Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-23
Department Agriculture Rewards
Good Work Of an Iowa Man.
PLACED on THE CLASSIFIED LIST.
This Done by Special Order Of the Pres
tdent, II IL an Exceptional Honor
and Rcmuneratlye-Judg
Woolson Very Ill.


service, has been highly complimented
by the department of agriculture and
the president for the valuable service
he has rendered the department and
the country by devising and putting
into execution the present efficient crop
reporting system in Iowa. The system
has been adopted in many other states.
| The United States weather bureau, a
division of the department of agricul-
ture, has co-operated with the state in
this service, supplying the postage and
a good part OF the expense. The result
has been, under Mr.. Sage's skillful, in
dustrious and devoted attention, that
more practical good has been accom-
plished than in any other state, until
the Iowa plan was adopted elsewhere.
Being an old newspaper man Mr.. Sage
has applied newspaper methods to the
gathering and dissemination of infor-
nation, getting it when it was new and
interesting and valuable and giving it
out Immediately through the press and
| through bulletins. He has organized
a corps of 800 reporters, an average of
eight to the county, all reliable per-
sons, including hundreds of the best
| farmers in the state. When the reports
come in they are not mere guesses of
some town fellows, based on hearsay
or scattering observations and impress
sions, but are the painstaking and ac-
curate observations of experts, accur-
ate and complete. This sort of thing
las made the reports of the state SER
vice more reliable than those of the
government. The officers of the wealth
er bureau at Washington have long rec
ognized the superior work Mr.. Sage
was. doing here, and he has had oppor-
tunfty TO take positions with hte de-
partment. He preferred, however, to
remain here and continue this work in
cooperation with the federal govern
ment, making ii better all the time.
That Mr. Sage is modest man may
be inferred from the fact that the
knowledge OF his receiving an excep.
tional honor has only just leaked out.
On the LIST of October he was placed on
the classified list by the special order
Of the president, and while his rela-
tions for the present remain unchanged
with the department of agriculture, and
4 the weather bureau, he receives a sal
airy from the government. a substan-
tial recognition OF his work. He will
continue to do the same work thatihe
has always done, and his relations with
| the state service are in no way chang
ed; but heis subject now to the orders
of the department at Washington. He
may be detailed at some time on some
special investigation or service. The
number OF men qualified by scientific
knowledge and experience, MS Mr.. Sage
is, TO do this sort of work, is very lin.
tied, and the reason assigned by the de-
| partment for this action is that it was
desired that the department should be
able to command his services at any
time they We're needed. The appoint
ment was entirely unsolicited by Mr.
Sage. and WAS a great surprise to him
he knew nothing of it until he received
a telegram from Secretary Wilson tell
ing him of the appointment. Tha,
| "Tama jim" Wilson had something to
do with it is not TO be doubted, though
Mr.. Sage was in high standing with the
| department, purely on his merits, be
fore Mr.. Wilson became secretary oil
agriculture. MIR. Snge has always held
his position purely on merit, the con-
federation which secured his appoint
ment by Governor Boies in the frs,
| place. AT that time he told Governor
Boies he wns a republican and should
vote against him Q3oies), but he was
appointed, nevertheless, because under
the law, the governor could do nothing
else. The stare board of agriculture
has recommended Mr.. Sage's appoint.
ment, and that settled it. 1t is a fine
| thing to find devotion to duty, to the
pursuit of science, so becomingly
recognized as in this case. Mr.. Sage
has no desire 10 leave the state, and
probably will not, except it may be
for brief periods. At any rate his an.
4 pointment will not interfere with his
present duties.
1 Judge John S. Woolson, of the fed.
eral district court, is still confined to
his bed and is a very sick man. A con.
sultation OF physicians was held yes.
terday, and the result Is not very fav-
orable. 1t was hoped he could be
taken to California soon for the winter
1 but he cannot be moved, it is feared
for some time. Judge Woolson is an.
other victim of overwork. He has beer
running down" for some time and il.
has not given himself the rest which
he should have done. Now he is pay.
ing dearly for it. 1t will be months
and months before he can hope to re.
sumo his work on the bench.
Bernard Murphy is going to be a can.
didate for state printer. He ought to
have the Office if he wants it and be.
lieves it will pay him to take it. Very
few men in Iowa have been as faithful
and valuable to the republican party at
all times and in all places as this Vim.
ton editor. No man is more deserving
no man has been more patient. Six
years ago he would have been elected
had 1t not been for the complication OF
the fight for United States senator
which came to the rescue of Mr.. Coma
way and his friends just at the critical
time and made their victory certain. 1t
| forced some doubtful votes and some
of Murphy's votes into Mr.. Conway 5
camp. Mr.. Murphy took his defeat
without growing or talking about
furnishing any one. He simply grin
ned and bore it, and philosophical on
1 its being the fortune for politics, for
/ which he did not even blame those
whose support he expected, but who
4 NJ. ban,,,., ~