The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-03
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
Scientific Aid to Farmers-Distriot Of
Columbia.
I n NO DEPARTMENT OF governmenc
work in recent years has there been

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 efficient
" to help themselves There is no need
of insisting upon its Importance. for the
welfare of the farmer is Fundamentally
necessary TO the welfare OF the republic
as whole In addition 10 such work
as quarantine against animal and veg
etaple plaques, and warning against them
When mere introduced, mucn e1f1clent nelp
has been rendered to the farmer by the
introduction Of new plants specially Ut
ted for cultivation under the peculiar con-
oltions existing in different portions OF
the country New cereals have been es-
tablished in the semi-arid west For in
stance, the practicability OF producing the
best types OF macaront wheats in regions
OF an annual rainfall of only ten inches
or Whereabouts has been cOnclusIvely
demonstrated through the INTRODUCTION
of new rices in Louisiana and Texas the
production of rice in this country has
| been made to about equal the home &c
nland. IN the southwest the possibility
OF regraSsing OverstOcked range lands has
I been demonstrated; in the north many
new forage crops have been introduced
while in the east it has been shown that
some of our choicest fruits can be stored
and shipped in such way as to find a
/ profitable market abroad
/ again recommend to the favorable
consideration of the congress the plans
j of the Smithsonian Institution for max
I ing the museum under It's charge worthy
I Of the nation. and for preserving at the
/ national capital not only records Of the
! VANISHING races OF men, Out OF the am
( mails of this continent which, like the
/ buffalo, viii soon become extinct unless
/ specimens from which their representa-
/ tives may be renewed are sought IN tnelr
native regions and maintained there IN,
District of Columbia.
! The District OF Columbia is the only
/ part of our territory in which the ma
/ tionaI government exercises local or mu-
/ nicipal functions, and where, in conse
/ quence. the government has a free hand
EOS .enN
/ and economic legislation which must be
{ essentially local or municipal in their
| character. The government should see 10
/ it. for instance, that the hygienic and
| sanitary legislation affecting Washington
! is of a high character The evils Of slum
/ dwellings. whether in the shape or
/ crowded and contested tenement house
/ districts or of the back alley type, should
/ never be permitted to grow up IN Wash
] every respect for all the cities OF the
/ country. The charitable and correctional
! systems of the District should receive
/ consideration at the hands OF the con-
/ gress. to the end that they may embody
/ the results OF the most advanced thought
! in these fields. Moreover. while Wash
] ingtOn is not a great industrial city,
( there is some industTialism here, and our
/ labor legislation, while il would not be
/ important in itself, might be made a.
model for the rest OF the nation. We
| should pass. for instance. a wise en-
! plOyer's liability act for the District or
/ Columbia, and we need such an act IN
[ our navy yards Railroad companies in
the District ought to be required by law
/ to block their frogs
The Safety-appllaEce law. for the bet
ter protection Of the lives and limbs Of
/ railway employees which was passed in
/ 1898, went into full effect on Aug. ], 1901.
1t has resulted in avertlng thousands OF
I casualties Experience shows, however.
the necessity of additional legislation a
] perfect this law. A bill 10 provide Tor
this passed the senate at the last session.
II is to be hoped that some such measure
/ may now be enacted into law
Too Much Printing.
There is a growing tendency to pro-
vide for the publication Of masses OF doc
I uments for which there is no public de-
! Inand and for the printing of which there
i IS no real necessity Large numbers 0t
volumes are turned out by the govern
rnent printing presses for which there IS
no justification. Nothing should be
! printed by any of the departments unless
1t contains something Of permanent value.
and the congress could with advantage
cut down very materially on all the print
ing which it has now become customary
to provide. The excessive cost of gov
eminent printing is a strong argument
| against the position Of those who are in
/ clined on abstract grounds to advocate
| the governments doing any Work Wnlcn
/ can with propriety be left IN private
| hands.
| Gratifying progress has been made dur
| ing the year in the extension of the merit
| system Of making appointments in the
government service 1t should be eN-
tended by law TO the District OF COlum-
/ bia- IL IS mucn TO De desired LuaL OUT
| consular system be established by law
on a basis providing for appointment and
promotion only in consequence OF proved
fitness.
Closing Words
Through a wise provision OF the con-
\ gresS at its last session the White
House, which had become disfigured by
incOngruOus additions and changes, has
now been restored 70 what it was planned
TO be by Washington. In making the
reservations the utmost care has been
exercised to come as near as possible 10
the early plans and TO supplement these
plans by careful stuGy OF such build
ings as that Of the University of Nir-
GINA, which was built by Jefferson. The
J White House Is the property of the ma
ton. and so far as is compatible with
/ living therein il should be kept as il
! originally was, for the same reasons that
we keep Mount Vernon as it originally
| was. The stately simplicity of its archi-
lecture is an expression OF the character
/ Of the period in which 1t was built and
| is in accord with the purposes II was
designed TO serve. It is a good thing to
( preserve such buildings as historic mon
| uTnants which keep alive our sense OF
: / continuity with the nations past
The reports of the several executive
departments sre submitted TO the con-
! grsss with this communication
THEODORE ROOSEV ELT.
White House, Dec. ?, 1902