Evening star., 1901-09-13
Proposed Creation of a Government
Bureau,
THAT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
Senator Waren's Letter to Secre-
tary Wilson.
AIMS TO BE ATTAIN E D

The Secretary of Agriculture has received
| a letter from Senator F. E. Warren Of
Wyoming urging that the Secretary use his
| influence with Congress to create bureau
| Of agricultural engineering In the depart
ment. Senator Warren sets forth in detail
| what he conceives to be the proper func-
| tfons Of such bureau. This Is not new
| idea, and has been talked of by a number
OF members Of Congress for some time. but
| no definite move has before been made to
secure official recognition Of the same 1t
| is not unlikely that Secretary Wilson will
| adopt the suggestion in his report, and that
| 1T will receive considerable support follow
| ing the introduction of bill proposing such
| a bureau.
The recent impetus given the movement
| may be ascribed to Prof. Elwood Mead, the
| irrigation expert Of the Department of Ag-
riculture, who, 1t is presumed, If such a
| bureau was created, would be made its first
chief Prof Mead has prepared for Senator
Warren statement, which statement is
adopted by the senator in his recommenda-
| ton to the Secretary basis for the pro-
posed organization.
Control of Irrigation Work.
The bureau Of agricultural engineering
| would take charge of all irrigation work
| now done by the department and carry on
| investigations as to the water supply and
the application of water to the land. It
would also make a speciality Of irrigation
law, bringing out the Inconsistencies of the
| water laws of the various states, and en-
deavor to bring about greater harmony In
their application to the rights of the irri
gator. In this connection it may be said
| that there is some confusion as to a pos
sible division Of irrigation work between
the Department of Agriculture and the
hydrographical bureau of the geological
| survey. The original intention was unques-
ttonably that the hydrogra phical bureau
should continue to investigate the sources
of water supply and devise schemes for ex-
tensfve conservation. The Department Of
Agriculture was to undertake investiga-
t1onS as to the proper method of applying
water to the land and the growing crops
The public lands are under the Department
OF the Interior, and as the conservation of
water and a study of the water supply is
largely a matter pertaining to the public
lands. 1t Is considered inadvisable and it
would be impossible to separate the hydro
graphical work from the geological survey.
Both departments, however. have en-
croached one upon the other In their field
of investigation. and the agricultural irri-
cation bureau is apparently inclined to
sumo some OF the functions which have
heretofore been considered as peculiarly
part of the work of the geological survey.
In Charge of Swamp Lands.
1t is possible, however, that by the Gre
alton Of IN agricultural engineering nu-
reau conflict might be avoided, as the irri-
cation work of this bureau would then be
minor part Of it's duties. It is proposed
that this engineering bureau should have
In Its jurisdiction the swamp lands as we'll
and the problems presented thereby. There
are about 10000 square miles OF swamps
In the United States, or an area equal to
that of Holland. Numberless questions
arise in connection with their development
and reclamation which require investiga-
tlon and experiment. The rice lands Of the
south are increasing in value and produc-
tlveness and there are many engineering
problems involved in the dyking and flood
Ing Of these lands. It Is proposed to make
feature Of the swamp land work il the
suggested bureau Is established.
Country roads and road making would
come under this bureau. This work is
already an important feature of the Acrt-
cultural Department and is properly an en-
gineering task. 1t has been suggested by
those who are urging the organization Of
TINS bureau that too much attention has
been paid by the Agricultural Department
to road problems in cities and towns The
work Of the bureau, it Is asserted. would
be confined to strictly rural districts, where
constantly enlarging field and pressing
need would soon make the road depart
ment very important branch of the work
Hillside Farming.
New England Is appealed to in this
scheme by proposition to take up the mat
ter OF hillside farming. 1t has been not ed
that by careless plowing and draining that
many hillside farms have been wiped out
and destroyed. The Agricultural Depart
ment would endeavor to devise some plan
for preventing this destruction and would
place itself at the service of the farmers
who wish to retain the fertility of their
hillside fields by intelligent cultivation
based upon engineering experience
Farm machinery would be another feat
ure Of the work of the bureau of agricul-
tural engineering, and experiments would
be conducted, new inventions tested and
suggestions made to manufacturers which
would lead to much desired improvements
for cultivating the land and harvesting the
crops.
Whether the Secretary of Agriculture
recommends the creation of such bureau
or not, bill will be introduced next win
ter in Congress with that intention. and
owing to the increasing influences Of agrf-
cultural interests among the legislators It
will undoubtedly receive considerable at
fentiOn and consideration