Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-14
NEWS OF THE LEGISLATURE
GOVERNOR SEEKS
Big EDUCATOR
Tells Farmer Legislators Some
Plans and Rasmussen
Speaks

OpSdkS
Legislators who own or operate
farms got together at country
dinner last night and were told by
Governor Sprouk and Secretary of
Agriculture Rasmussen some of
their plans.
The Governor said that he had
invited to become superintendent OF
public instruction, a man who will
stand out as one of the bost quail
fled for the position as can be found
in this country, one who has had
the best experience in educational
matters of any man in the United
States. If the man invited comes
here, the Governor said, he will be
a specialist in school management
and especially so in the supervision
or rural schools, in which he has
mad as much experience as any man
in the world. The Governor would
not name the man he has in mind.
The dinner was unique in legisla-
tive affairs of that kind. The roast
pig, the apple sauce, pumpkin pie,
vegetables and other good things
provided were put on the table and
everybody invited to help himself.
Representative Charles C. Jordan,
or Lawrence county, presided. and
those who spoke, in addition to the
Governor, were: Mr.. Jordan, Fred
erick Rasmussen, secretary of agri-
culture, who explained the plans of
his department; Lieutenant Cover
nor Beidleman. President of the
Senate Buckman, Speaker Spangler
and Senator Crow. All of them ex-
pressed their interest in farming.
Mr.. Jordan told the farmers that
the object of the dinner was TO cre-I
ate a larger interest in agricultural
interests in the State. Pennsylvania,
he said, ranked tenth as an agrieul-
tural State and If the same efforts
were put into increasing the produc-
ton of the farms as is expended in
advancing the mineral interests of
the State, Pennsylvania would soon
rank seventh. The city and the
country he added, should get closer
together. because one of the vital
questions of the day is more food
and better food.
Introducing Governor Sproul.
Representative Jordan said Mr.
Sproul was engaged in the same in
dustry that war carried on in the
Garden of Eden which caused so
much trouble-that of apple raising.
Governor Sproul praised the activi-
ties of the Department of Agricul-
ture and the Highway Department.
declaring that he felt satisfied that
he had placed at the head of each,
the best men that he could find.
After making his reference to the
superintendent of public instruction.
Governor Sproul expressed his pleas
ure over the way he is getting along
with the members of the Legisla-
ture. He said that since he has
gone to the other end of the Capitol,
he has changed his mind about the
Governors office, and he now feels
that there is no place, except possi-
bly, some university, where less is
Known about the Governors office
than in the Senate. When he views
legislation now, he said, he has to
do it alone and cannot pass the
buck" to anyone else.
Senator Crow said he had always
taken an interest in agriculture. He
made special plea for State Col
lege. 1t should be given better sup
port by the State and should be
made to stand along side any agrf-
cultural college in the State.
Secretary Rasmussen said that in
advancing the agricultural interests
of the State, social and economic
conditions must be taken into con-
sideration so as to keep intelligent
people on the farms. One of his
ambitions. he said. was to work out
plan to coordinate all agencies
that are now in operation to i'm
prove farming. Federal aid should
be accepted, but this aid should not
be allowed to dictate and there
must be a general elimination of!
duplication in the States work in
enhancing the agricultural interests
of Pennsylvania.
The Secretary said the people of
the cities should see something more
IN agriculture than cheap food. |
When wages are raised in the cities. !
the prices of farm products go up |
also. because the raising of wages !
brings competition for labor and the |
farmer has to raise the pay of his |
men to hold them and also has to |
pay more for the articles manufac- |
tured in the cities. 1t would be a |
great thing, he said. if people better |
understood the relations of industry |
to agriculture.
Mr. Rasmussen spoke of the func-
tions of the several bureaus coming
under his Jurisdiction. He said there |
should be more cooperation in the
raising of cattle and that the far4
mers should organize in a business
way along the lines that business in
the cities organizes. Farmer insti-
tutes will be operated on a different
plan, he said and there will be CO.
operation with farm bureaus in
counties where such exist. Regard
ing the Bureau of Markets, Mr..
Rasmussen says, the next ten years
will see more progress made in the
of farm products than
was made in the last fifty years.
Some agencies now used in the pro-
duction of products, he said. would /
be eliminated and their functions
centered in the country,