The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-31

the resources OF the country anu the pro-
motion OF its industries. In an article
in Science, for January Is. Mr. Charles
W Dabney. jr. assistant secretary Of
agriculture publishes a summary OF this
work and It's cost. and makes an srgu-
ment for rs consolidation into one de-
partment. He shows that. emitting 81
those charged with purely executive bust
ness. the government schools. and the
testing laboratories OF the war and navy
departments. the United States main
tains twenty-eight scientific bureaus for
developing our resources and advancing
industry. at a cost OF nearly sS.ooo,ooe an
nually. They employ over 5000 persons.
In the entire country.
These bureaus are engaged in doing all
kinds OF scientific work. from determin-
ing the movements of the heavenly bodies
to studying Insects and bacteria We
have bureaus for studying the earth and
its products, the atmosphere and its
changes. economic plants and their cal-
ture. domestic animals and their kind.
We have surveys for measuring the land
OF the country and sounding its waters:
bureaus for investigating many economic
problems. and statistical agencies for col
lecting. compiling and discussing the re-
suits OF many industries. We have agrt-
cultural experiment stations for develop
ing the products OF the land. and fish
commission for increasing and improving
the life OF our waters. Other bureaus
teach US how to protect our forests. or
how to save the forage resources of our
Western plains: still others promote fruit
culture or teach us how TO protect our
crops and fruits from injurious insects or
disease. Finally. we have great museums
Cor collecting. preserving and exhibiting
all objects of art. ethnology. natural his
tory. mineralogy geology, the resources
OF our country and the products OF our
peaDfa'S vvsarts "a Mr. Dahuny saws.
These noble establishments for the
promotion OF science. both pure and ap-
Piled are the most unique features OF our
government and the admiration OF all
American idea II is the more TO be re-
GREETED, therefore that this grand idea,
so well established in our laws. Is not
adequately represented in the organiza-
ton OF the government.
As all these agencies have a common
purpose. namely. the development OF the
resources of the country. one would ex-
pect to find them organized according TO
some definite plan, and directed by sin
gle head. AS a matter of fact they are
distributed among six different depart
ments OF the government, two of them
being entirely independent.
Much valuable work has been and is
being done by them. but a great deal
more would be accomplished and much
money saved, II all the bureaus, having
this common purpose. were consolidated
IN one department. Scattered as they
now are through all the departments,
operated under very indefinite laws and
supervised by different secretaries. usually
not scientific men and always oyerrun
with other work, there is ample oppor-
tunity for confusion and duplication OF
work and consequent loss OF time and
energy. The government has, for ex-
ample three separate and distinct agen-
- 60 ss4t~fr, he nd nf a
try, connected with two different depart
ments: four separate photographic Offices
for sounding the waters OF bays. rivers,
lakes, etc, in four different departments;
and five separate chemical laboratories
in the city of Washington alone. The sta
tistics of the natural resources and prod
ucts OF the country are collected by eight
different agencies connected with six diff
ferent departments and bureaus. not
counting the census, which usually goes
over the whole field again. This Is doubt
less one reason why government statis-
tics are so often discredited by business
men.
The following rather amusing illustra-
ton is given of the confusion in which
important work is often involved amidst
these many bureaus:
THE secretary of the interior and the
secretary of agriculture some time ago
appointed a board 10 compile the laws on
each department should do. and make a
report thereon. IL took this board
whole year 10 unravel the laws and the
red fape they had created and inform
the secretaries what was required of
each of them. Its report shows that
eight bureaus In the two departments
must cooperate in order to accomplish
any thorough work on the great problems
of irrigation. Three distinct branches of
the interior department alone are engaged
in irrigation work, viz. the general land
~ . ha 90 ~ Ind a oil a nd he
geological survey. The census also pre-
pared report on this subject IL Is need
less 10 say that, with so many agencies
10 promote irrigation, very little has been
done by any OF them"
Mr.. Dabney thinks that what is needed
Is a general coordination OF the scien-
tihc work OF the government. and that
the only way TO accomplish this Is by
first bringing ali OF these bureaus to-
gether under one executive head. When
this has been done the reorganization
would take place naturally and easily
without injury 20 any OF the good work
now going on. Mr. Dabney's suggestion
IS to partially reorganize several OF these
departments, so as to bring all of the
executive business together in certain de-
partments and all the scientific work to-
gether in a single department. In con-
clusion the writer says:
1T is really a wonder that our govern
merf has accomplished so much excellent
scientific work through the agency OF so
unscientiic an organization. By an enor-
nous expenditure Of time and money II
has done n vast deal fer the advance
nent OF science, bat II Is depiorable that
so much mas been wasted IN doing this.
Science IS conducting IN America a md
campaign for the advancement OF civil
izatiou but its forces are divided into 50
many camps that IL does not win half
the Victories Il should What Is needed is
an organized army with general staff
and a comma ndcr-in CHIEF
\ strong POTATO.
Sv,,-tae " Simmons who lives on