He recommends that
the appropriation of $500 be at least
doubled. As to the laws relating 10 food
and food products, experience has dem
onstrated that it should not be amended.
He says: Quite number OF provisions
have been tested in the courts and their
status established. Those directly inter
ested have become familiar with the lead
ing provisions of the act, and any chang
es made will only confuse and hinder the
work which is now so well under way.
| The enforcement of this law for the past
Is months has saved the citizens many
thousands OF dollars, and has az the same
time secured 10 them articles Of food Of
better quality without corresponding
increase in COST
| OF the imitation butter act, he says the
attorney for the department contends
that it does recognize eoleomargarine as an
ordinary article of food or ingredient of
food. 1T is the intention of the depart
ment," says Mr.. Edge, ito have the mat
ter tested in the proper courts as soon as
case can be prepared and reached, and
should it be decided against us il may be
necessary TO ask the Legislature to re-eu-
act the oleomargarine law OF 1885 and re-
inforce it with that of 1906"
The secretary says the act to secure the
sale Of pure cider vinegar has proved de-
fective and new legislation is asked for to
remedy its defects.
The act relating 10 the branding and
/ sale of compound lard" the secretary
says, has been enforced with gratifying
results, but it, too, has been found defect
| i've in vital points. He recommends the
modification of the law 50 as to require
the brand or label to be placed OH con-
| spicuous part of the package, with letters
/ Of larger size than now demanded.
tives in milk and cream has been enfOrc-
ed with benefit to the consumer, nut, ow-
ing TO radical defects in it, no suits have
been instituted. Legislation is suggest
ed 20 make the law clearer. and provide
for the disposition OF the fines.
Under the head Of Forestry secre- /
tary Edge says extended and complete
sr,x
ey yalue of the losses annually sustained
by the lumber interests Of the State from
forest fires have been made Many of
these are traceable to hunting fires not
eXtingCished by sportsmen. carelessness
with matches and fires kindied for the
purpose of destroying underbrush. LO-
comotives do much less damage than is
generally supposed The secretary sug-
gests that as soon as the state treasury
warrants, an attempt should be made 70
obtain control of at least portion Of the
timber areas on the watersheds OF one
or both branches OF the Susquehanna,
and be placed in position 20 influence |
the water supply by controlling the char
acter and condition of the forests upon
the watersheds
Speaking of the work OF the State Live !
Stock Sanitary board. consisting of the !
Governor. Secretary of Agriculture, Dali |
ry and Food Commissioner and State |
Veterinarian, Secretary Edge SAYS "The |
only question at issue between the stock |
owners of the State and the agents Of the |
board has been that of the necessity of |
killing all animals found infected. The l
board has assumed that all infected ami
mails, no matter how slight the LESSONS, |
are dangerous and menace to other I
stock, but, at the same time, it has adopt |
ed rules which, under precautions, will,
it is believed, insure the safety OF other I
stock and permit owners Of condemned |
stock, showing no external symptoms, to I
keep them in strict quarantine until the |
question Of the extent Of the disease may |
be determined by external symptoms" |
In the opinion of Secretary Edge, farm |
ers are greatly benefited by the analysis |
OF commercial fertilizers made by the di- |
reciiOn of his department. It is eStima- |
ted by the department that the farmers Of I
Pennsylvania expend about g, "a, 900 an
nually for commercial fertilizers, and |
the enforcement of the law adds at least |
S350,0O0 value TO the fertilizers sold.
On the subject Of roads aud road laws |
the secretary has this to say: Until the |
question of State and county aid has been |
I definitely decided by proper legislation, |
would favor changes in our presen; law |
by which not less than one-h half OF al |
road taxes should be paid in cash. Fol- !
lowing this. l would further suggest that I
| other changes should be made in the du- |
ties of supervisors, 50 that they shall out |
| line and direct road repairs, giving them |
very much the same position in relation
to them Is is now given the school direct |
or, aud, like them. they would serve
without compensation empower them TO
appoint one road master for each road
district. and make it his duty 10 work
upon the roads Of his district AZ all proper
times during the year, and furnish work
for all who wish 20 work out the half of
their taxes not paid in ctsh. The super-
visors should employ the road masters,
and they, in turn, should, under reguia-
tions made by the supervisors, oversee
the work Of the taxpayers
Mr.. Edge says "the race in the W heat
markets of the future viii be, as in the
past, one of cheap production and cheap
transportation, and that at least as far as
this special crop is concerned, these two
items will exercise n controlling infiu-
ence in fixing the prices OF the future"
As to the crops of 1896, the secretary says:
with the exception Of their hay crop
our farmers have little cause for COM
plant. Nearly all crops were above the
average, and that of corn was one Of the
largest for several years. There was an
unusual irregularity in some crops. which
was due to the fact tina; certain districts
of the State suffered more than others
from the universal drought OF the past
summer" Allegheny and Warren coun-
ties report nearly doable the amount of
young grass that there was at the CORES
ponding period in ls95.
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