The Monticellonian., 1898-02-18
COMMISSIONER OF AGRI.
 CULTURE, sc.

>>t sA N N0ldS III dQNtllioii to what We have already said. in previous issues of this paper.
 The office of Commissioner of Agriculture, Mines and Manu- factures was created for a par ticular purpose and that was to foster and protect the special in- terests of these avocations, and first and greatest of the three is that of Agriculture. In fact 1t IS the leading industry of Arkan- sas and the one upon which the other two and all other interests of our great State more or less depend. This being a self-evi- dent proposition which it would be fruitless to deny, it is well that we consider the material most likely to develop this office to it's fullest capacity in the way for which 1t was intended and for which 1t was created. In or der to do this the people should know something of the character and qualifications of the men of fering for the office of Commis- sioner. Being an agricultural officeit ought to go without say ing, that 1t should be presided over by practical farmer, who possesses the requisite qualifiica- tions in other respects. Since the creation of the office, up to this time, 1t has been considered strictly a State office that be longed to the agricultural ele- ment; but at this time we under stand that two newspaper men have "essayed to break a lance" in this direction and decided to throw themselves into the fight for this place
 While we have a high regard for our profession and think nothing too good for the boys, in general way, we are never theless opposed to being greedy, and do not want the earth. The Secretary of States office is one which has been most generally accorded to the newspaper pro- fession for years, and which is now ably, honestly and efficient ly filled by Hon. A. C. Hull, an editor and who will be his own successor without opposition; and now, for the newspaper peo- pie to lay claim to the farmers especially created office, and one created especially for their bene- it, seems to us as asking to much.
 Again who is most likely to fill this office acceptably, one who has spent his entire man. hood i'll studying the sciences and purposes for which the office was brought into existence, or one who knows nothing of them except from theory? A man does not go to the tailor for his nor to the shoemaker for his clothes; nor would an editor go to the farmer for an expert man for his office, nor the farmers go to the newspaper for one to fill the most important position in the State directly connected with their calling.
 South-Eastern Arkansas of fers to the people of the State, for the office of Agricultural Commissioner, a lifelong farmer, one who is practical, scientific and educated. A man deeply i'll love with his avocation and one who is thoroughly abreast ofthe times. This gentleman IS Hon. N. Y. WadSworth, of Drew coun- ty, and he, too, is a man who will throw his whole soul into he work of developing the en- ire State. From a geographi- ,al point of view this section has I just claim, and We believe that l generous people everywhere, n Arkansas will concede this of ice to the men for whose benefit t was established and see to 1t hat one of their own men fill 1t, md as Mir WadSworth IS amply