Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-01-19
An Important Bill Before Congress.

An Important Dill DeIOte uVuBlesSs
Washington, ID. c., Jan. ia
bill of great import viii be intro.
duccd in the House of Representa-
tiycs on Wednesday, January 18th
by Representative Lever, Of South
Carolina, and on the same day it
will bc presented in the Senate
jointly by the Senators Hokc Smith
and Page. The bill provides for
further endowment and support
Of Agricultural Colleges to enable
them to assist IN getting into prac
tice the best methods Of agricul-
tural Colleges to enable them to
assist in getting into practice the
best methods Of agriculturcc evolved
by operation of establishing and
maintaining Agricultural Colleges
and Experiment Stations in the
various states.
This measure is the joint work
of the National Soil Fertility
League, the Executive Committee
of the Colleges Of Agriculture and
the statesmen above named. 1t is
in line with the Presidents recon
mcndation in his address at the
National Conservation Congress in
Kansas City, Mo-, September 25th,
1911, it has the support of the
House Leaders OF both parties, and
it may be regarded as an omni
partisan measure.
According to the general plan
out of which this measure springs,
it is proposed that the procedure
shall consist Of getting into gcner-
III practice the best methods known
of scientific agriculture by employ
ing trained agriculturists, or prac-
teal farm demonstrators, skilled
in the most approved methods Of
farm practice, to take to the farm
CT on his own farm the informa
ton or knowledge that will enable
him, the latter, to interpret and
adapt to his local conditions the
best methods of farming. In plain
terms, it will us rapidly as posi-
bic, place a trained, practical man
selected and directed by the res
pcctivc State Agricultural Colleg-
es, permanently in each agricul
tural county of the United States,
and enables the farmer to become
master of his calling aided by the
best services the country can furn
ish, and supported by Federal and
State funds.
According to the provisions of
the bill there will be an appropria-
ton beginning at the rate of less
than one cent per capita and will
approximate three cents per capita
10y the time the annual appropria-
tion shall have increased from
100000 per year, the starting
point, to little over three million
dollars; when it reaches the maxi
mum. To have a clear idea of
the distribution of these funds it
must be understood that each
state receiving its share of the
fund must appropriate an equal
amount for this purpose.
Most authorities have expressed
the belief that the operation of
this plan will in Il few years in
crease the farm output mt least 80
per cent. That means an increase
of wealth per capita of about $50
pea anum, and it adds to the
country'S assets four and one half
billions in national resources. The
average acreage of Europe gives
from two to three times the yield
of the American farms, notwith-
standing their soil has been pro.
ducing foI centuries more than
the lands have been cropped here.
In the Presidents opinion this
promises to be the most valuable
constructive legislation of recent
years. Speaker Clark saws the
mind cannot grasp the benefits
that should grow out of this move
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