Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-11
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
More Than a Quarter Of a Million Eco
nle Working for It.

,,uo +h,r n ouarter of a million persons
40 ,,,orkin. for the Department of Agrl-
culture the exact figures Tor the last l'N"A
wear being 229 IS1. This tremendous rorce
Is not all under the pay OF Uncle sam, MOS
of It's members working voluntarily IN the
interests of the remaining eighty millions OF
their countrymen On the pay rolls OF the de-
partment there are 1904 employees who are
scattered all over the United States, ana
whose work is of such nature that their
services are far more valuable than the
sum Of money which is paid to them each
month and year. The others are subsidiary
assistants, correspondents and similar help
erS whose laborS are gladly given TO Tor
ward the work of the great department,
which has possibly done more than any
other for the development Of the countrys
resources.
The continued extension of the depart
ment in all it's various fields of effort has
called forth educated and trained specialists
in q great variety of scientific lines, ana
there has been consequent increase IN
trained and well-qualfied experts who have
been added to the pay rolls. Much of the
work of this great army of men does not
come to the attention of the general public,
but it's results are seen in the increasing
crops, in the development of many for
merly barren soils and in the general i'm
provement of the agricultural districts of
the country.
Inc largest bureau OF the uepdI tIiltilt IL,
that of animal industry, with a roster of
1,495 employees. Next comes the weather
bureau, with phalanX of 1851, after which
come the bureaus of plant industry, for
estry, publications, soils, etc. In the office
of the Secretary there are seventy employees,
so it will be seen that there are no sine
cures in this department. but that every
man and woman is at work on some definite
line, and that their results are worthy of
their efforts.
There are scientists in the department
whose earning capacity is largely in eX-
cess of the pay they receive from the gov
eminent, but these men are not only scien-
fists, but phianthropists in the broadest
sense of that elastic term. for their educa-
ton, their knowledge of technical matters
relating to their work and their final ac
compshments in the interests of the whole
people are such that money considerations
cannot possibly enter into their accomplish
ments. Such men as Dr. l.. o. Howard,
the most famous entomologist in this
country, and recognized throughout the
world as an authority; DR.. B. T. Galloway,
the head of the bureau of plant industry,
whose work in this special field has been
recognized by foreign governments and
academies to be of such value that he could
easily quadruple his income by leaving for
other fields; DR.. George T. Moore, who has
given fortune in the shape of a discovery
for the preservation of nitrogen collecting
bacteria DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, the great
chemist and analyst, and a host of others
are gathered together in the department.
all working assduously for the benefit of
their fellows, pecuniary reward never en-
terinS into their calculations. 1t is very
doubtful if their places could be filed, and
the country is to be congratulated in pos
sessing them Then there is the great Sec
rotary James Wilson of Iowa His heart
and soul are engaged in the work on which
he has been engaged for SO long and 1t
was through his efforts that the appropria-
ton was secured for the magnificent set of
buildings which are now under way for the
use of his department
The Department of Agriculture was es-
tablished July l, 1862. in accordance with
the provisions of an act of Congress 1t
had prior to that time been a division of
the Department of the Interior and at the
close of the year 1861 the number of en-
ployes was nine. In the next ten years the
number grew to eighty-four; the following
decade saw it rise to 1913 and on July /,
1891, augmented by the transfer of the
weather bureau from the army, it numbered
1.577. Ten years later it had reached 3.3SS.
and at the end of the last fiscal year the
number was 4,5O4 employees on the salary
roll, and total of 90, 49, volunteers and
employees, working for the immense DEPART
ment.