The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1902-04-17

army of present and prospective inspecl
tors, and his newspaper appoiAtees, boom
his candidacy.
Horticulture, Dairying, Etc.
Before proceeding to search for the
kernel so carefully hidden in his lengthy
article, would state, en- PEASANT, that in
furthering the advancement of Horticul-
ture, Dairying, Sugar Cane Growing,
Tobacco, Cotton, Food Products, General
Information, .Georgia's Resources, ETC.,
on which he dwells with so much unc-
ton, and with such Especial satisfac-
ton" he has but carried out the meth
DDS inaugurated during my adnlinistra-
ton. He has added nothing to these
methods. These prime industries of
our state are increasing and improving
by their natural force, and the Commits
sioner is only doing his duty when h :
protects and aids them. An examina-
ton of my reports will show how care
fully this duty was looked after, and how
rapidly these industries were developing.
Information Through the Weekly Press.
l also submit that the method of send
ing out general information to the farm
ers through the weekly press, was dis
tinctively feature of my administra-
ton, inaugurated by me and never at
tempted before, and that instead of
sending out IS, 900 columns in two years,
which he claims to have done, l sent out
in the same length of time, at a cost of
over $4,000 less in clerk hire, over
10000 columns, besides thousands of
pages in other publications and the
regularly published Annual In this
Annual was given an account of the
work of the department for the current
year, with names of all employees and
their salaries. The name of each in
spector, his place of residence, term of
service and salary was accurately record
ed and published. The publication of
this data had been all unbroken precedent
OF the department, since its organization
until Mr.. Stevens administration. WHY
has he changed this unwritten law? In
my travels through the state l find the
answer to that question. have met a
living panorama of inspectors, some on
duty; some just off; some promised a
job; and sometimes all three in one
place, while the graves of Mr.. Stevens
NACANSAA EAOAiAlSNS d1C Oh
every hand. No wonder the Honorable
Commissioner fails to publish the list.
Misleading Figures.
Mr.. Stevens processes to give all ac
count of his stewardship, but leaves on,
the most important feature, namely. the
receipts. The records show that in 1900
1901, the years under consideration. the
receipts from oils and fertilizers were
the largest in the history of the depart
ment. They were $3I, 324.65 more thar
III the last two years of my administra
ton and yet Mr.. Stevens shows a net
increase to the state, of only S1oI34.65
Where has the difference of $2I, 100 oc
been expended? Truly the waters are
muddy just here, but we begin to see q
little more clearly. These numerous
and many OF them unnecessary, appoint
ees, have to be paid, and this money has
to be used for this purpose.
Any one at all familiar with the in
spection of fertilizers knows that a
limited number of faithful, industrious
men can fully and thoroughly cover the
state, and obtain ample and repeated
samples of every brand on the market.
Mr.. Stevens acknowledges to thirty odd,
and he only knows how many more
there may be. What is the purpose of
fthese appointments, to protect the farm
ers III their use of commercial fertilizers.
or to build up the Commissioner per,
sonal interests? The people will hold
Mr. Stevens to a strict accountability for
squandering on useless EMPLOYEES, this
money, which by right belongs to the
school fund.
An Analysis of Mr.. Stevens Oil Figures.
The $50, $40. "a, which Mr.. Stevens
shows that | placed in the treasury in
'97-9S, was absolutely nett all went to
the school fund. Mr.. Stevens claims
that the S23,4Io,S9 paid by him into the
treasury III I9oo-19oI was also net, but
this is misleading. An examination of
the Comptroller Generals reports will
show that the salary and travelling ex-
penses of state oil inspector. whom
Mr., Stevens has saddled upon the peo-
pie, amounting to f., 3o5.Io and also
$4,000 for the Horticulture Depart
ment, amounting to S9,So5. 10 i'll ali was
drawn out, leaving for the school fund
SI3oo5.79 as against my $26,SIo.3 "A.
Complaints Of Poor Oil.
Mr.. Stevens states that there have
been only 10 complaints about oils.
Surely that is typographical error.
Several ciphers must have been mad
vertently left off. He should travel
through the State and hear the 1naledic-
tons, loud and long and deep, against
Ivillainous and high priced oils. Where
complaints have been made the official
remedy from the Department is, tc
wash the lamps and trim the wicks.
R. T. NESBITT