The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1902-05-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, May 12, 1909

| Washington, May IL, 1909.
II consider that we have achieved a re-
nlarkable success, and that we have DEM
onstrated to the satisfaction of the most
skeptical the immense practical benefits
| to be derived from the intelligent appli-
cation of scientific knowledge to the sim
plest agricultural subjects" said the Sec
retary of agriculture, when I called OH
him Saturday. Mr.. wilson had before
him telegram from Prof. Whitney, chief
of the bureau of soils, giving the prices
at which the shade grown Sumatra to-
bacco, raised under the supervision OF the
tion. ''We have long known that Prof.
Whitney's experiments had proved sue
cessful," continued the secretary, "bnt
we realized that the actual demonstration
would come when the tobacco, grown in
accordance with our system, came to be
sold under the hammer. The crop aver
aged $1.25 per pound, as against an av-
erage slightly under 25 cents which the
native Connecticut tobacco has brought.
The crop produced an average of 1000
pounds per acre, and the profit was 81
per pound net. We consume $4,000, 900
worth of this wrapper tobacco annually.
1t will, therefore, require that but 5000
| acres be devoted to this variety of to-
bacco, and the saving to the country of
money formerly spent outside it's limits
will amount to $4,000, 900. The whole
credit of this experiment belongs to Prof.
| Whitney and his system of soil survey,
by which 1t was discovered that there ex-
listed In the Connecticut valley soil pre-
cisely 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 tobac-
co to the amount of $4,000, 900 annually.
Our soil surveyors are searching for To-
calities which will grow that, and believe
they have found the proper soil in Sec
tions of Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Car
olina and Texas. In few years be-
lieve we will be able to grow at home
$14 600, 900 worth of tobacco which we
formerly imported, and at an extremely
handsome profit to the grower. If we
could persuade congress to appropriate
sufficient funds to carry on this work on a
scale commensurate with its importance,
we would be able to make more rapid
progress, but we have reason to feel we'll
satisfied at our progress so far" While
Secretary Wilson gives to Prof. Whitney
all the credit for the discovery Of the "Su-
matra soil," etc., 1t is only fair to say
that Prof. Whitney has received every
encouragement from the secretary, who
Immediately grasped the scope and i'm
portance of the soil survey, and under
| whose protection the former division of
soils has become bureau with largely
extended facilities. Representative Henry
of Connecticut, whom l saw Saturday, is
no less enthusiastic than Secretary Wilson
over the great success of the tobacco ex-
periments, which he believes will very
materially add to the agricultural re-
sources of his state.
The sudden deaths of Representatives
Cummins, Otey and Salmon suspended
all business in the house of representa-
tives during the early part of last week,
and the only legislation enacted was the
bill providing for admission as states OF
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 SO amend the statutes as to permit
the Issue of passports to the residents OF
our insular possessions. Saturday was de.
voted to eulogies of the late Representa-
tive Polk of Pennsylvania and the late
Senator Kyle of South Dakota.
ALI last week in the senate was devoted
to the Philippine bill, with the prospect,
at this writing, that the measure will not
be disposed of before the first of June.
When shorn of partisan fiamboyance the
differences between the democrats and
republicans are vastly less than the
public would suppose. In so far as
the bill Is concerned, the democrats hold
that it gives too great power to the
Philippine commission, which, by its pro.
visions, Is authorized to lease and sell
public lands, to grant franchises and per.
mits to cut lumber, etc. In regard to
policy, the democrats claim that there
should be declaration that, when the
Fllipinos have demonstrated their ability
to govern themselves, they would be
granted complete freedom in internal af.
fairs with such an international protecto.
rate as this government now proposes to
exercise over Cuba. AS many republi.
cans believe that to be the end at which
the United States will eventually arrive
in dealing with the islands, and as il
seems extremely possible that 1t might be
a quarter of century or more before the
Filipinos could demonstrate their capac.
ity for self-government, it will be seen
VaL q