East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-12-11

ca June 80, 1914, recommends
change In the methods of admins
tering the national forests In unde'
yeloped sections. so that they viii
yield at once revenue that can b'
applied to local development which
will further assist communities anC
aid In the settlement OF the terri
tory. Under this plan the depart
ment, instead OF waiting until timber
Is actually sold before the unsettled
counties gain any revenue from THU
form OF the public domain. will, II
congress grants the necessary author
ity, underwrite its proportion OF ex'
renditude for local improvement, es'
Iecially for road construction. and
charge this against the counties
shares OF timber sales when the tim
her is opened for commercial cutting
The theory underlying the depart
ment's proposal in this matter Is that
the forests in these sections constitute
a large part OF the lands and pros
pectlve public income OF the terri
tory, and that the forests, therefore
should bear their share OF the pio-
reering expense.
In the present report the secretary
has confined his discussion almost
exclusively to the pressing problems OF
increasing the food supply OF the ma
ton and OF bettering rural life. He
therefore states that he has neces.
sarlly omitted from this report the
discussed in detail in the annual re-
ports OF the various bureaus and off,
ces. and those interested in them may
obtain immediate information from
these sources.
Crop Production
Dealing with the general crop pro-
duction of the country, the report
finds:
"The progress OF agriculture re-
veals itself more particularly in its
diversification, in the rise Of minor
crops to larger proportions, than in
the increased production OF staple
products. For example, dairying In
the last generation has become an
exceptionally important branch OF
agricultural economy. the annual
production including more than one
and a half billion pounds OF butter
Il half billion. pounds Of condensed
milk, and a third Of a billion pounds
OF cheese having a value Of approx
mately 5000, 100000. The production
OF orchard fruits exceeds ZIG. 900. 900
bushels a year. with a value OF more
than S14O.OOO.OOO. The value OF the
annual production of vegetables is In
excess OF $40. 900 900. The prouction
OF hay and forage approxlmates 100
600, 900 tons. with a value in excess OF
$500. 00O. 900: the poultry value Is
about one-half that OF the cotton crop
at normal valuations and marked ini-
creases are noted in the quantity and
value Of the cereals"
The Secretary's report includes a
table giving the census figures for
1899 and 1909, showing that in all
products except corn and meat amin
ais there has been a marked increase
in production during the 10-year per-
X.
I'VE know that the wheat crop OF
1914 OF approximately $4,000, 900
bushels is the greatest ever produced
in our history, and that the crops Of
oats. barely, rye. potatoes. tobacco.
and hay are unusually large The
cotton crop. forecast in October at
1890. 600 bales, is the second largest
The apple crop. estimated at 259, 900
600 bushels, Is the greatest ever har-
vested The total production OF six
leading cereals is estimated 20 have
been nearly 5000, ,OOO.O 900 bushels
or about 42s, 900 900 bushels in excess
OF the crop Of 1913. For the coutry
as a whole the crop yields per acre
were 23 per cent better than the
average for the past 10 years. The
average yield per acre OF all the sta
pie crops was "a per cent greater
than 1913. and. except for corn. oats,
and flaxseed greater than the 10-yearI
average.
Cotton Futures Act
'The cotton futures act Is the first
definite. systematic. legal approach
10 the solution Of difficult problems in
This field of distribution. Interests in
The economies of the cotton situation
has grown rapidly in recent years
and has been especially marked dur
ng the present season because Of the
arising out Of the Euro
lean war
"The enactment OF this legislation
9 Iof Importance to cotton growers
because Of the fact that in normal
ears the price when the farmer sells
8 usually based directly on the quota
ions Of the future market.
"The act by prescribing form
4 contract provides that future con-
racts must be based on uniform stan
lards established by the Department
4 Agriculture; prohibits the pro for
ma deliveries and the tenderinig OF
otton of less than seven-eighths
nch In staple in settlement OF future
ontracts; provides for the settlements
or grades above or below the basis
rade IN accordance with prevailing
ommerclal differences allows an APP
eal to the Department OF Agricul-
ure in case of dispute as to grades
Iaple, or quality OF cotton rendered
4 settlement; lodges power with the
apartment to ascertain commercial
ifferences actually prevailing in the
pot markets, and thus to safeguard
he exchanges from unlntentlonal err
or which might subject their con-
-acts to taxation; makes It the duty
+ the department to determine which
re bona flde spot markets, and to
eslgnate the ones which shall be
sed az basis for determining com
lercial differences; and imposes a