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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1900)
October 7. 1!M)(). Til 10 ILLrSTliATlCI) UEK. Sketch of Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson WASHINGTON, spoiidrlico of Tlic ti ciii's liiiiiiortall.i'i! MUM t WlHllll Slllllld Oct. ;t.- (Special Corro lli'i'.) Horn amidst t lit- ! ltoln'i't Hums, al of tin- Uiioii waters, James Wilson, tin- present secretary of ag riculture. Is a splendid type of the SeuU h pioneer who has onipiered tin- wil It moss mid iniuli' the waste places to I lossoui like the lose Hi Is a Due i Xutnplr of hal lo o tillable race whiih has tuwr known fail Jaliiln T. Frederick, a ileinoilat. and as the ilenioi rats had a majority In the house dur ing the Forty-eighth congress 1 1 n.. i . when Mr. Carlisle was speaker, the committee on contested ili'rtloiis tin I UK cluitgc nf Ills enn li'sti.l ileituiii i n period .1 t.-solut ion unseating iWi.n ,in. 1 seating I lv.li i t It Mr ilsi.n s fid ii. 1 1 anil snpi'i in is In Iowa an. I i In iti'itc n puhli. an tin tub. rhip of 'he housi of i i !' si mill In a1 .ob w Alien t Tin: by llest MMN HNTHWCH TO TIIH OM II CIIMI. GIUH SDs I'll. -.. tire anil which has left an imperishable lecoril of lofty patriotism and sterling worth upon the pages of our country's history Secretary Wilson's anoos'ors were In a law ineiiHiire thrifty folk, his father having for many years, until his removal to the Fulled States, been a very successful farmer in Ayrshire, the birthplace of "Tama Jim,'" as he Is good-naturedly ealleil by Ills hint of friends In the llawkeye state. When Secretary Wilson was 17 years of line his family moved from Scotland to Con necticut. Mr. Wilson's parents remained but two years lit the Nutmeg stale, and as the west was then holding out Its arms in vitingly, the father of the secretary and his family located In Iowa 111 1.s"i. taking u.i land In Tama eouutv. As early as 1S0I the present James Wilson engaged in farming and his farm of l.-'oil sides today bears evidence of Ills practical skill and seientlllc attainments In apicul ture and stock-raising. As a, boy the sejrotnry of ngrlctiltuto was an omulvoiuiis leader. lie had the ad vantage of the country schools of Scotland before his family removed to America and when young Wilson settled In Iowa he at once entered one of the new colleges In the then new state and after graduation had Mime little t.lerlctice as a country school toucher. Unlike most of those who entered the Held with him, James Wilson has kepi up with the line borne niiward on Its current, not stranded upon "some green and grassy shore." From the very beginning he drew his inspiration from nature. Like the great Scotch poet, he lived largely an out-of-door life. Ho followed the plow, tended the sheep and marketed the output of his fath er's farm long before most boys of this country think anything above play and a general good time. Wlille his father was not a rich man h was considered a well-to-do farmer in Ayr The ha.ard of life and foitiiue, however began in Secretary Wilson's case very early as It does usually with that of all glen1 men and it was not long until he was com polled to do the man's share of the burden bearing. Seeker Vl'ter Ivninili'ilui', The dlll'erence between greatness and lit tleness, as far as Intellect is concerned Is that one perceives the possible ro-mlt of sit nations and the oilier fastens his eyes upon tint conditions as they are. One se-s tin hllehlng post by the lo.ulslde, the oilier sees It, I but instantly infers the halter the horse, the carriage, Its occupants, their lives, the shops in which the harness win made and the factory in which the tl 1 1 1 1 was maiiiifai'tured, To one (he post is only a post, to the other the post Involves th whole of civilization and of the progress or man. This especially rellects the ihira ler of James Wilson, for from his earliest boyhood he has been a seeker after knowl edeo and truth. In his busy life, which has tint been con .lined solely to farming the farm he has served many years In the state legislature of Iowa, having been elected spcalur of tin Iowa house In the Fourteenth General u sembly. National legislation has also bet n his, having been elected to congn ss in is":!, serving in the Forty-third Forty fourth and Forty-eighth congressis Ii, the Interim between the Forty-fourth ami Forty-eighth congresses he seiV'd as mouther of the State university, and afti r the close of his congressional career he re tired to his farm In Tama count), latir to become professor of agriculture at tin Iowa Agricultural college at Ames, whi'li posi Hull he held when called lo the llepartmni' of Agriculture by President McKlnlcy Co II u res si n ll ll I I lie I lie nt. One Incident connected with his i.ireci' III congress will show what manner of man the secretary of jigrlculture Is and ho a sluing are his ideals for right and just lu lu his third term as a member of the lower house of congress from the Fifth Iowa dis trict Wilson's seat was contested by lien- ton belli ed lulu clilnlcd to his seat and dilatory tail lis were a.iordlngly rt sorted to by the republicans lo prevent W IImiii be lug unsealed before the expiration of i en gross by limitation The llrst session of the Forty -eighth i t tigress went by ami Wilson kept his seat and the closing hours of the second session diew on apace and still the democrats were unable to get action on their resolution. At that time General Grant was dying on the heights of Mount McGregor ami it was desired by the fi lends of the ex-presldent to pass a hill restoring him to his old rank on the retired list of the at my. It was Tuesday. March I!, ISS.'i. and coli giess within a few hours of dissolution. Tlie democrats showed no dlspos.lt Ion to pay Just tribute to the memory of General Grain. The republicans were llllhiisteriug against taking up the contented election case of Frederick against Wilson, and iveryihlng was in confusion. .Men sought vainly for recognition from the chair and pandemonium reigned upon the Hour. Speaker Carlisle was unable to chock the covert attacks of Ills parly directed against the hero of Appomattox. The chairman of the committee having in charge the con tested election case moved that it he taken up, when .Mr. Wilson mounted a chair stand ing in the aisle, demanding recognition. Thomas A. Itobertson. a member fiom Ken tucky, obtained recognition from Speaker Carlisle and said "The gentleman from Iowa desires to make a statement, and I trust the chair will ii cognize him." Speaker Carlisle In a l.o I of the head iiiognli-l the pus. ni -i ri'.ir nctl ul inn Something bad lo to done It was cither to withdraw fivn the contest and Immolate hi.u self completely or ilse light i out and thereby defeat Hi.- b II which would give General Gr. ,u his right position in the eye , ihc world. Mr. Wild n, addr. - lug the chair, said: "Mr. Speaker. If this h,.u.,i will vote to put Guiietal tir.ti' i li the retired list I am wlllin. lo be sarrlllccd after that " This statement was follow, d ' tremendous applause n... the republicans, a great man. leinoiiats Joining In tatm tribute to I ln self-sa rill-i tin re displayed. Within te-i teinutes from that time ih, house of replisclitaltvi s h,l i-.iss.ii ihe resolution diclirii; Hi ii Jit in III T. Frederick of '! Filth Iowa district elccied i- . -.at ill that body, while Mt Wilson di parted from the le u a hero In the eyes of tin- i public. l-'olloulllg the pa-- i ' ol ihe resolul Ion livogn , i u Mr I'm del IcU as having ii.u i b ' i, -I, Samuel .1. li.ui a 1 in,. ed lo suspend the title, it d t riuiit the speaker's t ,b e u.ite Ille LV.r.ti, a Id I win. h u lioi-i.cit an additional .i ..iiit nieiit on the re. Ired 1 i f Hie arm), and within an b. ur 'in r Its passage Charb - ltouii lle of Maine aiiiioiin. l to the house that the pre.-id ui had appointed I'. S. Grant upon the retired list of the .mill with thu rank of general. Tin act of James Wilson Is one of the llncsl examples of s. If sacrlllce noted In the pnliti.al history of our ciiiinirj, and is worthy of record. I asked Secretary Wlls-n th other day what com so he w u'.d recommend for a farmer's bo having In mind farmers' boy who have become slalesmen lawyers, doctors, selnitlst preachers, etc. Ills reply w n i haracierlst lc of the man. "I would have him barn lo do Ihe chores early In life .ml become acquainted with tin practical working of the far.n I would stall him oil' lo the district school In the wintei and would keep him there until h t 1 gold n widl through the middle p.ut ol algebra, together with a go-id know ledge ol Ille common branches. Ily thai time 1 be lieve he would be III led lo enter a llrst class agricultural college. I would expect him to graduate from ll'is college In four years, and alter that I would give him a post graduate course of, say, two or three years. I would send him, mark you, to a college whole practical demons! rat Ions were made mil theoretical. I would send him to a college where they had all Ihe paraphernalia of the In si schools of the eoumrv. In addition lo hoi ses. eat lie. sheep, a good dairy and such other essentials needed lo fully explain actual farm life. After that I would expect bun to be pupaled to take a minor place under : ome able agin nil urisi or horti culturist Where he ( (Hi 1,1 bain the pnu -1 1 ill side ol things u-ine In- thcoiy a a llllp tO till .ll'.llllllll lit of ln. h'I- idl .lis MISS M 1 1,1 HiICI I I.O.MW Cltl)Ui:i SIXTH (J IF FN OF I' I IK K s MKN I Ii, In Id of tin id I. nil 'ill t i- grott llig. ' he -aid with iuteiisll. hi lip- .losing with an expression so usual to him when In it rested. "There ate fewer boys, lo my mind, leaving the farms today than Iheie were ten years ago. They seem to realize the possibilities lu larger measure today of laimlng than they did a decade ago. Fann ing Ih Incoming tnoie a mat ler of science and less a mailer of rule of thumb, and (ho fill lire for piomlse." I ashed him lo his early life, bill "Thele Is Utile or the agriculturist Is full of Miss I'll N( US (ill Y S. II A. MV (JIKFN OF TIIF FHFMOST ..Sib i FI.OWFIt CMISI- tell me something about he demiiried, remaiklng uoihing In my life which would I f Interest lo Ille people. I have always tried to avoid exploiting myseir, bill whatever you can say of Hie Department of Agriculture and the woik thai Is being done by It will be of Incalculable benefit In bring ing lo Hie attention of tin- pi ople the alms and objeils of this great Inst 1 1 111 loll. W.ii-K of it i-leii 1 1 li ni I lleiillll liienl. ' I have always had an ambition to better ihe condition of ihe man who winks lu tin' lii I I with his coat oil', and whalevei has bna done in the I lepai l inenl of Agrlciilluie in a siietilllle way has been done with an iti single lo the brightening of the lives and making easier Die wink of the men who toil upon the farms of this gieal lepubli' of inns I have tried to gather mound mc in Hum department men who would apply lira ii .illy the theories whbh Ihey have gallon. I fiom the schools ami I do mil know or a more thorough depart incut for the illssetnliiatlug of llletature relallug lo all forms of agriculture than Is this de p.irtiiii m which 1 helped create when a con grt --man fiom Iowa." lb 'In u told about the woik thai was be ing limit by the deparlmeiit, especially io ferring to Ihe success attending Ihe Intro duiiiou of a wasp Into California fiom Tin l,i y for Ihe purpose of felt lll.lug Ihn llowir of iho llg trees planted at Fresno ami whbh failed to hoar fruit until Iho lit tle wasp was brought from Its home lu Hut far east ll will be Interesting to liiiow that Altler li il i al l ied oil' Ihe gold medal III the I'aris i .xpositioti for the lines! exhibit of Sumatra tobauo tin American Sumatra having a larger number of leaves lo Ihe pound ami i xcelliug lu quality Unit inlsed In the Island ol Sumatra. sileiitist of Iho department traveled Ufa miles aiioss the desert lu Tripoli to sc ion date palms for propagation at I'lio-nlx. nz and with a string of camels 100 of tin ho palms were brought out of that all ium t ivillat ion for the purpose of denmu sr,itiiig whether or mil they would glow in tin new world lu a climate believed to be almost Identical with that of Tripoli. Through (ho Agricultural department t it grow lug has been undertaken in ihe gulf state., wllh fair success, and it is believed Hint wilhiii a few years Hie green lea of lommitee will be an American product whollv. FITorts are being made to er.ms 'the iiierban wheat with Iho wheat of llus ia. so that a hardier wheat may ho the f nit and a llrmer grain renlled for in.i I'Uel purposes. Til" rubier tree of commerce Is receiving t oti"lili i ill ii ii ai i lii hind - of Ihe ixperl of lb.- di l-.il'hiii m a. oiditig to Seirelai Wlls. ill. and he believes absolutely IlltH within a few years rubber trees will be glowing lu Hie Pulled Sillies. Ihe equal of Die Miriclles propagated lu lioplcal climates "Soils ami water faellliles enter larg.-l,-Into the cousblerai lou of fanning lu Hils country." said Mr. Wilson. "The rightful use of water is still an unknown factor In many of our farmers. Drouth brings: havoc to the cotton crops of the south as well as to Ihe corn bell of the north. And yet 1 believe siitlleleul water rails, year lu and year out. lo make possible fair clops lu Ihe seclloil'i mentioned Last year lu the cotton belt nearly twenty Inches of rain fell, and yet the irop Is short, lu Kansas they have a partial lallure lu corn, and yet Ihey had a rainfall which ought lo have Insured .in ,-1 1 1 u 1 1 I -1 1 1 1 crop Tlie question of husband lug the water and reull.lug the posslblli lies or its fall are things which Ihe Agrl ( nil Hi : 1 1 deparlmetil hopes lo bring home to Ihe people of America by practical objei t lessons ill Hie Ileal' flllllie. "When you consider thai Ihe I'nlle.l States pays $oii,iiiiii,oiiu for tropical prod oils (.initially, you cannot fall lo reall" Hie possibilities which open Up In our I pie. It Is mil only our business lo teach olll' own people how lo I'll till illlelll gently ami beneili from the tilings that are given to us, bill ll Is our business lo leacll Ille brown people i.f Ille I'hillppltle how to produce things that we cannot prnditii'. ami ihereby not inly make a inaikei for tin-in. bit! liny, lu turn, make a nun he! fur us. "We have explorers all over Ihe world investigating Ihe products of the several count rles. ours Is a reaehliig-iiul deparl llielll. Mild wherever we call benelll our people by the Introduction of now cereal or new plants for domestic use or ornn nieiiial purposes we are securing L In h ' tilings for our farmers. "Iti the Inn .-.I n of animal Industry they are making scleiillllc Investigation or ills eases llial exlsl among horses, entile, sheep and hogs, and we me trying lo Hud mean lo put down disease as well as lo illscovet pioveiilllllves. Olll' success with bluchli'K vaccine Is known from mi" end of Ihe coun try lo Iho other and In other Holds we hav lightened the burdens and I educed to the minimum the lavages of disease. "If Ihe rminer does mil keep puce wllh glowing Information legardiug his work h. snuggles against wind and water, heal ant cold, Instead of using lliem as servant:' The Hepaiiiiieiit of Agriculture Is Hie farm, er's helper and If he will but benelll f i tun Iho Information which Is nnnually given out by the trained men of this ileparlmem In cannot help bill be a liomemlous factor Ii shaping policies Hull will tend to widen Hi sphere III whbh wo live, mooting Ihe new responsibilities wllh iiufaliei lug strength. So -rotary WIIkoii Is lutein o In hi friendships and has the lact, shrewd ness, iiud common-seiiHo of his Scotch ancestry, combinations at once so delight till us they urn rare, ami Nebraska can well Join wllh her slsler stale across Ihe Mis simrl lu laying claim lo James Wilson as a 1 1 p- eseutat I vo In President MclCinley's cab inet. F. C. S.