The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-12-22
COL. THOMPSON
COMMISSIONER
HAS NO SCHEME UP SLEEVE
While Members of Senate Voted
for Lea Bell Providing for Re
organizing the Department

A publication this morning concern,
ing the state department of agriculture
intimated that Hon. John Thompson
was seeking to perpetuate himself in
office by the aid of the legislature. Col.
Thompson SAID today regarding the
article:
at is absolutely false that have a
scheme up my sleeve to perpetuate my
self in office by reorganizing the depart
ment of agriculture, and no one knows
this better than the person who gave
this information to Capt. Hooper and
the Tennessean.
sit is of record that / voted, when a
member of the state senate, for bill
prepared by Mr.. Overton Lea, father
of Mr.. Luke Lea, which provided for a
reorganization of the department of ag-
riculture. 1t is a fact that in the first
address | made to farmers after being
appointed commission CT agriculture, i
took the position that the department
should be divorced absolutely from
politics. From that day to this writ
ing | have worked with that end in
view. I have talked of this matter
constantly to men of all political par
ties, and / have yet to meet man who
opposed the proposition, except those
who are looking for appointments un-
der Capt. Hooper.
"If there is any reason why reor-
ganization of the agricultural depart
ment should not be had, and remove it
from political influences, would be
glad if some one would SO state. do
not know how many persons have
been promised positions in this depart.
ment, but, judging from the inquiries
made at this office, the number far ex-
ceeds the places to be filed"
Mr.. Lea's Bill.
Further talk with the commissioner
brought out that ten years ago Mr..
Thompson was advocating the abso-
lutte enforcement of the department
from politics. Mr. Overton Lea pre-
pared bill and it was introduced in
the legislature having for its purpose
the placing of the office under the con-
troll of board to be known as the
board of agriculture, the members of
which were to be nonpartisan, and
Mr. Thompson gave the measure his
support.
"The bill," said Mr.. Thompson,
twas defeated by the politicians in
the interest of their friends who were
seeking appointments"
Section 10 of the act governing the
department is as follows
"That the commissioner of agricul-
ture shall appoint such analysts,
chemists and inspectors as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions
Of this act, and any part of the labor of
the analysts and chemists upon the
request of the commissioner of agricul-
ture shall be performed by the Ten
nessee experiment station with such
compensation therefor as may be ap-
proved by said commissioner Of sgri-
culture.n
"The experiment station" said Mr..
Thompson, "could not do the work as
cheaply as the state chemist, and so
employed him to perform this duty as
IL meant saving to the state. F"
II appears that no provision was
made in the appropriation bill for
paying inspectors of see Is and feeds,
and their salaries have not lest the
state anything us they are paid from
the fees arising from the sale of tags,
as the law directs.
Moreover" Mr.. Thompson says,
a. there is COED balance on hand
above these salaries, though under the
law could have expended every cent
of it, for, instead of eight insp tctorS,
could, without DONG violence to the
law, have appointed fifteen or twenty.
These bills were not passed for the
purpose Of creating revenue, but for
the protection OF the public"
Under the law there are three as
sistant commissioners and three as.
sistant live stock inspectors. These,
with two seed inspectors, eight feed
inspectors, the commissioner Of agri-
culture and his chief clerk and stenog-
Fapher and the chief live stock inspec-
l0r, make up the force of the depart
enent, Nashville Banner.