Semi-weekly herald., 1912-04-11
TAFT INSISTS on
AID TO FARMERS
Says Work Of Department Of
Agriculture Must Go On.
LARoRs FOR CONSERVATION
Far Reaching Legislation Administered
by Scientists Of Rank Brings Good
Results to Tlilers 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 oonse-
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 a 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 transeends 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 agrieul-
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
ho-, alE ~
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, 80
| that they shall be made to yield
| large return In timber without really
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 $4,000 to
10000 acres year. The department
takes justihable pride In its forest
| work, considering the administration
| OF 100000 900 acres of land protected
and managed for the public benefit a
great achievement.
Since January /, 1907. when the food
and drugs act went into effect. more
has been done to provide 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 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 amend.
ment, as the Supreme court held in
May. 1911, that It's provisions, to
quote President Tsft's words in his
vigorous message to congress month
later: "Do net cover the knowingly
false labelling OF nostrums as to cura.
i five h. "a a.
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
Ave years of soil mapping and classi.
fscation, SO that now the area includl
ed is 4o7,oos square miles, or nearly
10000 acres. The value of this
work is inoalculabls. as 1t aids settlers
in the west as well as the farmers.
Disseminating the valuable infor-
nation acquired by the department
has proven a wonderful work. Prao.
tically 200,000.000 publications have
been distributed since Secretary Wi.
son assumed control of the depart
ment, ard more than half (109. .59g..
1000 of that number have bean dis.
tributed within the past ffve years.
Other work accomplished by the de.
partment includes comprehens sive
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
In Its numerous phases has brought