The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-04-11
TAFT INSISTS ON
AID TO FARMERS
Says Work Of Department OF
Agriculture Must Go On.
LABoRs FOR CONSERVATION
Far Reaching Legislation Administered
by Scientists Of Rank Brings Good
Results to TilIers Of Soil
Food and Drugs Act Up
held TO the Letter.

his administration PreSiuent 1hit
called attention to the deficit then ex-
listing in the revenues and the conse-
quent necessity for rigid economy In
expenditures. However. the president
singled out the department OF agri-
culture as an exception. He said. TO
quote his exact words: In the de-
partment Of Agriculture the use OF
scientific experiments on q large scale.
and the spread of Information derived
from them for the Improvement OF
general agriculture must go on" This
view the president has steadily main
tanned, and In various messages TO
congress he has urged appropriations
for the work OF the department.
In his comprehensive message on
conservation President Taft said:
The feature that transcends all 9th.
ers. including woods. waters. minerals.
Is the soil Of the country" and that
all means at the governments dis
possl should be used to conserve the
soils. adding. "a work Of the utmost
Importance to inform and instruct the
public on this chief ranch OF the
conservation of our resources Is being
carried on successfully in the depart
ment OF agriculture"
Reports made recently TO Secretary
Wilson OF the department OF agricul-
ture by the heads OF his bureaus jus
tify this solicitude on the part Of the
president for the department. In call
ing for these reports the secretary
asked that they be brief. and that
they mention notable achievements OF
the last FIVE years only, inasmuch as
that period Is really the period OF
fruition in the department. the period
during which, owing to the broad
foundations previously laid by tho
training and grouping OF many corps
Of scientific men. by securing far
reaching legislation. by gathering to
gether masses OF statistics and Other
information. by providing scientific and
other equipment. II has been possible
to produce most marvellous results for
the common good OF the people OF tho
United States.
TAFT for Conservation.
In his conservation message. Presi-
dent Taft emphasized the Importance
OF the maintenance OF the forests. and
urged their scientific treatment, so
that they shall be made to yield
large return In timber without really
reducing the supply" and In other
messages he pointed out the necessity
OF reforestation. In accordance with
these views, much available work has
been done In protecting the national
forests and by researches in the labor
atory OF the department at Madison,
Wis: and in the past FIVE years the
work OF reforesting burned-over areas
has proceeded at the rate Of $4,000 to
10000 acres a year. The department
takes justifable pride In its forest
work. considering the administration
OF Io0, 1000 900 acres OF land protected
and managed for the public benefit a
great achievement.
Since January 1. 1907. when the food
and drugs act went into effect, more
has been done 10 provide a good. clean
food supply than I'm all the preceding
life OF the nation. A wonderful change
has also been effected In the charac.
ter of the drugs on sale. The depart.
ment has a trained force Of inspectors
and chemists doing excellent work in
all parts OF the country in behalf OF
pure foods and pure drugs. This
salutary law, however. needs amend.
ment, as the Supreme court held In
May. 1911. that its provisions. TO
quote President Taft's words in his
vigorous message TO congress a month
later: do not cover the knowingly
false labelling OF nostrums as TO cura.
tive effect" The president added:
IAN evil which menaces the general
health OF the people strikes at the life
OF the nation. In my opinion the sale
OF dangerously adulterated drugs =.
constitutes such an evil and war.
rants me in calling the matter to the
attention OF the congress"
Work Of Soil Mapping.
OF importance to the farmer has
been the work carried on In the past
five years OF soil mapping and classi.
fication, so that now the area includ-
ed Is 407. 900 square miles. or nearly
Al 900. 900 acres. The value o. this
work Is incalculable. as Il aids settlers
in the west as well as the farmers.
Disseminating the valuable infor-
nation acquired by the department
has proven a wonderful work. Prac.
tically 20o.0OO.o00 publications have
been distributed since Secretary VII.
son assumed control OF the depart.
ment, and more than half Q03,59s,.
1901 OF that number have been dis.
tributed within the past five years
Other work accomplished by the de
partment includes a comprehensive
system OF weather warnings and fore
casts, the meat inspection service In
which $500 experts are employed.
protection Of live stock. the checking
OF rodent pests. the destruction of nox
lous insects. the conservation OF water
supplies 80 that every dollar eE
pended In the prosecution OF this work
In It's numerous phases has brought
back Q hundred fold y ths people