Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-30
SECRETARY WILSON TELLS HOW
HE WOULD SPEND THAT
AMOUNT.
Would Teach People to Live BY Work.
ing In the Fields With Their Goats
Off, the Science That Relates to Ag-
ricuIture - A Bit of History.
rBY H. j. MAHlN.l
Washington Bureau OF the Courier.
Washinqton, D. C.. Jan. %. IN

Washington, D. G. Jan. 20.
How would spend million dol
lars?"
James Wilson the secretary Of agri-
culture smiled when this question was
asked him. the other day. The query
came from a reporter for the New
York Herald and Secretary Wilson's
answer was published among the ans
sWers Of several other experts in q
two page article in the New York pa
per. The question was asked of ex-
perts in all lines of endeavor includ-
Ing agriculture, study OF Languages,
philanthropy, psychology, etc. Secre-
tary Wilson'S answer, labeled "Agri-
culture was placed at the head Of
the list and was as follows:
II have, directly and indirectly $6,-
100000 to spend now In the interest OF
science, AT the rate the United
States horrows money it would take
an investment of $300,000,000 TO pres
duce that sum, have as much in,
come as the combined incomes Of the
hye greatest universities in America,
but II had 100000 a year more, Il
would spend 1t along the line of teach
ing the people to live by working In
the fields with their coats Off, the sci
ence that relates to agriculture.
We have In the United States a
magnificent system Of education that
takes care of everybody but the far.
mer. Congress In 1862 endowed ag-
ricultural colleges, and In 1855 exper.
1ment stations. More is being done
by this country to help, the farmer
than by all other countries on earth.
The results are somewhat striking. 4
can speak by the card with regard to
my time in Office here. When / came
to Washington with President McKin-
ley In 1897 we made in the United
States $4,000 tons Of beet sugar. 5.,
This year will show yield around !
100000 tons; 1t may gojover thai. ;or. 81
course, may fall little below. This
is because the department OF agricul-
ture has been steadily furnishing the
farmers the facts with regard to soif
climate, methods, etc. At that time
(lSS7) We raised twenty-five per cent
OF the rice consumed by the people O.
the United States. We began the
study OF the problems of rice growing,
sent to the orient for early and late
maturing varieties, and for varieties
that would not break when modern
threshers, etc, were employed One
man in the United States POW produces
as much rico as four hundred orians
tails, The crop now Is in excess az the
demands of our people and expectation
is beginning
Il might mention many other diree-
tions in which this department is help
Ing the people to produce. There
was scarcely an educated forester In
the land at that time, and scarcely a
soil physicist. would like to spend
$1,000,O00 more in teaching people
about the land they walk on, and from
which they draw their sustenance.
There were but few people educated
along the line of agricultural sciences
those days. We began the education
OF them, and since that time 496 youfIi
men have been admitted to post grad
uate work here. More than half Of
them are with us still. completing
their education. the other half Mayin1
gone out to make research, to DEMON.
strate what they learned here, to teach
in colleges and to work In experiment
stations. N
~ do not have time to talk for news
papers; am too busy. But you haSf
asked a question that nobody ever ash
ed before. SO make you a brief re.
ply"