The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-03-25
Bureaus
New York Tines

Directing to certain items in the
agricultural appropriation bill, Sena-
tor Mcclellan reviewed sardonically
certain achievements of bureaucracy
in the Department Of Agriculture. In
1919 a Massachusetts, man found
worms in his sweet corn. So Sena-
tor Lodge introduced bill author
izing the appropriation Of $4,000 to
investigate, and if possible to exter-
inmate, the European corn borer.
Such were the modest beginnings Of
the corn borer bureau. Corn borers
are mighty few. but 90 men are enl-
ployed in the well-paid task of look
ing for them. Representative Fish
told Mr.. Mcclellan that last summer
the department sent Sc corn-borer
hunters into his district. They stayed
there all through the season. They
| found no borerS. The annual cost
of this army of seekers has been from
$75O,O0O to $l,O0OO0O a year. This
year the sum asked was $795 900. The
house cut it down to $295,000 for the
| fiscal year 1888, and the senate COM
| lnittee on appropriations has ap-
proved the cut. But if there are no
corn borers, why are there so many
official students and eradicatorS Of
them?
To ban and destroy the Mediter-
ranean fruit fly, discovered in the
fruit war between California and
Florida several years ago. the gov
eminent has spent $6,7l0,O00. One
of the departments bulletins con-
fesses that no living man has ever
seen in this country q living Mediter-
ranean fruit fly.
The bureau found dead one one
time, and they have him in a glass
case in the bureau.
When the search for this Mrs Har-
ris Of the insect world was at its hot
test a friend of Mr.. McKellar's, au-
tomobiling in Florida. was stopped
and his car searched II times. Such
was the vigilance of these treasure
hunters. The senator's friend had
reason to tremble. There was bot
tie OF liquid in the car. Since 1907
nearly $12,0O0,O0O has been devoted
to putting the broWntail and gypsy
moths out of business. Senator Kean
says there are none left in New Jer-
sey. There are still a few in MaSsa
chusetts. Possibly there are preserves
Of them. The most effective work
against them has been done by the
states. Starting small, the bureau
has grown larger and larger. Nc
doubt it will be still rejoicing in its
pay envelopes hundred years hence
It takes the clerks Of two bureaus
at about 100000 a year to look after
the Japanese and the Asiatic beetle
The first appropriation in 1916 was
only $4,000 or $4,000. The Mexican
fruit worm has never crossed the
border. There is bureau at about
$125000 a year to keep him out. Mos1
Of this goes for salaries at Washing
ton. This year there Is an appro.
priation for 100000 for a burea,
which deals with "taxonomy and in,
terrelation OF insects" imports aae
exchanges Of useful insects, and *
on. This Is q notable bureau. In 2:
years 1t has never made report. Bu1
here Is our special Joy:
The barberry bureau for the eradi'
cation Of the barberry bush was ere
ated because a bug flew from q corr
field onto q barberry bush and ther
flew back to the corn, and it nigh
; destroy the corn: and yet we hav,
made more corn every year sine
1918, with one or two possible excep
lions. than we ever made before
Even so, in those IA years we hav
spent $685. s6 for the purpose 0
eradicating barberry bushes, and tn
bureau does not know which are tn
good and which are the bad.
u There are 20 bureaus In the depart
! ment Of agriculture. They are i'm
mortal. They can't be abolished
When times get better there will b
more.
Editors Note: This informa-
ton should point congress a way
to tax reduction instead Of tax