The diamond drill., 1922-02-24
NIX.
JUST KEPT GROWING


establishment II well watered with
government money will expand and
hold together, no matter. xow conflict
ing and incongruous It's functions.
Hardly one OF these great business es-
tabllshments-for that Is what they
are-was planned. As they are today
they just happened
Take the Department Of Agriculture,
for example. one OF the greatest and
most complex and widespreading OF all
the departments. IL Is IN closer touch
and more directly affects the greatest
number Of people In the United States
Than any other branch OF the govern
inent with the POSSIBLE exception OF
the post Office. 1t began in 1899 with
an appropriation OF 81 900, taken from
the patent funds for the dstribu-
tion OF free seeds and the collection
Of agricultural statistics by the patent
office. then a bureau In the State de
partment. Now look at the darned
thing. II Is all over the place.
The title OF the department indicates
It's most important field OF activities. but
its functions have been extended 10 In
clude the whole range OF rural indus
try and some branches OF administra-
tlon only very indirectly related TO
agricultural interests. For about 60
years subsequent TO the Revolution the
general interests OF agriculture were
left almost entirely 10 individual initia-
tive. Federal activity was confined 10
relatively narrow limits and was mere
ly sporadic. Soon after the national
government was organized some at.
tempts were made 10 establish board
of agriculture; but neither the first
proposal IN f7eo nor q second effort IN
1917 was successful
shortly after the Revolution. follow
ing the example OF Benjamin Frank
lin while In England. as agent OF the
colony OF Pennsylvania during the
years 1894 TO 1875, American consuls
and naval officers began the practice
OF sending home foreign seeds and cut
tings for new crops, and OF aiding In
the introduction into the United States
OF new breeds OF domestic animals.
Even such small governmental partici-
patton was, I'm the beginning, rather
extra-ofiicial.
In 1896 the commissioner OF pat
ents, one II. l.. Ellsworth. began the
distribution Of considerable quantities
OF seeds and plants received from gov
crnment representatives In foreign
countries: and three years later
through his influence an appropriation
OF 81, 900 was made for the purpose OF
procuring and distributing seeds' OF
new plants. carrying agricultural In
vestlgations and collecting agricultural
statistics. This was the historic be-
ginning OF the much-tnlked-about free
seed distribution.
BY an act OF congress I'm May. 1862,
since generally called the organic act,
the activities OF the government affect
ing agriculture We're placed under a
separate and distinct organization
known as the Department Of Agrlcul-
ture, In charge OF a commissioner of
agriculture. IL did not rank, how
ever. with the other executive depart
ments. and the commissioner was not
entitled 10 a seat In the Presidents
cabinet. Isaac Newton. chief OF the
agricultural section In the patent Office,
was appointed the first commissioner
of agriculture. other officers provided
by the organic act included statis-
tician, chemist. an entomologist and
superintendent OF the propagating
garden and experimental farm.
The chrysaIls was now ready TO be
broken. In 1889 the Department OF Ag-
riculture was elevated 20 the rank OF
the other executive departments and
rs commissioner was made secretary
OF agriculture with a seat In the Presi-
dents cabinet This was In Grover
Cleyeland's administration In honor
of its new rank a few more functions
were taken ON
But that's enough detail. II kept on
growing. Beginning with an appro-
prlation Of $1,000 and two or three
clerks. the department had In 1910
employees TO the number OF 12,4SO. and
an appropriation of S12.995.036 Five
years later the appropriation had
grown to Sl9.S65,S32 and the EN-
ployees TO 1929. The employees w
May. 1920. numbered 1S,09s and the
appropriation given by congress for
the fiscal year 1927 was $3i .4T5, ,36S.
The department has increased It's
cost of living In So years. from "A mere
81 ,OO0-that Is. SS3.33 montb--to
more than $3l. 100000 a years., ,022,-
047.3S every month. That shows as
clearly and as sharply as IL can be
shown how the high cost of govern
ment living Affects your own cost OF
living
We. you and ]. paid out Of our saw
ings and earnings every red cent of
that increase from 81 900 a year to more
than $ai.0oo,0o0. II may have been
well spent We probably got run
for our money but nobody knows. ex-
cept In general way. We have
right 10 know. II Ia simply fatheaded-
$500 ~. eow ~. rs x..f fn Nr.t ..us