The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-10-18

my opposition to subordinate all public
interests to the interests OF their polit-
ical oligarchy.
Over these and all other obstacles my
administration has moved ahead and has
made good in every department OF the
state government that has como under
my control. The Republicans and lnde-
pendent Democrats serving under me
nave given the people clean, progress
sive, Economical business administration.
In the briefest manner /, will mention
the work done in few Of the depart.
| ments.
Agricultural Department.
My administration took charge OF the
Agricultural Department June ], 1911.
II was second in Importance only to the
Department of Education, but its work
was the worst neglected and abused oil
| all the states business. l found the de-
partment loaded down with political has
beens, and It's funds squandered in the
payment of salaries as political rewards,
for which the people received no SER
vice. No wonder the Federal census gave
the farming interests of Tennessee a
bad showing. The wearing out of our
farm lands, the lack of Investigation
of crops, the failure to get the best re.
/ suits from the soil, the tagging of our
state in the raising OF live stock, the
importation of millions of dollars worth
of food and feed stuffs that we could
produce ourselves, and the accelerated
rush or population from the country to
the city, aroused but little intelligent
interest in the Agricultural Department
1t was not run for the farmers, but it
was run by and for the politicians.
Whenever a fellow had to be taken care
| of and did not seem fit for anything
else, he was unloaded on the Agricul.
tural Department. 1t mad twenty EN-.
| ployes getting salaries of $4,000.
l began on this department by getting
q real farmer and a live wire, and put.
ting him at the head of it. asked him
to cut out the politics, and he proceeded
to do away with the assistants who did
not assist and the inspectors who never
inspected. need not. dwell upon the
work that has been done in one short
| year by Commissioner Peck, for it. is
known of all men.
A trained veterinary has been made
Lave Stock Inspector instead Of John H.
Mcdowell, who knew vastly more about
| pontics than he did about cattle ticks.
The work that was being done by six
| teen subordinates is now being done by
| seven, and four times as much work has
been done. The net revenues for Peck's
first year exceeded the previous year
$1O,S70.74. The department has been
brought close to the people and made
of practical benefit to the common
| farmer.
The people are beginning TO learn the
great value this department can be made
to them, and they are going to demand
who farm the soil rather than those who
farm the people.
| immigration Bureau.
In view of the facts already mentioned
which show that Tennessee made a very
poor record in the decade from 100 tC
1910, in point of progress IN wealth, de
velopment and population, a movement
has been set on foot, under my admin
istration, to try to win for Tennessee
her rightful share of the capital and i'm
migration that arc now flowing into TIL,
South. There can De no question but
that the tide of immigration has at last
veered from the West and turned toware
the South, but so far, according to The
census returns, this tide has swept across
our state and enriched and developed oul
sister states to the south of us.
As | have already stated, the correc
ton of political and governmental con
oitions is necessary to make Tennessee
attractive to the outsider, but it is also
necessary to take proper steps to &c
quaint the outside word with the eli
matte, agricultural and geological SUI
periority of our state.
! In order that there might be an active
| systematic effort in this direction;
pressed upon the Legislature the desir
ability of vitalizing the unused Immigra
ton Bureau by giving it a sufficient
appropriation to carry on campaign fol
the presentation OF our resources and op
portunities to the immigrant and CAPT
tal;st.
Under the direction of Commissioner
Peck, the first real work of advertising
the state and inducing the immigration
of the thrifty and industrious citizen o.
tine North and Northwest has been done
Although the work of this bureau is il
its infancy, it has succeeded in attract
ing wide interest among the people of tn,
Northwest and gives promise of accom-
plishing more than any other one agenc,
to make Tennessee's showing in the mex,
Federal census a source of pride and con
graduation instead of shame and regret
/ Prison Reform.
Another accomplishment of my admin
istration, OF which / ON especially proud
Ia the work done in the reformation O.
the prison system of the state.
| The question of how best to protec
society from the criminal has Away