Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-22
IDEALS OF COUNTRY HIS FIGURES RIGHT
Theme of Address by Repre- Secretary Wilson Defends Es-
sentative D. J. Foster innate of Farm Products.
TREATS COLONIAL HISTORY REPLIES TO STATE GRANGE
Jueand Speaker in Annual Report
Wahingtons Birthday Meeting Relate to Visible Wealth.
of Sons of
PRESIDENT GOES TO NEW YORK
H. Be Appoint
of New
Secretary Wilson Defends Es-
innate of Farm Products.
REPLIES TO STATE GRANGE
Values as Given in Annual Report
Relate to Visible Wealth.
PRESIDENT GOES TO NEW YORK
Frederick n. Bugher to Be Appoint
ed Surveyor of New York.
Objections Withdrawn.

Secretary Wilson defends the figures in
his annual report TO the value OF the
products of American farms. lie was the
only visitor at the White House To-Day
before President Taft left for New York.
His attention was called to the protest OF
the National Grange of West Virginia
against fixing the value or farm products
last year at IS. 76O.00O,O0o. The grange
claims that the figures are entirely mis-
leading, putting the farmer before the
country as rolling in wealth, and giving
no data as to the comparatively small
profit he makes after the hardest sort OF
work.
..The figures given in my report de-
clared the Secretary, have nothing 10
do with the cost OF making each years
crops in this country: they are merely
the visible wealth of the farms of the
country-that is. stock. cattle, grain. etc
in fact, everything in sight on American
farms We have for years been giving
these figures and comparing them with
the preceding years. There Is no at
tempt to compare the cost OF production
wear after wear. We have not gotten
down to giving figures of the net profits
of American farms. 1t is as much as we
can do now to ascertain now mucn theFe
is of value in the way of products on the
farms / know that some farmers claim
that the corn and grain should not De
counted in along with the stock, as the
grain is fed to the stock. But doesn't
that make the stock more valuable?
Strives to Give Facts.
Isn't it true, though, Mr.. Secretary,
that the condition of the American farm
ers is presented in the most optimistic
and glowing colors by the figures and
publications of your department?
We'll, We give facts, and II these are
optimistic it Is not our fault. Inere Is
room for optimism as to farm life in
some parts of the country. l know that
i'm the east it is true that the farms are
being abandoned for the cities. The boys
are leaving the farms and hunting en-
ployment elsewhere. How far this Will
go none of US can say. We have got 10
educate the young people OF the Farms
to the possibilities of that life. We are
already doing that to some extent. we
are trying to reach the oid people
through the young ones.
"Why. last year 12,5OO boys on southern
farms raised an acre of corn eacn, ana
some of them did splendid work. We
helped them all we could. l gave dtpl0-
mas to four boys who did exceptionally
we'll We must enlist the energies and
intelIects Of the young fellows on the
farms. More corn was raised IN the
south last year than ever before. This
year we are beginning on another line.
We are giving instructions in hog rails
ing, telling the young fellows how TO
fence of hog pastures and what to do.