The Tupelo journal., 1908-09-04
The A. & M. College.

tural resources.
The A. & M. College.
More than thirty years ago the educa-
ton OF the farmer boys of Mississippi
WAS provided for by the location of an
agricultural and mechanical college on a
beautiful plat of ground near the little
city of ~Starkville, i'll Oktibbeha county.
That institution has grown by leaps and
bounds from the beginning until the
present time, when it is recognized as
one OF the best in the United States. 1t
has accomplished a great work in the
way OF preparing u young men to en-
ter the battle of life, equipped to. handle
the farm upon an equal basis with the
lawyers, doctors and other professional
men prepared at the university and ota-
er institutions. The troubles being en-
perienced there now will be rigntcd and
the usefulness OF this great institution
Will continue unimpaired. 1t IS descry-
ing OF the support of every citizen who
would see Mississippi develop into the
greatest agricultural State of the Union,
which expectation is fully warranted by
the natural resources possessed.
The Department of Agriculture.
Although every profession had repre-
sentation in the State government all
along since the organization of the State,
the agricultural interests were not rep
resented until May /. 1906. In 1904,
Senator Walker, of Monroe county, in
troduced a bill creating II department of
agriculture, but the intense opposition
encountered from sources that should
have favored the measure and the subse-
queut Illness and death of Senator Walk
er put the proposition to sleep for that
session. 1t came to the front again early
in the session of 1906, being urged by
the Mississippi division of the Southern
Cotton Association and the Farmers
Union. Senator G. r. Hightower. of La
fayette, now State president of the
Farmers Union, introduced the measure
and fought it to a successful termina-
ton, despite the opposition again encoun-
tered and the persistent lobbying against
the measure. A number of able ~legisla-
tors rendered valuable service this time.
and the bill became a law. The writer
was appointed Commissioner of the De-
partment of Agriculture and Commerce
for a term beginning on May /, 1906, and
ending January 1, 1908. At the general
primary in 1907 he was elected for an
additional term of four years, terminal
ing in January, 1912.
Legislative Encouragement.
No legislature since the war has done
more to encourage the agricultural inter
ests of the State than that which con-
vened in January of this year. Their
interests were well represented and
backed by a healthy public sentiment;
there was little trouble experienced in
securing legislation favorable to the
farming interests. A number of men in
both branches of the Legislature did no
bic service along this line, and are de-
serving of the p~laudits of their constitu-
ency as well as the whole people of the
State. Among the measures passed
might be mentioned the creation of the
State Live Stock Sanitary Board, which
is cooperating with the United States
government III Graduating the cattle
tick; providing for the establishment of
agricultural high schools in each county
of the State; providing for county com
missioners of agriculture; authorizing
board of supervisors to appropriate
money for premiums to boys engaged in
the corn growing contests; to protect
and foster horticulture and fruit grow
ing; to regulate the sale and provide for
the inspection of commercial f~eedstuffs,
and Others of more or less Importance.
Other necessary and remedial legislation
will be asked for when the Legislature
again convenes, and it will likely be
granted cheerfully.
Live Stock Sanitary Board.
This board was created by the last
Legislature for the general purpose of
handling all diseases of live stock. but
more particularly to cooperate with the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture in Kidding the State of the cattle
tick. 1t was created in compliance with
a request made by the Mississippi Live
Stock Association, an organization com
posed of some two hundred of the largest
live stock raisers of the State. The cat
tie tick is costing Mississippi more than
two and a half million dollars annually.
Ii has been eradicated in territory ada
cent to Mississippi, proving the scheme
thoroughly practicable. The quarantine
lines against tick-infested animals are
gradually Tightening, and it became abb