The Colorado statesman., 1917-07-07
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
sighs over the amount of work neces-
sary in keeping his correspondence up
to date. But what of list that in
cludes $4,000 correspondents and the
arrival of from 1000 to 5000 letters
day? 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 it falls almost
entirely upon the division of publica
tons.
In general the nature of this CORE
spondence is much like that of n huge
mail-order house. Demands for bulle-
tins, reports and documents issued by
the department form the bulk of it,
but decidedly personal note is
touched in the numerous requests for
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.
the division of publications" said Jo-
seph A. Arnold, its editor and chief,
sis 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 our 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 pub
lication covering the subject, making
specific letter necessary. We also fire.
quently receive requests for informa-
ton on subjects not properly coming
within the scope of the department.
These are sometimes both humorous
and pathetic.
"We 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 increas
ing, caused undoubtedly in a large
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 it has been necessary in com
plying with these requests to forward
only about one-tenth of the number re-
uuested and to inform the applicant
that he may secure the additional
copies needed from the superintendent
Of documents, government printing of
fee. here in Washington, or possibly
through the representative represent
ing his district or a senator from his
state"
In one instance recently this suggeS-
ton, made in good faith, was very in
dignantly received. In reply came
letter addressed to the department:
"Dear Sir: Can't we pull loose from
the pork barrel? I will not sell my
vote to any senator or representative
for - cents. 1 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 to stop the petty bribery of pro-
fessional politicians?"
Letters of Abuse Common.
Necessarily, the department must
answer such letters calmly. Indeed,
letters of abuse, especially of the gov
crnment 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
1elible ink stains out of black silk
dress with white stripes in it,
One old man, a 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 if gourds
were poisonous, because she had eaten
green one ten days ago.
These letters are only samples of the
variety to be found in the mail bag
of the department. The foreign mail
is an interesting feature. This, so far
us the publications of the department
are concerned, continues to increase.
During the last fiscal year there were
forwarded to foreign countries S3,973
packages of publications at a cost of
81, ,295.4S in postage.
In addition to the distribution of the
documents of the department, the di-
vision of publications, under different
branches, edits and illustrates them
and conducts system of indexing. The
work of illustrating has grown stead
lily. This past year 81 requests for
photographic work were received from
persons outside of the department. A
new feature of the work has been the
establishment of a moving picture lab
oratory. The films are used by the de-
partment's representative in connec-
ton with field and demOI-ltra ton meet