Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-12-14

upon the interstate commerce commission
the power, after it had found a challenged
rate to be unreasonable, to declare what
thereafter should, prima facia, be the rea-
sonable maximum rate for the transporta-
ton In dispute. The supreme court finally
resolved that question in the negative, so
simply possess the bare power to denounce
a particular rate as unreasonable. While
| am Of the opinion that at present 1t would
be undesirable, if it were not impracticable,
finally to clothe the commission with gen
eral authority to fix railroad rates, | do
believe that, as a fair security to shippers
the commission should be vested with the
power, where given rate has been chal-
lenged and after full hearing found to be
review, what Shall be a reasonable rate to
take its place; the ruling Of the commission
to take effect immediately, and to obtain
unless and until it is reversed by the court
Of review. The government must in in
creasing degree supervise and regulate the
workings of the railways engaged in inter
state commerce; and such increased super
vision is the only alternative to an increase
still more radical policy on the other
In my Judgment the most important legis-
lative act now needed as regards the regu-
lation of corporations is this act to. confer
on the interstate commerce commission the
power to revise rates and regulations the
revised rate to at once go into effect, and
to stay in effect unless and until the court
of review reverses It,
Steamship companies engaged in inter
state commerce and protected in our coast
wise trade should be held to a strict OBJ
seryance Of the interstate commerce act
AGRICULTURE.
The department of agriculture has grown
info an educational institution with = fao
ulty of two thousand specialists making re-
search into all the sciences Of producfion
The Congress appropriates, directly and in
carry on this work 1t reaches every Sta
and territory In the union and the islands
Of the sea lately come under our flag Co.
operation is had with the state experiment
and individuals. The world is carefnIIy
searched for new varieties of grains, fruits
grasses, vegetables, trees and shrubs, suit,
able to various localities In our country
and marked benefit to our producers has
resulted.
The activities of our age in lines of ra
and inspired them with ambition to know
more Of the principles that govern the
forces of nature with which they have 10
deal. Nearly half of the people Of this coun-
try devote their energies to growing things
from the soil. Until recent date little has
been done to prepare these millions for
their life work. IN most lines of human
activity college-trained men are the Lead
ers The farmer had no opportunity for
special training until the Congress made
provision for it forty years ago. During
these years progress has been made and
teachers have been prepared. Over five
thousand students are in attendance at our
state agricultural colleges. The Federal
government expends ten millions of dollars
annually toward this education and for re-
search In Washington and in the several
states and territories. The department of
agriculture has given facilities for post
graduate work to five hundred young men
during the last seven years, preparing them
for advanced lines of work in the depart-
ment and in the state institutions.
The facts concerning meteorology and its
relations to plant and animal life are being
Systematically inquired into. Temperature
and moisture are controlling factors in all
agricultural operations. The seasons of the
paths are being forecasted with increasing
accuracy The cold winds that come from
the north are anticipated and their times
and intensity told to farmers gardeners and
fruiterers in all southern localities
We sell two hundred end fifty million dol
lars worth of animals and animal products
to foreign countries every year, in addition
to supplying our own people more cheaply
and abundantly than any other nation is
able to provide for its people. Successful
manufacturing depends primarily on cheap
tent for our growth in this direction. Tile
department Of agriculture, by careful in
spection of meats, guards the health Of our
people and gives clean bills of health to de-
serving EXPORTS; it is prepared to deal
promptly with imported diseases of ami
mails, and maintain the excellence of our
focks and herds In this respect There
should be an annual census of the live
stock of the nation.
We sell abroad about six hundred million
dollars worth Of plants and their products
every year. Strenuous efforts are being
made to import from foreign countries such
grains as are suitable to our varying local..
ties. Seven years ago we bought three
fourths of our rice; by helping the rice
growers on the gulf coast to secure seeds
from the Orient suited to their conditions.
and by giving them adequate protection,
to the islands Of the Caribbean sea and to
other rice-growing countries. Wheat and
other grains have been imported from light
rainfall countries to our lands in the west
and southwest that have not grown crops
because Of light precipitation, resulting In
an extensive addition to our cropping area
an ana on our home-making territory that can not
De irrigated. Ten million bushels Of first,
class macarroni wheat were grown from
these experimental importations last year
Fruits suitable to our soils and climates are
Old world--the fig from Turkey, the almond
from Spain, the date from Algeria, the
mango from India. We. are helping our
ropean markets By studying op met the9 h Of
preservation through refrigeration, packing
and handling, which have been quite sue
e cessful. We are helping our hop growers
and later than the kinds they have been
raising, thereby frightening the harvesting
season. The cotton crop Of the country Is
and the boil weevil. Our pathologists will
find immune varieties that will resist the
root disease, and the bollwOrm can be dealt
WITH but the boil weevil is a serious menace
to the cotton crop. 1t Is a Central Ameri-
can insect that has become acclimated in
Texas and has done great damage. sci
enlist Of the department Of agriculture has
found the weevil at home in Guatemala be-
Ing kept In check by an ant, which has
been brought to our cotton fields for OBJ
servation. 1t is hoped that it may serve a
good purpose.
The soils Of the country are getting atten-
ton from the farmers standpoint, and In
teresting results are following. We have
duplicates Of the soils that grow the wrap
per tobacco in Sumatra and the filler to,
bacco In Cuba. 1t will be only question
OF time when the large amounts paid to
these countries, will be paid to our own peo-
pie. The reclamation of alkali lands Is
progressing, to give object lessons to our
people in methods by which worthless lands
may be made productive.
The insect friends and enemies of the
farmer are getting attention. The enemy
of the San Jose scale was found near the
great wall of China and is now cleaning
UP all our orchards. The fg-fertilizing in
sect imported from Turkey has helped to
establish industry in California that
amounts to from so to 100 tons of dried
figs annually, and is extending over the
Pacific coast A parasitic fly from South
Africa Is keeping in subsection the black
scale, the worst pest of the orange and