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the utmost importance, and has prompted an appropriation by the present Congress for the especial purpose of establishing experimental grass stations; its investigation of destructive insects and methods for destroying them, as well as of the habits of useful insects to agriculture, has been vigorous and useful to all sections; its studies of animal diseases have been such as to reflect credit upon this or any scientific institution; its investigation into the utility of American grown cocoons promises results of far-reaching importance; its investigation into diseases of fruits and vegetables has created wide-spread interest; its investigation into food adulterations; its triumph in sorghum sugar making; its victory in stamping out a disease among cattle which threatened the ranges of the West, and its continued success in decreasing the boundaries in which the disease is confined, fully attest how useful this Department can be made. It has publicly recognized the work of its 10,000 correspondents, and encouraged them to more vigilant efforts and more correct return of crop statistics; it has revived a system of foreign exchanges with the library, which was abolished by a prior administration; it has not only vastly improved the quality of seed sent out, but it has largely increased the quantity; it has distributed more seed for less money than ever before; it has abolished positions which existed under former administrations and which were useless, and increased them where useful to the country; it has diffused among the people more information upon a greater number of topics than was ever before sent out to the people; it has established intimate relations with scientific bodies and institutions; it has answered a larger correspondence than ever before on a greater variety of subjects; it has so conducted its affairs as to receive the plaudits of the press, both agricultural and commercial; its reports have been copiously extracted by the press of foreign countries, and favorably criticised; its scientific articles have been translated into many languages; it has received the praise of the leading agricultural thinkers of this country, irrespective of politics; and its work has been complimented not only by agricultural organizations, but in public debate, upon the floor of the Senate by a Senator of an opposite political faith; it has adopted methods for a better protection of public property in its charge, for a better system of accounts, and a more prompt rendering of them to proper accounting officers; the conventions called under its auspices have been better attended than before, and, measured by the test of the confi. dence expressed by Congress in annual appropriations, and of the people who are demanding its publications; its administration has been useful, influential, businesslike, economical, successful, and in accordance with the principles of true democracy. Indeed nothing better illustrates the character of the administration than the fact that each year since its inauguration the appropriations granted for its work have increased, as follows:

For 1885-86
For 1886-87
For 1887-88
For 1888-89

$598,452. $668,684. $1,046,730.

$1,746,000 (including $585,000 for experiment stations).

A table hereto appended also shows a flattering increase in the demand of the country for the publications of the Department. This table abundantly proves the activity of the Department in all branches of its studies, and the work which it has accomplished during the present administration is commended to those whose interests are identified with the Department, those who are interested in the welfare of

this important institution, those who love their country and who are gratified to see its affairs administered wisely and well.

DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS ASKED FOR.

Table of Bulletins and Reports issued by the Department of Agriculture during the years 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1887:

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THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ON OLEOMARGARINE-THE CARE TO BE EXERCISED

IN PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF AGRICULTURE.

On August 2, 1886, the President signed the bill imposing an internal revenue tax upon oleomargarine, filing with it a memorandum, from which the following extract is made to show its spirit and his intelligent interest in matters of interest to the agriculturist as well as to the consumer:

"There is certainly no industry better entitled to the incidental advantages which may follow this legislation than our farming and dairy interests; and to none of our people should they be less begrudged than our farmers and dairymen. The present depression of their occupations, the hard, steady and often unremunerative toil which such occupations exact, and the burdens of taxation which our agriculturists necessarily bear, entitle them to every legitimate consideration.

"Nor should there be opposition to the incidental effect of this legislation on the part of those who profess to be engaged honestly and fairly in the manufacture and sale of a wholesome and valuable article of food, which by its provisions may be subject to taxation. As long as their business is carried on under cover and by false pretences, such men have bad companions in those whose manufactures, however vile and harmful, take their place without challenge with the better sort, in a common crusade of deceit against the public. But if this occupation and its methods are forced into the light and all these manufactures must thus either stand upon their merits or fall, the good and bad must soon part company, and the fittest only will survive.

"Not the least important incident related to this legislation is the defense afforded to the consumer against the fraudulent substitution and sale of an imitation for a genuine article of food of very general household use. Notwithstanding the immense quantity of the article described in this bill which is sold to the people for their consumption as food,

and not withstanding the claim made that its manufacture supplies a cheap substitute for butter, I venture to say that hardly a pound ever entered a poor man's house under its real name and in its true character.

"While in its relation to an article of this description there should be no governmental regulation of what the citizen shall eat, it is certainly not a cause of regret if by legislation of this character he is afforded a means by which he may better protect himself against imposition in meeting the needs and wants of his daily life.

"Having entered upon this legislation, it is manifestly a duty to render it as effective as possible in the accomplishment of all the good which should legitimately follow in its train."

SPECIAL COMMENDATION OF THE DEPARTMENT.

In his first annual message, sent to Congress December 8, 1885, the President thus referred to the work of the Department of Agriculture:

"The agricultural interest of the country demands just recognition and liberal encouragement. It sustains with certainty and unfailing strength, our nation's prosperity by the products of its steady toil, and bears its full share of the burden of taxation without complaint. Our agriculturists have but slight personal representation in the councils of the nation, and are generally content with the humbler duties of citizenship and willing to trust to the bounty of nature for a reward of their labor. But the magnitude and value of this industry are appreciated, when the statement is made that of our total annual exports more than three-fourths are the products of agriculture, and of our total population nearly one-half are exclusively engaged in that occupation.

"The Department of Agriculture was created for the purpose of acquiring anddiffusing among the people useful information respecting the subjects it has in charge, and aiding in the cause of intelligent and progressive farming, by the collection of statistics, by testing the value and usefulness of new seeds and plants, and distributing such as are found desirable, among agriculturists. This and other powers and duties with which this Department is invested are of the utmost importance, and if wisely exercised must be of great benefit to the country. The aim of our beneficent Government is the improvement of the people in every station, and the amelioration of their condition. Surely our agriculturists should not be neglected. The instrumentality established in aid of the farmers of the land should not only be well equipped for the accomplishment of its purpose, but those for whose benefit it has been adopted should be encouraged to avail themselves fully of its advantages."

AGAIN COMMENDING IT TO ATTENTION.

In his annual message for 1886 he referred to the Department and its works in these terms:

"The Department of Agriculture, representing the oldest and largest of our national Industries, is subserving well the purposes of its organization. By the introduction of new subjects of farming enterprise, and by opening new sources of agricultural wealth and the dissemination of early information concerning production and prices, it has contributed largely to the country's prosperity. Through this agency, advanced thought and investigation touching the subjects it has in charge should, among other things, be practically applied to the home production at a low cost of articles of food which are now imported from abroad. Such an innovation will necessarily of course in the beginning be within the domain of intelligent experiment; and the subject in every stage should receive all possible encouragement from the Government.

"The interests of millions of our citizens engaged in agriculture are involved in an enlargement and improvement of the results of their labor; and a zealous regard for their welfare should be a willing tribute to those whose productive returns are a main source of our progress and power."

On March 27, 1888, the President sent a message to Congress recommending additional legislation prohibiting the importation of swine or their products from certain countries. The message was as follows:

I transmit herewith a report from Hon. George H. Pendleton, our minister to Germany, dated January 30, 1888, from which it appears that trichinosis prevails to a considerable extent in certain parts of Germany, and that a number of persons have already.died from the effects of eating the meat of deceased hogs which were grown in that country.

I also transmit a report from our consul at Marseilles, dated February 4, 1888, representing that for a number of months a highly contagious and fatal disease has prevailed among the swine of a large section of France, which disease is thought to be very similar to hog cholera by the Commissioner of Agriculture, whose statement is herewith submitted.

It is extremely doubtful if the law passed April 29, 1878, entitled "An act to prevent the introduction of contagious or infectious diseases into the United States," meets cases of this description.

In view of the danger to the health and lives of our people and the contagion that may be spread to the live-stock of the country by the importation of swine or hog products from either of the countries named, I recommend the passage of a law prohibiting such impoi. tation, with proper regulations as to the continuance of such prohibition, and permitting such further prohibitions in other future cases of a like character as safety and prudence may require.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE WAR DEPARTMENT.

MANAGED WITH CARE AND CONSERVATISM-PUTTING DOWN FAVOR

ITISM-THE BATTLE FLAG INCIDENT.

Under the present administration the Department of War, which deals with the military establishment of the country and directs the movements of the regular army, has been conducted with economy and efficiency. Its administration has been free from that reproach or favoritism which too often scandalized some of its predecessors, and there has been no suspicion even of the fraudulent practices and shameful corruption which so deeply stained this department of the Government some years ago.

The conservative spirit which has restrained frequent removals in this department has been respected; and comparatively few changes have been made in the force of the office. The labors of the Pension Department, to secure prompt action on cases submitted for adjudication, have had valuable auxiliary in the War Department; and in all its divisions administrative work has been dispatched with great promptitude. The catastrophe of Indian wars has been averted by sagacious anticipated frontier disturbances; the numbers of the regular army have been maintained; its discipline promoted, and all the routine business of the War Office has been faithfully done.

DOING AWAY WITH FAVORITISM.

The President deserves much credit for breaking up the discreditable system of favoritism which had existed for many years before the advent of the Cleveland administration. It was the policy of Secretaries of War in preceding administrations to yield to the pressure brought by political and personal friends of officers and thus keep a certain small coterie at the pleasant stations on the Atlantic or Pacific coasts, or in the Department at Washington.

The result was that there were some officers of the army who had not seen service with their regiments for many years. This vicious system has been so thoroughly broken up that the discipline of the army was never more perfect than now, and its efficiency has, as a consequence, been greatly improved.

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