Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-04-16

tcation. These statistics, together
with survey of crop conditions and
prospects and review of the pro
, gress in agricultural science pre-
pared by Commissioner Ellsworth,
were publihsed in 1912.
This first publication of farm CEN
sus figures opened the eyes of con
gress and the public at large to the
vast Importance of agriculture
! among our national industries. Con-
gress doubled the appropriation for
agricultural purposes, and little
later when the bill providing for
the census of 1850 came up for con-
sideration, provision was made for
gathering data regarding every
branch of the farming industry. A.
separate schedule was prepared for
the farm inquiry and the results
were published in FULL not only by
states and territories, but by coun-
ties as we'll Following their publi-
cation, congress increased the ap-
preparation for agricultural researth
from $4,000 to $4,000 and made
provision for an adequate clerical
force. 1t is significant to note that
from 1910 to the present time the
publication Of the results of each
decennial farm census has been fol-
lowed by a substantial increase in
the federal appropriation for agri-
cultural purposes. With each sue
ceeding census, the scope of the
farm inquiry has been extended, un-
til today it is more detailed and
comprehensive, than any other in
|vestigation conducted by the census
bureau.
Never before in the history of the
country has agriculture claimed the
attention that is given it today. The
official utterances and public ad-
dresses of the President, the delib-
erations and enactments of congress,
the studies and reports of scientists
and statisticians, the editorial pages
of the public press, all bear witness
to keen, popular interest in every
thing pertaining to this greatest OF
all our productive Industries. The
twelfth census, taken ten years ago
showed the preeminence of the
| American farmer in our industrial
system. Possessing fixed capital of
nearly twenty and one-half billions
of dollars, he outranked the Ameri-
can manufacturer two to one. The
value of the farm products of 1899
was over four billion seven hundred
million dollars, or approximately
fifty-six dollars for every man, wo.
men and child in the country
Agriculture has made wonderful
strides since 1900. The past tetr
years have been unusually fruitful
New crops, improved livestock and
better farm methods, introduced by
the department of agriculture and
our agricultural colleges, have un-
doubtedly affected production to a
marked degree. The steady advance
in prices of nearly 'all articles OF
farm produce will naturally be re-
flected in higher land values.
What effect have these conditions
had on the number and average size
of farms? Have they tended to pro
mote more intensive farming, or to
develop special branches of the in.
dustry, as dairying and poultry-rais'
ing, at the expense of general farm
ing? Are there more or fewer own
ers in proportion to the number OF
tenants than there were in 1900?
How much, If anything, has the
average farmer added to the value
of his buildings and his implements
and machinery? Has the livestocR
industry kept pace with the growth
in population?
These and many other questions
of vital interest will be answered
by the farm eesus to be taken this
April. The enumerators who will
visit every farmer in the country
this spring are going TO ask a great
many questions-more than at any
preceding census. The man whc
keeps no record of HIS farm opera
tions, and who has only guess
work" knowledge of the extent OF
his farm possessions, will natural!
be unable in many instances, to give
satisfactory answers. Yet every
question asked by the enumeratol
will be one to which any farmer who
has the interest in his business tina
he ought to have, should be able tt
answer and with approximate ac
curacy. The schedule contains nC
intricate or puzzling inquiries
nothing of a technical nature. Two
things only are desired: A nationa
inventory OF farm wealth on April
15, 1910, and record of farm oper'
atlons during the year 1909,