Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-30
DEPARTMENT ON SOUNDER BASIS
Great Value of the Departments Re-
searches on Behalf of TiIIers of the
Soil - Evolution Through MIR. Viii
sons Efforts.

issue of the Washington Post gives a
sketch of Mr.. Wilson, together with a
summary of his work and plans since
he has been at the head of this de-
partment, which, greatly through his
efforts has become so important. The
article Is as follows:
"The adventurous Capt. Lemuel
CULVER relates that in one of his fire.
quent conferences with the king of
Brobdingnag upon the affairs of men
and the PHILOSOPHERS of human life his
majesty ventured speculation like
this: Whoever could make two ears
of corn or two blades of grass to grow
upon spot Of ground where only one
grew before would deserve better of
mankind, and do more essential SER
vice to his country than the whole race
of politicians put together
American Farmer Fortunate.
"The American farmer is of the
most fortunate class in all the world.
He is the most prolific producer and
the most voracious consumer of all the
people who live by labor. Though I'M
thrift has been his habit and ignorance
his companion, he has ever made a
surplus, and last year he exported to
foreign parts many hundreds of mil
lions. When he has finished the cul-
tivation he all too frequently leaves the
plow in the furrow to rust and to rot
the French farmer would as soon leave
his household effects to the elements,
the sun. the rain, the frost. When the
springtime comes the American farm
er loses a week seeking mislaid and
lost implements or repairing those
gone to wreck because of his careless
ness, or, more like. buying new ones,
to be in turn thrown away at the close
of the season. His unthrift is many
millions to the implement trusts
ut has been remarked, and doubtless
with much truth that a family of ru-
raj France would subsist ON what the
American farmer throws away. The
French warmer would as soon throw
away the grain in his bin as the ma
nure in his barnyard, but there is not
year that barnyard manure to the
value Of many millions is wasted on
American farms. Tens of thousands
of American farmers have looked on
wood ashes as a nuisance.
- The Enemy of the Forest.
"The average American farmer is
densely and defiantly ignorant of soils
their properties and their foods. He
is the relentless, remorseless, the ruth
less enemy of forest trees, and is grim
ly resolved to eradicate them from
the face of the earth. In this behalf
he, has been a very vandal, and has
visited his insensate destruction on
wealth amounting to billions. He is
also the enemy Of birds. the busy toll.
ers that save him sweat and help fill
his store. 1t is estimated that the de.
struction wrought on farm crops by
insects amounts to hundreds of mil
lions, most of which is due to the war.
fare waged against the birds on Amer
lean farms. American farmers have
planted, because it is the fashion
enough fruit trees, shrubs and plants
to supply the world, and yet not one
American farmer in three has fruit
for his family. 1t is astonishing the
number of American farmers who do
not know the value the comfort and the
luxury of the kitchen garden. Orna.
mental shrubs and flowers are con.
demned as effeminate and promoters
OF idle thoughts and habits.
Rise of the Department.
"A very great lawyer in the last notable
speech he made in the United States son
ate closed with plea for the election of
Ulysses 5. Grant to third term in the of
nee OF president of the United STATES on
the ground that strong man was needed
to weed out the paternalism that had
erept into every department of the gov
eminent, and he especially cited the agri-
cultural departments as an interloper.
thoroughly Legitimate and wholly de-
void of constitutional warrant But Sem
ator Carpenter profound lawyer and ac-
cOmplished statesman that he was. was
blind to the stubborn and vital fact that
our system, too. Is much of growth, and
In the case of the agricultural department
the Innovation of Its creation is little
minded in the advantages it has brought
to millions of intelligent farmers It has
come up from an insignificant bureau fo
be a full executive department of many
bureaus, and at its head is one of the
cabinet and sits at the council board of
the President of the United States.
Admitted to Cabinet.
'srhe department of agriculture was adj.
mitted to the cabinet during President
Cleveland's first term, and the first sec
rotary was Norman j. Coleman, Of Mis-
souri,. After few months he gave place
to republican successor, Jeremiah NJ.
Husk of Wisconsin, who served four
years, and gave way to a democratic sue
",
who was the head of the department the
second term of Mr.. Cleveland. Mr. Nor
ton was opposed to the office. A dem
ocrat of the straitest sect, who would
not seek blessing in government and
hated paternallsm as the odious spawn of
government by divine right. he believed
the department of agriculture was a
fungus growth, without constitutional
warrant, and that 1t ought to be abolished.
He condemned the distribution of seeds
as odous paternallsm and contemplate
demagogy, Mt once vicious and hateful.
Fills quarrel with Senator Vest on that
account was one of the numerous
breezy episodes of that historic admins
tration.
Secretary James Wilson.
"The present secretary of agriculture Is
James Wilson of Iowa. He was born In
Ayrshire, Scotland, In 1895, and was
brought to this country by his parents in
1852 and located on a farm in Connecticut.
He was not the first James Wilson Ayr
shire sent to our country, The century
before man of that name came from
Scotland and settled In North Calorina.
lie studied law and was admitted to the
bar. He was member of the continental
congress, a signer OF the declaration of
Independence, member Of the convention