Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-05-22

grown Sumatra tobacco, raised nnder the
supervision OF the bureau OF soils, ha.
sold at public auction. "We have Ions
known that Professor Whitney's expert
ments had proved successful" contin-
tinued the secretary, "but we realized
that the actual demonstration would
come when the tobacco, grown in accord
ance with our system, came to be solo
under the hammer, The crop averaged
Sl.25 per pound, as against an average
slightly under 20 cents, which the native
Connecticut tobacco has brought. The
crop produced an average Of 900 pounds
per acre and the profit was 81 per pound
net. We consume $6,000,0O0 worth oI
this wrapper tobacco annually. 1t will
therefore require that but 6,000 acres be
devoted to this variety OF tobacco, and
the saving to the country of money, for
merly spent outside its limits, will
amount to 100000, The whole credit
of this experiment belongs to Professor
Whitney and his system of soil survey,
by which it was discovered that there
existed in the Connecticut valley soil
precisely like the Sumatra soil on which
has been grown for years the wrapper
tobacco we have imported.
'But our work is just begun. We
now import filler tobacco to the amount
of SS,000,0 900 annually. Our soil sur.
veyors are searching for localities which
will grow that, and believe they have
found the proper soil in sections oI
Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina and
Texas In few years believe we will
be able to grow at home $4,000 00C
worth OF tobacco, which we formerly i'm.
ported, and at an extremely handsome
profit to the grower, If we could per.
suade congress to appropriate sufficient
funds to carry on this work on scale
commensurate with its Importance, We
would be able to make more rapid prog
ress, but We have reason to feel well
satisfied at our progress SO far" While
Secretary Wilson gives TO Professor Whit.
ney all the credit for the discovery oI
the "Sumatra soil, etc., it is only fair tc
say that Professor Whitney has received
every encouragement from the secretary
who Immediately grasped the scope and
Importance OF the soil survey, and under
whose protection the former division oil
soils has become bureau with largely
extended facilities.
Representative Henry OF Connecticut
whom | saw Saturday, is no less en-
thusiastic than Secretary Wilson ovel
the great success OF the tobacco expert
ments, which he believes will very ma.
terially add 20 the agricultural resources
OF his state.
The sudden death Of Representative
Cummings, 0tey and Salmon suspended
all business in the house Of represents
tives during the early part of last week
and the only legislation enacted was tn,
bilLprovlding for admission as states oI
Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico
This week the house expects to take up
the naval appropriation bill after passing
the bill of Representative Adams, which
Will 80 amend the statutes as to permit
the issue OF passports TO the residents OF
our insular possessions. Saturday was
devoted to eulogies of the late Repre-
sentative Polk OF Pennsylvania and the
late Senator Kyle of South Dakota.
All last week in the senate was de-
voted to the Philippine bill, with the
prospect, at this writing, that the meas
ure will not be disposed Of before the
first Of June. When shorn Of parti-
san hamboyance, tho differences be
tween the democrats and the repub-
licans are vastly less than the public
would suppose. In so far AZ the bill is
concerned, the democrats hold that ii
gives too great power to the Philippine
commission, which, by its provisions, is
authorized to lease and sell public lands,
to grant franchises and permits to cut
lumber, etc. In regard 70 policy, the
democrats claim that there should be
declaration that, when the Filipinos have
demonstrated their ability TO govern
themselves, they would be granted com.
plete freedom in internal affairs, with
such an internal prolectorate as this
government now proposes to exor.
else over Cuba As many republicans
believe that to be the end at which the
United States will eventually arrive in
dealing with The islands, and ~ it seems
extremely possible that IL might be a
quarter Of century or more before the
Filipinos could demonstrate their ca
pacity for selfgoyernment, II will be
seen that, did not politics figure 50
largely In tho matter, IL would not be
for the two parties 10 arrive at
uniform policy in regard to the islands.
Senator Lodge has already asked that
a day be set for a vote on the bill, but
the flow Of oratory ia not to be checked
at present. Oi course, thero is little
doubt but that the present bill, with,
perhaps, some minor amendments, will
eventually pass.
The arrangement for the coming un-
yelling Of the Rochambcau statue on the
square opposite the white house aud on
the same square on which the statue io
Lafayette now stands, are progressing
with exceeding Smoothness. The Count
de Rochambsau, with large party Of
FrenChmen, will particle
pate aud will be attended in Washington
by detail Of marines from a French
warship. Elaborate exercises viii be
feature Of the unveIling and the presi-
dent will give a dinner party to the dls-
tinguished Rues,s, Ninety invitations
will he isgued