Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-04-13
TAFT INSISTS ON
AID TO FARMERS
Says Department Of Agriculture
Work Must Go On
LABORS FOR CONSERVATION.
Farreachins Legislation Administered
by Scientists Of Rank Brings Good
Results to TilIers Of Soil--Food and
Drugs Act Upheld to the Letter.


Drugs Act Upheld to the Letter.
In his inaugural address President
Taft called attention to the deficit then
existing In the revenues and the CON
sequent necessity for rigid economy in
expenditures. However, the president
singled out the department OF agricul-
ture as an exception. He said, to quote
his exact words, ''In the department
of agriculture the use of scientific ex-
periments 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 maintained
and repeatedly has urged appropria-
lions for the work of the department.
In his comprehensive message on
conservation President Taft said, 1.-THE
feature that transcends oil others, In
Guiding woods. waters. minerals, is the
soil of the country" and that all means
at the governments disposal should be
used to conserve the soils. adding, "a
work of the utmost Importance to in
form and instruct the public on this
chief branch of the conservation of our
resources Is being carried on success
fully in the department of agriculture"
Reports made recently to Secretary
Wilson of the department of agricul-
ture by the heads of his bureaus justi-
fy this solicitude on the part of the
president for the department. In call
ing for these reports the secretary ask
ed 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 farreaching legisla-
ton, by gathering together masses OF
statistics and other information, by
providing scientific and other equip
ment. it has been possible TO produce
most marvellous results for the com.
mon good of the people.
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 reduc-
ing the supply" and in other messages
he pointed out the necessity of refor-
estation. In accordance with these
views much available work has been
done In protecting the national forests
and by researches in the laboratory of
the department at Madison, Wis, and
In the past five years the work of re-
foresting burned over areas has pro
ceeded at the rate of $4,000 to 10000
acres year. The department takes
justifiable pride in its forest work, con-
sidering the administration of 100000.
600 acres of land protected and man
aged for the public benefit a great
achievement.
Since Jan. /, 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 character
of the drugs on sale. The department
chemists doing excellent work in all
parts of the country in behalf of pure
foods and pure drugs. This salutary
law, however. needs amendment, 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 rot
cover the knowingly false labelling 0f
nostrums as to curative effect" The
president added: AN evil which men
aces 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 warrants me in call
ing 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 classic
cation, so that now the area included
is 407 600 square miles. or nearly Al,
100000 acres. The value of this work
is incalculable
Disseminating the valuable informa
ton acquired by the department has
proved a wonderful work Practically
2O0O00,0O0 publications have been dis
tributed since Secretary Wilson as
sumed control Of the department, and
more than half Q03.59S, 1907 of that
number have been distributed within
the past five years.
Other work accomplished by the de
pdrtment includes a comprehensive
system of weather warnings and fore
casts. the meat inspection service In
which $500 experts are employed, who
see that every pound Of meat sent in
terstate Is fit for human food, protec-
ton of live stock, the checking of ro-
dent pests. the destruction of noXious
insects. the conservation of water sup
plies, the building and care OF public
roads and the policy for better farm
houses, so shat every dollar expended
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