Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-04-20
TAFT INSISTS ON
AID TO FARMERS
Says Work of Department of
Agriculture Must Go On.
LkBoRs FOR CONSERVATION
Far Reaching Legislation Administered
by Scientists of Rank Brings Good
Results to TiIIers of Soil
Food and Drugs Act Up
held to the Letter.

his administration President Taft
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 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
posal should be used to conserve the
soils, adding. "a work of the utmost
Importance to inform and instruct the
public on this chief branch 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 the
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, it has been possible
to produce most marvellous results for
the common good of the people of the
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 a
large return in timber without sreally
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 Is, 900 to
10000 acres year. The department
fol oh rid in
work. considering the administration
of 1OO.oOO.0oo 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 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 charac-
ter of the drugs on. sale. The depart
ment has 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:
AN 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 classf-
fication, so that now the area includ-
ed is, 407 .009 square miles. or nearly
Al 900 900 acres. The value of this
work is incalculable. as 1t aids settlers
in the west as well as the farmers.
Disseminating the valuable infor-
nation acquired by the department
has proven wonderful work Prac--
tically zoe. 900, 600 publications have
been distributed since Secretary Will
son assumed control of the depart
ment, and more than half CLOS. $685.
1000 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-
ious insects. the conservation of water
supplies so that every dollar ex-
pended in the prosecution of this work