The San Francisco call., 1905-08-11
THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

THE Department of Agriculture Washington has risen to
first rank among the activities OF the Government has
the production OF country OF values SO tar
OF that be said only pay ITS own way,
but that Of the largest contributors to the support OF the
other executive departments
During service 1897 Secretary Wilson has trans
formed American agriculture 1t longer carried on by rule
OF thumb haphazard industry The farmers part in It, which
covers all that not controlled by wind and weather mas oee
made as exact art as manufactures he extension OF the
and lis practical application to the needs OF agriculture
have very largely tempered the WIND ana weather 10 the
He gets advance information OF the coming OF storms and oS
and able apply precautions and make preparations that prevent
total loss Of such crops as may be exposed
The soil has been made fruitful the seed certain
larger work Of Secretary Wilson. He has
70 Iowa arger Weld OF corn He is turning our Southwestern
deserts into date orchards and with demonstration farms pre-
long empirical period money courage
More thar ali this he has invested what considered clod
the list Of learned crafts That vocation illuminated By
science drudgey ghtened by variety. result
- I 80 f So, a,:,Is cIaor ,ro,ol, al +n oners+ons
and harvest and by investing results with greater
ny rural life has received impulse of the importance
to the social and civic institutions of the country
Agricultural Department germnated in the Office
The Patents distributed Seeds through members
of Congress- But there was no systematic search for new plants
study adaptation physical conditions
value addition crops 1t hit miss After many
wears all Of this was transferred to an Agricultural
Interior Department presided over by commissioner
work extended and intelligent farmers all over the country
began glmPses OF the possibilities OF what might be done
by higher organization and fitting facilities.
This conception OF future benefits caused the promotion of the
bureau department. with Cabinet officer
before the Mr. Ceve
administration Coleman Commissioner
of Agriculture. The development which began
then has reached its highest point under Secretary Wilson, and
every farm and every farmer from semarctc Maine semirop
cal California, has felt the impulse which the Secretary has i'm
parted to the rural industries of the country.
The department under fire. By fault Of the Secretary
scientific operations have been handicapped by the insufficient
compensation given experts No branch greater
benefit the farmer than vegetable physiology and pathology
Aen skilled IN these soon as their work becomes known
eagerly sought large salaries by other Governments The de-
paen has taught the farmer what plant food means
feed the plant before the plant will feed him. The department
expert that branch found that his services private employment
would command vastly greater compensation than the depart
ment paid him.
There nterlockng between his work the depart
and his preparation for leaving but this affords
quate ground scandal The only scandal
with the leak the crop reports This established by
proofs The statistical bureau is being reorganized and its head
resigned Upon his the fact dlged that his
salary SI+Oo year Here charge of conf
dental OF the first class with the cotton crop reports able
affect the market the other $3ooOoOoo day.
getting salary Of about So day.
IIod better paid and brickayers get that
per day Yet Congress insists upon rating positions like that in
the other departments and the Secretary powerless Congress
applies the principle OF compensation the scientific work Of
department plants distribution vegetable path
ology and physiology and entomology
The country ready support the application of different
principle of compensation the scientific and statistical work
which peculiar the Agricultural Department and has
oguc other department of the Government Secretary Will
has the undmned confidence of the country and He
the gratitude OF farmers of the United States will
support him in everything necessary increase the efficiency of
his department