Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-04-12
JUST KEPT GROWING


national machinery that we call the
executive departments show how any
establishment If well watered with
government money will expand and
hold together no matter how conflict
ing and homogeneous its functions.
Hardly one Of these great business es-
tabliShments-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. 1t is in closer touch
and more directly affects the greatest
number of people in the United States
than any other branch of the govern
the post Office. 1t began in 1889 with
an appropriation Of $1,000, taken from
| the patent funds for the distribu-
ton of free seeds and the collection
Of agricultural statistics by the patent
office, then bureau in the State de-
| partment. Now look at the darned
thing. 1t is all over the place.
The title of the department indicates
| its most important field of activities but
| it's functions have been extended to in
| clude the whole range of rural indus
| try and some branches of administra-
ton only very indirectly related to
agricultural interests. For about 60
years subsequent to the Revolution the
| general interests of agriculture were
left almost entirely to individual initia-
| tive. Federal activity was confined to
relatively narrow limits and was mere
ly sporadic Soon after the national
| government was organized some at
| tempts were made to establish a board
| of agriculture; but neither the first
proposal in 1896 nor 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 1864 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, in the beginning, rather
extra official.
In 1886 the commissioner of pat
ents, one II. l.. Ellsworth, began the
distribution of considerable quantities
of seeds and plants received from gov
eminent representatives in foreign
countries; and three years later
through his influence an appropriation
of $1,000 was made for the purpose of
procuring and distributing seeds of
new plants, carrying agricultural in
vestigatons and collecting agricultural
statistics. This was the historic be-
ginning of the talked-about free
seed distribution.
BY an act Of congress in May, 1862
since generally called the organic act
the activities of the government affect
ing agriculture were placed under
separate and distinct organization
known as the Department of Agricul-
ture, in charge of commissioner of
agriculture. 1t did not rank, how
ever, with the other executive depart
ments, and the commissioner was not
entitled to 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 Stats
tcian, chemist, an entomologist and
a superintendent of the propagating
garden and experimental farm.
The chrysals was now ready to be
broken. In 1889 the Department of Ag-
riculture was elevated to the rank of
the other executive departments and
fits commissioner was made secretary
of agriculture with seat in the Presi-
dents. cabinet This was in Grover
Cleveland's administration In honor
of its new rank few more functions
were taken on.
But that's enough detail. 1t kept on
growing. Beginning with an appro-
priation of $1,000 and two or three
clerks, the department had, in 1910,
employees to the number of 12,4s0, and
an appropriation of $12995,036. Five
years later the appropriation had
grown to $19,S65,S32 and the en-
ployees to 1929. The employees in
May. 1920, numbered 1908 and the
appropriation given by congress for
the fiscal year 1921 was $31, 475,36S.
The department has increased its
cost of living in 80 years from mere
$1,OOO-that is, 1898 month-to
more than $31, 100000 years., 622-
9473s every month. That shows as
clearly and as sharply as it can be
shown how the high cost Of govern
ment living affects your own cost of
living
We, you and I, paid out of our saw
ings and earnings every red cent of
that increase from $1,000 year to more
than S31,0OO,O00. 1t may have been
well spent. We probably got run
g.. b,,% L..