The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-03

conditions which render It easy to do
wrong and very difficult to detect wrong.
Consequently they should be amply paid
on the one hand, and on the other hand
particularly high standard OF conduct
should be demanded from them, and
where misconduct can be proved the
punishment should be exemplary.
AGRICULTURE.
In no department of governmental work
in recent years has there been greater
success than in that of giving scientific
aid to the farming population, thereby
showing them how most efficiently to
help themselves. There is no need of in
ssting upon its Importance, for the well
fare of the farmer Is fundamentally nee
essary to the welfore OF the republic as
a whole In addition to such work as
quarantine against animal and vegetable
plaques, and warning against them when
here introduced, much efficient help has
been rendered to the farmer by the Pc
culiar conditions existing in different por-
tons of the country. New cereals nave
been established in the semi-arid west.
For instance, the practicability OF pro-
ducing the best types of macaroni wheats
in regions of an annual rainfall OF only
ten inches or thereabouts has been con-
clusively demonstrated. Through the In
PRODUCTION Of new rices in Louisiana and
Texas the production Of rice in this
country has been made to about equal the
home demand. In the southwest the pos
sibility of regrassfng over-stocked range
lands has been demonstrated; In the north
many new forage crops have been intro
duced, while in the east 1t has been SHOWN
that some of our choicest fruits can pc
stored and shipped in such way as 10
find a profitable market abroad.
l again recommend to the favorable con-
sideration of the congress the plans OF the
Smithsonian institution for making the
museum under its charge worthy OF the
nation, and for preserving at the national
capital not only records of the vanishing
races of men but of the animals of this
continent which, like the buffalo,, will
soon become extinct unless specimens
from which their representatives may be
renewed are sought in their native regions
and maintained there in safety.
The District of Columbia is the only
part of our territory in which the nation
al government exercises local or munich
pal functions and where in consequence
the government has free hand In refer
ence to certain types of social and eco
nomic legislation which must be essential
ly local or municipal In their character.
The government should see to 1t, for In
stance, that the hygienic and sanitary
legislation affecting Washington is of
high character. The evils of slum dwell
lngS, Wnetner IN the Sfldpe VI CfoWoSu
and congested tenement-house districts or
of the back-alley type, should never be
| permitted to grow up In Washington.
| The city should be model in every re-
spect for all the cities Of the country.
/ The charitable and correctional systems
Of the district should receive considera-
| ton at the hands of the congress to the
! end that they may embody the results
of the most advanced thought in these
| fields. Moreover. while Washington is
not great Industrial city. there Is some
industrialism here, and our labor legisla-
| ton, while 1t would not be important In
| itself, might be made a model for the
rest of the nation. We should pass for
| instance. wise employers liability act
| for the District of Columbia and we need
such an act in our navy yards. Railroad
companies In the district ought to be re-
quired by law to block their frogs.
SAFETY APPLIANCE LAW.
The safety-appliance law for the better
protection of the lives and limbs Of rail-
way employees, which was passed in 1893
! vent into full effect on August 1, 19al