The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1912-04-06
TAFT INSISTS ON
AID TO FARMERS
Says Department Of Agriculture
Work Must Go On.
LABORS FOR CONSERVATION.

Farreaehing Legislation Administered
by Scientists Of Rank Brings Good
Results to Tillers Of Soil-Food and
Drugs Act Upheld to tho Letter.
In his inaugural address President
Taft called attention to the deficit then
existing in the revenues and the con.
sequent necessity for rigid economy in
expenditures. However, the president
singled out the department Of agricul-
ture as an exception. He said, to quote
his exact words, "In the department
Of agriculture the use Of scientific ex-
periments on 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 maintained
and repeatedly has urged appropria-
tions for the work Of the department.
In his comprehensive message on
conservation President Taft said, ''The
feature that transcends all others. in
Guiding woods, waters, minerals, is the
soil Of the country" and that all means
at the governments disposal should be
used to conserve the soils, adding. "a
work Of the utmost Importance to in
form and instruct the public on this
chief branch Of the conservation Of our
resources Is being carried on success
fully in the department Of agriculture"
Reports made recently to Secretary
Wilson Of the department Of agricul.
ture by the heads of his bureaus tusti-
fy this solicitude on the part of the
president for the department. In call
ing for these reports the secretary ask
ed 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 the training and
grouping Of many corps Of scientific
men. by securing farreaching legisa-
ton, by gathering together masses Of
statistics and other information. by
providing scientific and other equip
ment, 1t has been possible to produce
most marvellous results for the COM
mon good Of the people.
Taft For Conservation.
In his conservation message Presi-
dent Taft emphasized the importance
Of the maintenance Of the forests and
urged their scientific treatment 80
that they shall be made to yield large
return in timber without really reduc-
ing the supply" and in other messages
he pointed out the necessity Of refor,
estation. In accordance with these
views much available work has been
done in protecting the national forests
and by researches in the laboratory Of
the department at Madison, Wis, and
in the past five years the work Of re-
foresting burned over areas has pro-
ceeded at the rate Of 1900 to 10000
acres a year. The department takes
justiflable pride in its forest work, con-
sider1ng the administration Of 100000
600 acres Of land protected and man
aged for the public benefit a great
achievement.
Since Jan. 1, 1907, when the food
and drugs act went into effect, more
has been done to provide a good, clean
food supply than In all the preceding
life Of the nation. A wonderful change
has also been effected in the character
Of the drugs on sale. The department
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 amendment, az
the supreme court held in May, 1911,
that its provisions, to quote President
Tafts words In his vigorous message
10 congress a month later, do not
cover the knowingly false labelling Of
nostrums as to curative effect" Tha
president added: "An evil which men,
aces 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 warrants me in call
ing the matter to the attention Of the
congress"
Work Of Soil Mapping.
OF Importance to the farmer hac
been the work carried on In the pass
ave years Of soil mapping and classic.
cation. so that now the area includes
IL 4O7, 900 square miles, or nearly AZ
100000 acres. The value Of this worD
is incalculable.
Disseminating the valuable informas
tion acquired by the department has
proved a wonderful work. Practically
200,OOO,OOO publications have been dis
tributed since Secretary Wilson as
sumed control Of the department, and
more than half Q03,598, ,10O of that
number have been distributed within
the uast Ave wears. ..