Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-12-07
WILSON SUBMITS
OFFICIAL REPORT.
SECRETARY OF ACRlCUL-
TURE TELLS OF DEPART.
MENTS WORK.
sixteen YEARS SERVICE
RECOUNTS ADVANCEMENT OF
VALUES OF FARM PIiODUC-
TION AND IMPROVEMENT
IN THE FARMERS LOT
by Associated Press

by Associated Press
Washington, Dec. 6.--After six
teen years, a record of service. In the
cabinet, Secretary OF Agriculture
Wilson submitted today to President
Taft the last annual report he Will
make as head Of the United States
Department OF Agriculture. The re-
port Is more than a review OF the
past years work: 1t contains sum
mary OF the agricultural advance OF
the country during the venerable sec
retary's term OF public service.
THE record of sixteen years has
been written" he says. 1T begins
with a yearly farm production OF
$4,000, 100000 and ends with s9.-
$4,000 900. Sixteen years ago, the
farmer was q joke of the caricatur-
list; now he Is like the stone that was
rejected by the builder and has be-
come the head stone Of the corner"
The tillers of the soil were burdened
with debts he adds, but prosperity
followed and grew with unexampled
epeed. Beginnings have been made
in a production per acre increasing
faster than the natural increase OF
population. There has been an up
lift OF agriculture and OF country
life.
During the past sixteen years the
farmer has steadily increased the
wealth production year by year, with
the exception OF 1911. During the
sixteen years the farmers wealth
production increased III per cent.
Most productive OF all agricultur-
al years In the country has been
1912. The earth has produced it's
greatest annual dividend. The sun
and the rain and the fertility OF the
soil needed not the human controver-
sies, but kept on working in co-opera-
ton with the farmers efforts to uti-
lie them. The prices at the farm
are generally profitable and will con-
tinue the prosperity that farmers
have enjoyed In recent years. The to-
tai production OF farm wealth is the
highest yet reached by half billion
dollars. The grand total for 1912 is
estimated TO be s9.532,000,000 This
is more than twice the value OF the
farm wealth in 1899"
The most effective move toward
reduced cost OF living is the produc-
ton OF greater crops. says the Sec
retary. and this move he declares
is due to the work of the department
of agricultural colleges and expert
ment stations and to the help OF the
press In publishing every movement
to help the farmers. The Nation. he
adds, forgot It's farmers In the gen
eral scheme OF education OF past
years and few philanthropists
thought OF them when giving for ed
ucation. but they are waking up and
thinking for themselves and congress
has been good to them.
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 instan-
ces from their foundation. OF these
bureaus during the time he has been
head OF the department. He praises
highly the experts who have worked
under him.
The great and growing movement
carried on by the department for
agricultural betterment," he declar-
es. has not been sustained solely by
one man not by few men. A choice
corps of scholarly experts in their
special lines OF endeavor has been
growing in membership. In breadth
of view, and In the practical applica-
tion OF their efforts.
The department Is prepared TO
continue and increase its public ser
vice. During sixteen years II has
progressed from the kindergarten
through the primary, middle and up
per grades OF development until now
IL has O thousand tongues that speak
with authority"
From a department with 2i44 en-
ployes in 1897 and an appropriation
OF s3.272.902. II has increased To
1855 employees at the beginning OF
the present fiscal year with an ap-
preparation this year OF almost 1885,
600, 1000. Whereas there are now So
900 requests every week for depart
ment publications. there were but
500 in 1897; and during this perioi
225,000, 900 copies have been distri-
buted. In soil Investigation an area
% $4,000 square miles. equal "a
that OF Germany. France. Great Brit.
ain. Ireland and Italy. has been GOV.
cred