Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-07-11
DEPARTMENT kept
BUSY BY LETTERS
Correspondence of Uncle Sans
Agricultural Experts Is
Heavy.
UNUSUAL REQUESTS ARE MADE
Officials at Washington Are Asked for
information on Variety Of Matters
Ranging From Dress to
Medicine.

ter OF speculation and interest, the
average recipient often exclaims and
signs over the amount of work neces-
sary in keeping his correspondence up
20 date. But what of list that in
cludes $1,000 correspondents and the
arrival Of from 1000 to 5000 letters a
day7 Such, indeed. is the correspond
ence of the department of agriculture,
1t is probably larger than that of any
other government department. and the
burden of maintaining II fails almost
entirely upon the division of publica-
lions.
In general The nature of this CORE
spondence is much like that of huge
inail-otder house. Demands for bulle-
tins, reports and documents issued by
the department form the bulk of It,
but a decidedly personal note is
touched I'm the numerous requests fop
miscellaneous information. Judging
from these last, the department Is. In
the minds of many persons. the final
authority on matters ranging from
dress to medicines.
Many Personal Letters Necessary
zone important part of the work of
the division of publications" said 10
seph A. Arnold. it's editor and chief
'is the replying to requests for infor-
nation by typewriter letters where
the department has no printed matter
on the subject. The press bulletin mat
ter issued through oar office of infor-
nation reaches widely distributed
public and frequently contains infor-
nation that has not appeared In bulle
tin form. Interested persons, seeing
these notices, write and request a pub
LEGATION covering the subject. making
specific letter necessary. We also ire
quently receive requests for infOrme
tiOn on subjects not properly coming
within the scope of the department.
These are sometimes both humorous
and pathetic.
I'VE usually classify the publications
OF the department as miscellaneous
documents and farmers bulletins.
| These latter are more in demand than
ever. The number used by the bureaus,
offices and divisions is rapidly lncreas.
measure by the extension work of the
| department The large number Of
| farmers bulletins sent to educational
| institutions for distribution to pupils
| represents really about one-tenth OF
! the demand from that class OF appli-
| cants, as II has been necessary In com
! plying with these requests to forward
| only about one-tenth of the number re-
| quested and TO inform the applicant
! that he may secure the additional
copies needed from the superintendent
Of documents, government printing Of
Ace. here In Washington, or possibly
! through the representative represent
Ing his district or senator from his
| state"
| In one instance recently this sugges-
ton, made in good faith. was very in
! dignantly received. In reply came a
| letter addressed TO the department:
Dear Sir: Can't we pull loose from
the pork barrel? l will not sell my
vote to any senator or representative
/ for IS cents ! will not pay 20 cents
for thing that 100000 other American
citizens get either gratis or in trade for
| their vote. Isn't this country big
enough 70 stop the petty bribery Of pro-
fessIonal politicians?"
Letters Of Abuse Common.
Necessarily, tie department must
answer such letter. calmly. Indeed,
letters of abuse, especially of the gov
| eminent clerk, are not infrequent.
More numerous, however, are those re-
! questing information which is entirely
outside of the ken Of the department.
/ From time to time requests have been
made for dress patterns One woman
wrote to ask how she might take in
/ delible ink stains out of black silk
| dress with white stripes ia II.
One old man, city dweller for
/ some seventy years, asked the best
way TO find employment In the cOun-
| try. Among the letters was that of a
woman who wanted to know II gourds
were poisonous. because she had eat, =
| q green one ten days ago.
These letters are only samples Of the
| variety 70 be found In the mail bag
} or the department ne ioTeiEH mat
is an interesting feature. This, SO far
IS the publications of the department
are concerned continues to increase.
During the last fiscal year there were
forwarded to foreign countries 83973
packages of publications at cost Of
| s.. 295.4S In postage.
In addition to the distribution Of the
documents Of the department. the d.
vision OF publications, under different
branches, edits and illustrates them
and conducts system Of indexing. The
work of Illustrating has grown stead
ily. This past year 81 requests for
I Photographic work were received from
persons outside Of the department A
new feature of the work has been the
establishment OF moving picture lab
/ orafory The films are used by the de-
p4rtments representative in cOnnec-
( zion with field aud demonstration meet
ings
Effective Holder for Pens.