The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-04-29
By EDWARD G. LOWRY
Copyright. Western Newspaper Union
JUST KEPT GROWING

DerSOme, costly, lnef1lc1cnt pieces OF int
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
inent with the possible exception Of
the post office. 1t began in 1889 with
an appropriation of 81, 900, taken from
the patent funds for the distribu-
ton 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. 1t is all over the place.
The title of the department indicates
its most important field of activities. but
its 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 o a 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 1854 to ITS, American consuls
and naval officers began the practice
of sending home foreign seeds and cut
tlngs 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 III. L.. Ellsworth, began the
distribution OF considerable quantities
Of seeds and plants received from gov
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
vestigations and collecting agricultural
statistics. This vas the historic be-
ginning of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 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 a
separate and distinct organization
known as the Department of Agricul-
ture, in charge of a 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 a statis-
%tician, a chemist, an ~entomologist and
a superintendent of the propagating
garden and experimental farm.
The chrysalis was now ready to be
broken. In 1889 the Department of Ag-
the other executive departments and
its commissioner was made secretary
of agriculture with a seat in the Presi-
dents cabinet. This was in Grover
Cleveland's administration. In honor
Of its new rank a 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 $12,995, 036. Five
years later the appropriation had
grown to $19,S65, S32 and the en-
ployees to 1929. The employees in
May, 1920, numbered 1S,09S and the
appropriation given by congress for
the fiscal year 1921 was $31,475,36S.
The department has increased its
cost of living in 50 years from q mere
$1,000-that is, $S3.33 a month-to
more than $31 100000 a year-$2,622,-
947.3S every month. That shows as
clearly and as sharply as it can be
shown how the high cost of govern
ment living affects your W cost of
living.
We, you and l, paid out of our saw
ings and earnings every red cent of
that increase from $1,000 a year to more
than S31 100000. 1t may have been
well spent. We probably got a run
for II money but nobody knows. ex-
cant in 81 uanerol wov NVa hovo