V
THE HUUfER IS
NOT NEGLECTED
Scientific Aid Invoked by the Gov
ernment in Hl Interest.
Important Results Accomplished
During tftia McKinley-Rooie-'
velt Administration.
A brief review of the work of the
McKlnley-Roosevelt administration lu
behalf of the farming Interests of the
country is all that la necessary to com
pletely controvert the Democratic
charge that the government Is neglect
ing the farmer.
During the last eleven years Presl
deirts McKInley anil Roosevelt have
aimed to bring the Department of Ag
rieultirre to the help of our farmers Id
'all sections of the country and have in
structed the Secretary of Agriculture
to use all endeavors to help the tiller
of the soli towurd greater cfllelency
and more economic production ; - to
make the America acre more potent
in growing crops. The Congress during
the last eleven years has quadrupled
the amount of money invested In agri
cultural research and demonstration,
to give the American farmers help In
their operations on the farm, to feed
our people well and cheaply, and en
able them to compete with the outside
world. It has provided for over two
thousand scientists, specialists in their
respective lines, who are in touch with
our farmers in all sections of the
country, gathering information and
preparing it for issue in departmental
publications, of which nearly seventeen
million pieces were given out In 1907
to go into our country homes, dealing
directly with what Is uppermost In the
minds of our growers of plants and
animals at the time of publication.
Selene Applied to Development of
Agriculture.
The education of specialists in ap
plied science to meet the demand for
research uuder the Federal Government
and under State Institutions has be
come a prominent feature of depart
mental work. Graduates of our agri
cultural and other colleges are drafted
into the Department of Agriculture and
prepared for scientific research along
the lines demanded by the producers of
our country under all our varied con
ditions. Within the last eleven years
nearly sixteen hundred young men have
had post-graduate instruction in the
deuces of agriculture. The Depart
ment of Agriculture and the' State ex
periment stations are actively co-operating
with regard to unsolved prob
lems that affect the farmer throughout
our States and Territories and in the
Islands of the sea that have lately
come into our possession.
New markets for our surplus produc
tion are being sought la foreign coun
tries, and scientific inquiry is being
made into the preparation of our ex
ports for foreign markets. Uncertainty
with regard to the magnitude of our
crops at home is being removed by
careful statistical inquiry, to the end
that more accurate knowledge with re
gard to production may mitigate the
evils of speculation. Inquiry is also
being made into the productions of
competing countries, in order that the
American farmer may know what he
has to meet in foreign markets.
New Products for America Farm.
Strenuous efforts are being made to
encourage the home production of
articles we have been importing from
foreign countries. During the lawt
eleven years there has been an increase
in the, production of sugar from beets
which makes the product of 190",
amounting to 500,000 tons, over thir
teen times that of 1890 and Its value
v fifteen times. Eleven years ago we
produced only one-fourth of the rice
consumed In the United States. The
fostering work of the Federal Govern
ment has enabled the rice growers to
produce more than the equivalent of
our home consumption and foreign
markets are being sought for the sur-
plus. There was an increase In the
production of rice from 07,000,000
pounds in 1890 to an average of 710,
000,000 pounds during the last four
years.
k Scientific research by the Bureau of
Soils demonstrates the fact that we
can produce at home the fine tobaccos
for which we have been paying over
4. A. flit J. II.. . (
iweuij luiuiuu uouurs a year 10 ror-
elgn countries. Our explorers have
searched foreign lands for grains, leg
uraes, fiber plants, teas, etc., for Intro
duction into sections of the United
States suitable to their production
The producing area for grains has been
extended westward into the dry re
glous of our country through the In
troductlon of plants that are at home
where the rainfall Is light. Nearly
fifty millions of bushels of wheat are
being grown in regions that have here
tofore been unproductive.
Eraaleatloa. of DIimim of Farm
Animals aad Products.
The Federal Government Is studying
the diseases of domestic animals with
view to their complete eradication.
Our animals and their products go to
foreign countries with bills of health
fulness. The American meats are the
most wholesome in fbe world, as the
world now knows. An Imported dl
ease of domestic animals was promptly
stamped out within a year st au ex
pendlture of 'S300.000, to preveut it
from spreading throughout the country
Donkeys! Well, there may be
From the Des Moines Keghtcr and Leader.
among our herds and flocks. Rigid in
spection against foreign countries hav
ing anlmul diseases is maintained at
our ports of entry, In order to protect
the health of our domestic animals. .
Within the last eleven years the gov
ernment has become thoroughly
equipped to deal with plant diseases.
The loss of half a million dollars an
nually was stopped by pathological ex
amination of our sea-Island cottons.
New varieties of fruits, cereals, cottons,
etc., are being created by hybridizing to
meet the demands of producers of these
crops In the North and in the South.
Our forests have been mostly de
stroyed and our mountains, the natural
reservoirs for water, have been ren
dered incapable of retaining moisture.
Efforts are being made to reforest the
country, to prevent fires, to regulate
grazing in our forests, and to study
lumbering and forest products.
The Federal Government Is making
inquiry into rond material and a begin
ning has been made in the education of
young men toward road building. A
laboratory hn been established in the
Department XX Agriculture for the
study of materials with which to con
struct roads; and rocks, gravels, clays,
tiling, -cement, concrete puvements,
stone, brick, wood, and aspbaltum are
being studied.
The Central American boll weevil,
now the greatest menace to the cotton
crop of the United States, Is being
actively studied as it . Increases its
ranee, and means of control have been
devised which make the growth of cot
ton nearly as profitable Tib ever. The
Insect enemies of other great staple
crops are being Investigated throughout
the country, and the gypsy and brown
tall moths, which are threatening the
forest areas of New Kugland, are be
ing checked and brought into measur-
uble control by the agency of the Fed-
eral Government in co-operation with
state authorities. The losses occasioned
by Insect pests in general amount to
millions annually, and much of this
loss may gradually Ik- prevented by the
kind of work done by the Department
of Agriculture.
The atmosphere In its relation to ag
riculture and commerce is being care
fully Btudied, and trained meteorolo
gists for the first time lu our history
ore being detailed from the Department
of Agriculture to give lectures In Insti
tutions of learning. In order that we
may have scholars In the land along
this Hue of inquiry, to the end that the
farmer and the mariner may have all
the protection that Intelligent forecast-
lug can give them.
Ths Meat I aspect Iob and Pore Food
Laws.
On June 30, 1900, by the approval of
President Roosevelt, the Meut Inspec
tion Amendment became a law. Under
the provisions of this amendment the
Federal Government guarantees to the
people of the United States that the
meat shipped In interstate commerce Is
derived from animals which nre free
from disease at the time of slaughter,
and that meat products from these ani
mals are prepared In clean packing
houses, under sanitary conditions, and
without the addition of any injurious
or deleterious urug, rncnitcaig, or pre
servatives. The United States now lins
the most stringent and the best en
forced meat Inspection law of any coun
try lu the world, and It is a great pro
BRYAN VISITS THE STATE frAIS.
a few here some place, but we don't
tection to the health and lives of the
people. Over 2,500 employes are di
rectly engaged each working day In ,tbe
year In the enforcement of the law.
On the same day, June 30, 1900, Pres
ident Roosevelt approved the Pure
Food Law. This law covers all foods,
with the exception of meats, Including
beverages, and also drugs which enter
Interstate or foreign commerce. By its
terms, articles of food or drink must
not contain any Injurious or deleterious
drug, chemical, or preservative, and the
label upon each package of food, drugs,
or drink must state the exact fact, and
must not be false or misleading in any
particular. While this law does not
cover foods, beverages and drugs which
are produced and consumed entirely
within the limits of one state, yet its
enactment has incited the legislatures
of the different states to enact laws
covering domestic products of a like
nature. Tbesutaws very generally fol
low the national act as to form and de
tail, the only difference being that one
affects interstate and foreign commerce,
while the other affects the Internal
commerce of the state. Insiectors are
continually traveling throughout the
United States to discover whether the
terms of the law are being, observed,
and they have found, upon the part of
manufacturers and dealers, a very gen
eral compliance with the law. When
violations of the law are observed,
they are at once prosecuted by the De
partment of Justice, and the guilty
parties are punished.
The Farmer and Balance of Trade.
During the eighteen years, 1890-1907,
the average annunl excess of domestic
exports over Imports amounted to $337.,
000,000, and during the same time the
annual average In favor of farm pro
ducts was $302,000,000, from which it
is apparent that there was an average
annual adverse balance of trade in pro
ducts other than those of the farm,
amounting to $25,000,000, which the
farmers offset and had left $:7,000,000
to the credit of themselvesand the coun
try. Taking the business of 1907, the com
parison is much more favorable to the
farmers than during the eighteen-year
period, since the value of doiuestlc ex
ports of farm products over1- Imports
was $414,000.0(10.
During the last eighteen years there
was a balance of trade. in favor of farm
products, without excepting any year,
that amounted to $0,512,000,000.
Against this was an adverse balance of
trade In products other than those of
the farm of $450,000,000, and the farm
ers not only canceled this Immense ob
ligation, but had enough left to place
$0,l'5ti,i00,000 to the credit of the na
tion when the books of . International
exchange were balanced.
Tin se figures tersely express thp Im
mruse national reserve sustaining pow
er of the farmers of the country under
present quantities of production.
The health of our people Is being
safeguarded by Inquiry Into Importa
tions or rood rroiu loreign countrl'"
that contain substances deleterious to
health. I he I lilted Mates Is no longer
the dumping ground for food s!u:T
that are forbidden salt in the countries
where they originate.
An aim of the Department Is to iua';i
the American Inch pendent Vhh regard
to everything that etui ! produced Pi
n:r latitudes. Ohms of k icv.tts huv
been placed lu en !i of tiia now Island
raise many of them In this state
groups that have lately come under our
Jurisdiction for the purpose of helping
them to produce what can not be grown
lu the continental United States.
The Department of Agruculture Is
furnishing Information regarding tho
requirements and possibilities of irrl-
gatlon, both In the arid regions of the
United States and as an aid to ngrl
culture In the humid East. This lu
quiry determines the amount of water
needed to give the best results, the
time when It should be applied, and the
methods of application best suited to
different localities, and the different
crops. The evils of too much water, re
sulting In the ruin of large areas which
were highly productive a few years
ugo, are being Investigated, with a view
to preventing not only the ruining of
crops which get too much water, but
of those on equally fertile soil which
are deprived of the necessary water
supply. The economic use of wat?r
and the Introduction of plants from for
eign countries where the raiufall Is
light are extending crop growing oy-ir
large areas that have been unproduct
ive.
Other Fields of Activity.
The bureau hus undertoken the
direction of farms, particularly where
ballling problems discourage the farm
ers. Thirty-two of these farms are
under the supervision of the bureau in
Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, South Carolina, and Flor
ida. Co-operative work in tea raising
In South Carolina has resulted In 'a
crop of 8,000 to 10,000 pounds In a sea
son on the experimental farm, the tea
being many times more valuable than
the Imported grades.
During a single year the department
printed 12,500,000 copies of Its various
publications; G.500,000 farmers' bulle
tins alone were Issued. During the
year the deiinrtmeut issued 072 distinct
publications, 329 being new. They con
tained 22,X pages of reading matter,
a library lu Itself.
There ure over 4,500 people directly
employed lu the department and nearly
250,000 people acting as special cor
respondents throughout the world with
out compensation, a notable tribute to
the IniiMirtance of farming lu the Unit
ed States.
In two years time the farmers of
this country have produced wealth ex
eceding the output of all the gold mines
of the world since the discovery of
America by Columbus. In a single
mouth of their busy season the hens of
the country lay enough eggs to pay tho
year's Interest on the national debt In
a year they produce one and two-thirds
billions of eggs, 245 eggs a year for
every American.
, From the corn crop of a single year
the farmers can pay the interest on
the national debt for a year, the entire
debt Itself, and a large amount of tho
actual expenses of the government to
boot, lu 1005 the corn crop reached
2,7tX,000.(M0 bushels.
The agricultural products of the
United States for two years are over
six times ns large as the capital stock
of all the banks In America, not to
mention the capital Invested In the
farms. The fanner Is destined to be a
menial uo longer .but master of his own
future and fate.
Kvlla are to be suppressed by definite
and practical measures not by oratory
or denunciation. lion. Wui. II. Taft,
ut Greensboro, North Carol lua.
LABOR'S REAL ISSUE IS
DEAL WITH GDMPERS
His Effort to "Throw" the Trade.
Union Vote to Bryan Doing
Infinit" Harm.
THAT "BUSINESS" CONFERENCE.
The Labor Press and Leaders ot
Country Unmask President of ths
Federation as a Democrat and a
Free Trader Fighting to De
feat the Best Friends of
ths Working-man.
It will be exceedingly Interesting to
wage workers and Lie public lu
general to know how strongly the po
litical course of President Gompers,
of the American Federation of Labor,
is being opposed by the labor press
and trade union leaders of the coun
try. Since the fact has become known
that President Gompers has had a
real "business" conference with Mr.
Mack, manager of the Itryau cam
paign, the opposition of organized
labor to President Gompers' effort to
"throw" the trade union vote over to
ltryan Is still all the stronger. There
no longer remains any doubt that
President Gompers bus arranged with
the Democratic party to try to force
the labor vote to Bryan, and that de
spite the fact that he, Gompers, Is nt.
the head of u trade union organiza
tion of a non-political nature, he Is,
as an olliclnl of that trade union, using
his time, paid for by the union,
and the unlou machinery in further
ing the success of a partisan political
party. In doing this ho Is going con
trary to all precedent, either lu this
country or In England, lie is a Dem
ocrat and a five trader and ns such
has put himself on record ns fighting
to defent the best friends American
labor ever had lu the history of the
Nation.
While many of the labor papers re
main nou-commital on the question,
most of the Important ones oppose
the policy of President Gompers. Of
course the out and out Democratic
papers will lean toward Bryan.
The Toledo Union Leader tias
strongly opposed the Gompers Blogau
to "reward your friends and punish
your enemies." It declares uiat tne
policy Is Ineffective and is likely to do
more damage to the unions than
good. The Leader has consistently
stood for direct action through n
Labor party or the Socialist party and
is at present delivering hammer blows
for the legislative ticket of tho Social
ist party, which was endorsed by ref
erendum vote of the local unions.
The Akron People rips the antl
Injunction pretenses of tho Democratic
party Into tatters, and points out to
Gompers the utter absurdity of plac
ing any reliance in a party that de
clares in favor of restricting Injunc
tions in one plank and follows it up
with a declaration that "It Is the func
tion of the courts to interpret the laws
which the people create." -
The Zanesvllle Labor Journal con
eludes that labor is confronted by far
greater questions than injunctions,
and that "tho labor vote has never been
delivered or deliverable by any man or
set of men."
The Brewers' Journal, of Cincinnati
ridicules the growing taineness of
Bryan, declaring that, he Is no more
feared, and calls upon the working
people to stand by workingmen In the
coming election, something Gompers
will not do.
Tho Switchmen's Journal, prluted nt
Buffalo, opposes Gompers.
The Bakers' Journal, published lu
Chicago, in behalf of Its readers "em
phntlcally protests against having our
International orguulza'tlou classed with
those 'who work and vote for the sue
cess of the Democratic ticket."'
The Stove Mounters' Journal, of Do
trlot, dismisses the subject with the
conclusion : "These are the times th
workingmen fiud themselves close to
tho hearts of the Republican and
Democratic parties. After election
their usual position will bo assumed
again."
The Pueblo (Colo.) Union Label
Bulletin remarks that "Pro. Gompers
expresses himself as highly pleased
with the Democratic labor program,
but from this distance we fall to see
anything to get particularly enthusi
astic about. We are presented with
the same old alternative of choosing
the lesser of two evils, with mighty
little choice lu tho matter."
The Piano and Organ Workers'
Olliclnl Journal, printed In Chicago,
edited by Secretary Dold, formerly
1'resUlcU of tho Chicago Federation of
Labor, says in part, speaking of
Gompers' action urging union people
to support Bryan and the Democratic
party :
"As an excuse for bis unusual, un
constitutional and heretofore unheard
of procedure he offers the labor plank
recently adopted by the Democrats at
their Denver convention.
"We deem It to be our duty to enter
a most emphatic protest agulnst this.
a most wanton disregard for well
established trades union law and eth
ics.
"The constitution of the A. F. of L.
forbids participation In party polities
"President Gompers must and does
know thut both the Republican aud
Democratic parties have In times past
not hesitated to crush the hopes and
spl rations of the, wage workers with
n iron heel whenever and wherever it
suited their purpose to do so.
"And this in lieu of a 'promise,' a
Chimerical or at best questionable antl-
injunction plank.
Ante-electlou promises have evef
been looked upon with scorn by labor
leaders until now.
"We believe in political action of
the wage workets; ws believe it to be
their ony salvation.
"We do not believe In the kind of
politics that will boost a party or par-
ties to which we are Indebted for all
of labor's ills, no matter what 'prom
ises' may be made.
The fifty, hundred or more years
of experience had by organized labor
should preclude ' tho possibility of
turning the workers' economic move-
nient into an adjunct of political party
corruptlonlsts.
"We believe In the ballot; we long
or the day when labor will become a
political unit. '
"We long for a party of, for and by
the wage worker.
"Ix't It be said that President Gomp
ers meant well but he crredi"
Regarding Bryan and his speech' of
aeeeptiwice the views ot the following
prominent trade unlou leaders will be
Interested:
J. K. Prttchard, general secretary
of tho International Pavers and Ram
mers' Union, said :
"I consider Bryan's letter the weak
est document of Its kind ever written.
It Is nonsense to assert that the Re
publican party is responsible for tho
business depression. Under the Re
publican administration the people
had seven years of prosperity. Tho
depression was due to natural causes.
ud politics had nothing to do with it.
If Bryan - Is elected there will bo a
worse depression. K
The Kuights of Labor went to
pieces when they went into politics,
and a like fate will befall the Ameri
can Federation of Labor' unless It re
fuses to supjmrt tho Democratic party.
labor unlou is an Industrial Institu
tion and ' should steer clear of poli
tics." IOdward Hourigan, of District No. 15,
of the International Association of Ma-
hlulsts, said :
"Bryan's letter Is not radical enough.
It Is so weak it will destroy much con
fidence on the part of tho working
people In the Democratic party. Bryau
has no longer a ghost of a show of be
ing elected."
John A. Dyche, of the International
Women's Garment Makers' Union,
said :
'Bryan with his weak letter may
gain the support of many conservatives
but will alienate the labor rote."
President John Xoung, of the Litho
graphers' International Protective and
Beneficial Association of the United 1
States, said:
'Bryan has no show at all of being
elected. His letter of acceptance will
not cut much Ice with the working
people. I do not believe in bis -meth
ods. The Republican and Democratic
parties are both lukewarm when it
comes to aiding laboring classes."
Tho truth Is there are Bcores of
trade unlou leaders who are absolute
ly opposed to ryan and "to the meth
ods put into operation by President
Gompers to try to force trade union
ists to vote for Bryan, but theso lead
ers Just at present prefer, for obvious
reasons, to remain more or less silent.
They can easily see the Infinite harm
tho policy of Samuel Gompers will d
the trade union cause. '
Taft and Labor.
When on the bench Judge Taft saldi
That employes have a right to form
labor unions.
That such unions are a benefit to la
bor and to the public.
That they have tho right to Jola
with other unions..
That the accumulation of a fund to
aid In a strike Is right.
That employes have a right to strlka
whenever any of the terms of their
employment are unsatisfactory.
Mr. (jumpers says Judge Taft Is op
posed to organized labor. Mr, Gom
pers has done n lot of talking in his
time and has been a very prolific writ
er, but lu all he has said or in all ha
has written he has never given organ
ized labor a more unqualified indorse
ment than Judge Taft gave whea an
tbu bench.
The' Natural Heir. .
(By. Josh Wink.),
Bryan says be Is the heir
To Roosevelt's policies;
So natural successor Is
To all the power he sees.
But natural heirs are oft cut off
When they, perforce, go ill,
And he will fiud though strong ala
claim,
Taft will contest the will.
Tho mantle that our Roosevelt drops.
Doth Bryan think he'll wear,
And In his right to wear ths sama '
Will anybody dare. ' :.
He says he only owner is
To all that Roosevelt learea
In policy, but sooth to say, .
He nobody deceives.
The mantle far too big for him
In truth, he'll never wear It;
The policies too broad for him
He'll never Just Inherit.
IIe may adopt himself as heir,
But Roosevelt makes the will.
And when the time comes to probata
. 'TU Taft will fill the bill.
Baltlm.ro Americas
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