Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-18
Discussion of Items Urging De-
ficiency Bill Brings it to
Light
sEc'YoF AeRIcuLTURE's POWERS
Law Appropriatins Funds for Carrying
on Work of Agricultural Department
Conflicts With Decision Handed Down
by Supreme court-Hon. George E.
Roberts Very Busy Man. !,
specia, to Times-Republican.

/ ways of the law are devious and wind
ing and especially do they so appear te
the mind of the laynan, all of whief
is apropos of an odd state OF affairs
brought to light last Monday during
/ the discussion of the items of the ur-
gent deficiency bill. which besides the
appropriation of 100000 on which
Representative Haugen hopes and ex-
poets to get those other rural free de-
livery routes started up. carries an APP
preparation of 100000 for use by the
Bureau of Animal Industry under the
| direction Of Secretary Wilson for
stamping out the foot and mouth dis
ease in the New England states and
elsewhere ii it should become neces-
sary.
A page and a half of the law APP
propriating funds for carrying on the
work of the agricultural department
during the present fiscal year, is de-
voted to describing the powers with
which the secretary is vested and the
purposes for which he may use the APP
preparation for the Bureau of Animal
Industry and contains the following:
And the secretary of agriculture is
hereby authorized to use any part of
this sum he may deem necessary to
expend in such manner as he may
think best to prevent the spread of
pleuropneumonia, blacileg, tubercu-
losis, sheep scab, CHAMBERS or facie, hog
al, Lore ~ ,f mi lie,
And for this purpose to employ as
many persons in the city of Washing
ton or elsewhere as he may deem nee
essary, and to expend any part of this
sum in the purchase and destruction
of diseased or exposed animals"
Similar powers have been delegated
by the appropriation laws for the past
twelve or fifteen years.
Notwithstanding this law which was
the law of the current year, the SUI
preme court on the first day of De-
cember handed down decision to the
effect that the secretary of agriculture
did not have the power to give certi-
fcates or clean bills of health" as
one might say. to herds of cattle, which
would enable the owners Of the cat
tie to carry them thru another state
without being subject to further ex-
animation and further eXaction OF
fees.
The question, 1t will be remembered,
arose over the attempt of the owner
of herd of Texas cattle to take his
herd thru the state of Colorado on the
certificate from the secretary of agri
culture. He was arrested and SEN
fenced to imprisonment and when an
appeal was taken, the supreme court
affirmed the Judgment of the lower
court. So now the secretary of agri-
culture has been obliged to apply to
the committee on agriculture to frame
a new law giving him power that he
and those who framed the appropria-
ton law thought he already had
This anomalous condition OF affairs
has apparently arisen from the fact
that when the department. of agricul-
tIre was first organized, it having pre-
been an independent bureau
under commissioner, all of the au-
thority of the commissioner of agricul-
ture was transferred to the secretary of
agriculture; but that merely having
been bureau up to that time, certain
had been vested in the secre-
tary of the treasury. When the depart
ment of agriculture was organized, the
force with which to carry out the au-
thority vested in the secretary of the
treasury was taken away from him
and he was left with the bare naked
power, and the bill organizing the de-
partment of agriculture failed to trans
fer to the secretary of agriculture the
powers which had been conferred upon
the secretary of the treasury.
One of these powers was to examine
and certify concerning infectious and
diseases amongst ami
mails. The consequence is that we are
faced with this queer condition of
things, that the various secretaries >of
agriculture for the past twelve years
have been exercising power which the
supreme court of the United States, on
Dec. /, declared that congress had the
right to give that cabinet officer, but
which it never had.
Between his duties as director of the
mint and the many calls which are
made upon him to deliver addresses,
articles to leading magazines |
md other publications, Hon. George e. |
Roberts is a very busy man. He will |
deliver the principal address before the
American Association for the Advance |
nent of Science, which holds its fifty |
second annual meeting In Washington
from the goth of December to the Sd of |
and which, as It's name pur- /
ports, will bring together the greatest !
Of our scientific men in every branch.
The subject on which Director Roberts /
will speak to this notable assemblage
will be Monetary Reform" BY the
way, he has recently been elected |
president of the Washington Economic I
Club, succeeding Hon. Ellis III. Roberts /
N that office. The present director of |
The mint has become a recognized au-
thority in finance and upon economic /
subjects among the leaders along these
ines in Washington and everything I
hat emanates from his pen is carefully |
serused by thoughtful students of |
1nance all over the country.
Major Lacey is much interested in the
opening UP of Alaska, and is turning his I
strong influence at the capitol to good /
effect in working for his bill to give
In Alaska 800 acres in
stead of only eighty, as is now the case
rhe house needed but little urging to
agree to it and Major Lacey believes
hat he will be able to induce the sem
tie committee to report the measure as
t passed the house favorably, as he I
eels that he can convince them that
he passage Of such measure will re- !