Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-26
Venerable Weather and Crop
Service Man Will Retire When
Present Commission Expires
BEING CONSIDERED
State Weather Foreeaster the Only
Man Mentioned and He May Not Be
Acceptable to the Farmers of the
State - Contest May Grow Out Of
Guard Election for Major.
special to Times-R Republican.

Special to imeS-RepuDitCan.
Des Moines, Nov. 26.-What will the
directors of the state board of agri-
culture do in regard to recommending
a successor to Director John r. Sage,
Of the weather and crop service of the
state?
Mr.. Sage was largely instrumental in
eating the department established
and he has been the director practical
lily all the time since. He announced
his intention to retire more than q
year ago but the directors of the de-
partment of agriculture insisted on his
remaining. 1t is understood now that
he will not accept new commission.
The appointment is made by the gov
directors Of the department of agri-
culture.
Furthermore it is understood that
with the close of the term of Director
Sage the working agreement between
the state and the government is likely
to terminate. Iowa, in fact Is the only
state now where that agreement is
still in force.
Heretofore it has been the policy and
custom Of the United States depart
ment Of agriculture in conducting the
weather service and forecast business
to work in connection with the states
| of the union. The government has paid
part of the salary and the state the
rest, and this man has had charge of
the crop reports of the state and the
weather bureau for the government.
| OF late the department has been ter
minating this agreement and has ap-
pointed its own district directors.
| Thus far it is not known that there
is any candidate for the state position
here, the salary of which is limited to
$1,000 year, with the exception, pos
sibly, of DIR. Chapel, who is forecaster
| at the Des Moines weather bureau sta
ton. Mr.. Sage in fact stated some
months ago in an interview that he
considered DR.. Chapel the most COM
| petent person for the position. 1t is
not known whether DR.. Chapel will
| be acceptible to the farmers on the
board of directors of the department
| of agriculture or not. 1t is understood
that there may be some criticism that
he is not closely enough identified
with farming to be acceptible, being
largely a scientific weather man, high
| ly competent as forecaster and in
scientific matters but not acquainted
with agricultural matters.
The recommendation by the direc-
tors Of the department of agriculture
will probably be decided upon at the
December meeting of the board or else
early in January. Director Sage was
in Washington not long since in con-
ference with Secretary Wilson. 1t is
not known that the matter Of his sue
cessor was mentioned, however.
There is a contest on at the state
house for the old furniture. Hereto
fore there was cry for new furniture.
The old furniture was pointed to- as
out of date and nobody wanted it.
The other day one Of the old desks
was discarded and the custodian set
his men to work cleaning off the old
varnish. 1t was sandpapered down
and revarnished The desk was a
quarter Of century old at least and
was discovered that it was solid wal
nut and the boards were more than
foot wide. When it was revarnished
it shown like mirror and 1t readily
found place in the center Of the
stage in the labor commissioners Of
flee. 1t was discovered then that it is
the best made desk in the building.
Now everybody is after the old wal
nut desks and the statd house car
penters are kept busy refinishing old
desks.
Captaip Rankin was caller at the
state house Saturday last and Captain
Hyat. was a caller yesterday. These
two guard officials were candidates
for major of the Fifty-sixt regiment
to succeed Colonel-Elect Chantland.
Hyatt has the election by a margin of
three votes. Both men saw the gov
ernor There is every indication that
there will be an election contest grow
out of this election and it is not at
all positive but that there may be
some more court martials in addition
to that of Captain Kulp. In fact, ac-
cording to the rumors that float about
in guard circles, the court martial of
kulp will be merely a school of in
struction for the guard officials on
how to hold a court martial, that of
Kulp being the first that has ever been
held in the guard that anyone can re-