The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-12-14
AGRICULTURE IS
THE REAL KING

After 16 years record of service in the
Cabinet, Secretary of Agriculture Will
son submitted recently to President Taft
the last annual report he will make as
head of the United States Department of
Agriculture. The report is more than a
review of the past years work; it con-
tains summary of the agricultural ad-
vance of the country during the vener-
able Secretary's term of public service.
The record of 16 years has been writ
ten," he says. at begins with yearly
farm production of $4,000, 100000 and ends
with $685., 900, 900. Sixteen years ago
the farmer was joke of the caricaturist;
now he is like the stone that was reject
ed by the builder and has become the
head stone of the corner The tillers of
the soil were burdened with debts" he
adds, but prosperity followed and grew
with unexampled speed. Beginnings have
been made in a production per acre in
creasing faster than the natural increase
of population There has been an uplift
of agriculture and of country life.
During the past 16 years the farmer
has steadily increased the wealth produc-
ton year by year, with the exception OF
1911. During the 16 years the farmers
wealth production increased 141 per cent
THIS YEAR RECORD BREAKER.
Most productive of all agricultural
years in the country has been 1912. The
earth has produced its greatest annua.
dividend. The prices at the farm are
generally profitable and will continue the
prosperity that farmers have enjoyed in
recent years. The total production OF
farm wealth is the highest yet reached
by $500, 100000 The grand total for 1912
is estimated to be 1882, 900, 600. This is
more than twice the value of the farm
wealth in 1899"
More than $105, 600, 600, 900 is the grand
total of farm wealth production, the re-
port says, during the past 16 years, an
amount equal to about three quarters of
the present national wealth.
The most effective move toward reduced
cost of living is the production of great
er crops, says the Secretary, and this
move, he declares, is due to the work of
the Department of Agriculture, the agri-
cultural colleges and experiment sta
tions and to the help of the press In pub
fishing every movement to help the far
mers The nation, he adds, forgot its
farmers in the general scheme of educa
tion of past years and few philanthropists
thought Of them when giving for educa-
ton, but they are waking up and think
ing for themselves and Congress has been
good to them.
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.
The Secretary first takes up the work
of the various bureaus of his department
in the past year and then tells of the
growth in some instances from their
foundation of these bureaus during the
time he has been head of the depart
ment. He praises highly the experts
who have worked under him.
THE great and growing movement car
ried on by the department for agricultu-
raj betterment," he declares, has not
been sustained solely by one man nor
by few men. A choice corps of scholar
ly experts in their special lines of en-.
'deavor has been growing in membership,
in bread h of view and in the practical
application of their efforts.
The department is prepared to con-
tinue and increase its public service
During IS years it has progressed from
the kindergarten through the primary.
until now it has a thousand tongues tina.
speak with authority"
From a department with 2,i4i employees
in 1897 and an appropriation of $3,272 ,902,
it has increased to 1883 employees at the
beginning OF the present fiscal year, with
an appropriation this year of almost 1925 q
OOO,ObO. Whereas, there are now So 900
requests every week for department pub
licat'ons, there were but 500 in 1907; and
during ths period 225000, 900 copies have
been distributed. In soil investig on
an area of $4,000 square miles, equal to
that of Germany, France. Great Britain,
Ireland and Italy, has been covered.