1CTIUN ONE JOHNSON, BDITOK AND MANAQBR THE GOlTlgyY> THE STATE, THE UKIOH. LOUISBURG. N. C.. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1918 SUBSCRIPTION $1.00 PER YBAR NUKBBB 44 XLIII of the Secretary ot Agrlrulturi for IMS. ^ 1 Washington, D. C., Deo. 8. ? David V. Houston, Secretary ot Agriculture, to*la> published hla annual report for tl.^year 1913. The report which con Jbontaina only 58 paces, differs from ?previous reports In that,lnstead of mere "ly reviewing the agricultural situation, it presents insummary many broad' economic question*. Throughout the report strong emphasis la placed u[fcr co-operation between the Department of Agriculture and other Federal de partments and the State agricultural agencies to promote co-ordination and eliminate duplication ot effort. The keynote lsgettlng the Department's in formation in all fields more directly and In more valuable form to thepeo ple. The following are summarised statements of the more Important sub jects and recommendations discussed in this report: THK PROBLEM OF PRODUCTION. Increased tenancy,- absentee owner wMp nntln rit 111 (InplntttcV and exploit^ ed, inadequate business metliods, the relative failure to induce a great ma-, jorlty of farmers to .apply existing agricultural knowledge, and the sug gestions of dependence on foreign na tions for foodsupplies warn us of our shortcomings and incite us to addi tional efforts to increase production. The report states tltat there is no ground for thinking that we havfe yet approximated the limit of our out put from the soil, but that we have just begun to attack the problem, and have not reached the end pt the pio -neerlng stage, and only in a few lo calities have developed conditions where reasonably full returns are se cured. We have unmlstakenably reached' the period where we must think and plan. INCREASES ASKED. Increases In the appropriations for the next fiscal year are recommended, as follows: $260, S60 for extending the work of eradicating animal diseases, feeding and breeding live stock, and for dairy ing. and the enforcement of the meat inspection law. $45,660 for the Introduction and breeding of new plants, the control of plant diseases, and for improving jie methods. of crop production, es pecially cereals. $143,577 for the classification of agricultural lands and the survey of homesteads in the national forests. $60,441 for extending Investigations of the handling, shipping, and storing of poultry, eggs, and fish. $24,420 for investigating fertilizer resources, soil fertility, and the chemi cal and physical properties of soils. $71,000 for extending investigations or Insects attacking deciduous fruits, reals and forage crops, and forest trees. $90 ,000 to enforce the migratory-bird law. $57,000 for gathering crop forecasts aid estimates. $133,600 for road management and read building and maintenance. $144,000 for Investigations of the marketing and distribution of farm products. , $50,000 for live stock and other dem onstration work in the sugar-cane and cotton areas in Louisiana. A decrease of $37,340 is made in the funds of the Weather Burfeau, made possible be the Increased efficiency shown in handling Its work. It Is recommended that the con gressional seed distribution as now conducted be discontinued, and that constructive work in securing and dis tributing new and valuable seeds and plants be substituted. ^ - PLAIT" TO REORGANIZE THE DE PARTMENT. To promote co-ordination, allow greater latitude In carrying out of projects, and to establish a more lo gical handling of regulatory work and research, Investigation and demon stration work, the secretary will ask the congress in the coming estimates for authority to prepare apian for re organizing. redirecting, and systema tizing the work of the Department as the Interests of economical and off!' I elent administration may require Tliis plan would be submlted in the fiscal estimates for 1916. It Is bellev -"^jthat the Department can beat car / on Its functions and carry ita In formation to the people It seeks to nerve, probably by having Its work con ducted in five or six main groups such as a research service, a regulatory service, a State relations service, a rural organization service, a . forest ? service, a weather service, and others as special occasion might warrant. - PROMOTION BASED ON EFFICIEN CY. A system of efficiency ratings affect log all Clerical and subclerfcal em ployees. designed to eliminate all dan ger of favoritism to provide tor pro motion entirely upon merit, ban been established. Increased efficiency and considerable economy bave been gained .'through changes In the handling of fiscal mat ters. 1 V ... It 1b recommended that he ..Depart ment be given authority to Increase tKB maximum salary of $4,00>0 which now can be paid to scientific Investi gators. It U pointed out thftt many of the leaders in the Department could command salaries In many cases more than twice what they are receiving? CHANGES IN WEATHER BDRBAU. Changes in the organization, and work of 'the weather bureau have re sulted In Increased efficiency aud economies which make possible a- re duction of $37,340 In Its funds. Cer tain stations and substations '.will be eliminated and the work of other sta tions not well located for ellmajtologl cal work will be limited to forecasting. Full co-operation with the Hydro graphic office in the Navy Depart ment In the publication of marine met eorological ^charts has been effected. Investigational work at Mount Weath^ er will be discontinued and steps to make^avallable for scientific Work In more suitable locations the funds thus saved, will be taken. The crop and flood, warning service designed to. en able crop growers or those along cer tain... waterways to have notice in time to take protective measures will be strengthened^ The scientific work of the bureau will be emphasized, es pecially In field having a direct bear ing on agriculture., jsommerce, navi gation and aviation. POST OFFICE TO AID IN CEN8US OF CROP ACREAGE. . Changes have been made in the oregnlzatlon and vork of the bureau of statistics to effect economies and Increase efficiency. It Is recommended that the designation of this bureau be changed to '"The Bureau of Agricul tural Forecasts," which more accu rately defines its functions. Co-opera tion with tBe post office to test the practicability of an annual census of acreage and stock through the rural route carriers has been effected. A committee on co-operation composed of representatives of various branches of the Department and of other Fed eral departments will, U is believed, eliminate dupllcaticn of work and im prove statistical results. Increased accuracy of crop forecasts will be se cured .through improvement -in the field forecast agents, special crop re porting system and the field service. COUNTRY TO BE DISTRICTED TO ENFORCE FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS. Certain reorganizations have been effected in the bureau of chemistry looking toward more effective admin istration of the food and dfugs act and to greater constructive techno logical assltance to manufacturers in avoiding waste, reducing cost of man ufacture- and to keep them develop with tfce taw. The country will be di vided into several districts each under the direction of a competent official. All branch laboratories and food in spectators will be under single direc tion and will work together .' instead of being independent of each other, a condition which led to lack q| co-or dination in the past. Certain branch .laboratories will be consolidated be cause the work can 'be done more ef fctlvely and more cheaply in the larg er central laboratories which are pro vided with complete equipment and specializing chemists. Effort will be made to make the act more hygienic measure through Increased -attention to milk, eggs, oysterB, and fish, which are subject to organic contamination and may become carriers of diseft.se. To bring about greater harm6ny in the work of the State food officials and the department in food and drug work, the Secretary called a confer ence which was attended by repre sentatives of 32 States, the District of Columbia, and Porto Rico. It Is be lieved that this conference has pro I moted much better understanding, j An office which will act as a clearing I house of information among the State : and Federal food and drug officials I will be established to prevent duplica tion work and promote harmonious action and co-operation. Experience has revealed certain weakness in the food and drugs act ? notably the lack of provision for legal standards, and its failure to apply to certain exteoial remedies. The Secretary will ask that authority be granted to prepare and submit such amendments to ihis law as may be deemed needful to safeguard the health of the people, establish standards, better define drugs, Im prove the food ojppply. and promote uniformity la the matter of food legis lation. PROSECUTIONS UNDER FOOD ^ND DRUGS ACTS AND OTHER REG ULATORY ACTS. Prosecutions under the food and drugs acts and other regulatory sta tutes will be expedited and made still more effective through co-opera tion with the department of justice whereby the solicitor will prepare cases In the form of criminal infor mations and place at the service of the U. 8. District Attorneys in the trial of cases the depafement's attor neys who are thoroughly familiar with the highly technical and technolo gical aspects of many of these causes. Under the food and drugs act, 1048 cases were transmitted to the depart | ment of justice. Fines -amounting to $23,463.50 were imposed in 596 crim inal cases, and decrees of condemna tion and forfeiture entered in 365 oth er cases. Eight hundred and sixty seven notices ofjudgement were pub | lished. The courts have evinced a dis position to impose, more severe penal ties in food and drug cases. Under the meat-inspection Act. 81 seeming violations were reported and convic tions secured in 64 cases, in seven car- I rylng sentences of imprisonment. Un der the live stock quarantine acts, fines aggregating $10,275 were Im posed in 93 cases. Under the Lacey act regulating interstate traffic in game, 154 cases were submitted, and convictions secured, in 73 actions. Upder the Insecticide act of 1910,, 108 cases were reported and 59 cases re sulted in fines or condemnation. The twenty-eight hour law governing the shipment of live stock was vigorous ly enforced; 1,037 apparent violations were reported and penalties aggre gating $61,695. MARKETING, In many directions further" produc tion waits on better distribution, and the field of distribution presents prob lems which rose In every grave ways simple issue, of justice. Under existing conditions the farmer does not get What he should for his product; the consumer is requjfed to pay an un fair price, and unnecessary burdens are imposed under the existing sys tems of- distribution. No dne can see offhand just what part of the burden is due to lack of systematic planning or inefficiency, economic waste, or to unfair manipulation. The report out lines the projects in this field as cov ering marketing surveys, methods and costs of marketing, including avail able market supplies in given produc tion areas, demand at consuming cen ters , cold and other methods of stor age, marketing systems and prices, and costs of wholesale and retail dis tribution of farm products. Other studies in this branch include; inves tigation of transportation problems and the elimination of waste In ship ment, study of city marketing and dis tribution, study of grade, and finally co-operative production and market ing. The necessity for standardizing agricultural producU^as a prerequisite to proper mark^tHlg is given special emphasis. The adoption and univer sal application of one uniform stand ard for cotton would result in great simplification of all transa'ctos and do away with the complex methods of fig uring buyers' limits. Practically the same Yesults would follow and the same evils would be removed if stand ard grades for'corn were universally adopted. | The individual farmer acting alone ? is helpless before the problems of ru ral credit and of marketing. Con I certed action is essential. In co-op oration does not mean that an organ ization shall attempt to establish a closed market and to fix prices. This should be condemned as strongly in one field of industry as in any other. It is recommended that provisions be made "for the establishment of grading standards for various farm | products and for the promulgation of , the standards already established by j the department for cotton and corn grades. RURAL CREDITSr? Conditions vary widely In the United States. Farmers do not equally need better credit arrangements and all sections are not similarly circum stanced. The report cites the varia tion"^ the interest paid by faigm&fs on longhand short time loans as among States and as among different sections of tho same area. Among the many factors entering into these varia tions are climatic conditions, soil con ditions, stability of industry, meth ods of farming, distance from markets, distance from centers of large wealth, the nature of financial agencies through which capital is secured. When all necessary allowance has been made for these fundamental fac tors, It Is probably clear tha t the r >ir ral communities are not as efficient ly served as they should be by existing financial arrangements. Long-time loans are needed for permanent In vestments, such as the purchase price of a farm or for the erection of build ings'. It Is wise economy to encour age the extension of credit for safe productive use, and no less wise to discourage the use of capital along nonproductive or speculative lines. The rapid Increase In farm values and the difficulties In securing land has given impetus to the growth of the renting system. It Is this tendency that anggests the Importance of de vising farm loans on terms such as will enable the producers to make the neceasmry payments on the interest and principal, so far as possible, from the returns of the land Itself. The report also discusses short time loans, buildings and loan associa tions, land debentures, land mortgage T>^nks and various other domestic and foreign methods of rural Investment and credit mechanisms. There does not appear to be need for unique or special legislation or for legislation which shall aim to give the farmer credit or easier terms than other mem bers of society. What Is needed is the creation of conditions and ma chinery. which shall enable him on similar credit foundations' to secure money at the same rates as those that prevail for other classes and for oth er sections. 7 OTHER RURAL ORGANIZATION " . PROBLEMS. Even though the problem of how the farmer can best sell his produce and can Improve the conditions under which he can secure the necessary cap ital were solved, there would still remain vital things to Be accomplish ed before rural- life can be made ful ly efficient, profitable, healthful, pleas urable and attractive, and before a larger disposition to remain on the farm develops. Good roads are pre requisite for better marketing, for better schools, and for more comfort able rural living. Better sanitation and hygiene In the home. In the school and in the community are just as vital for the rural community as for the urban. ITO STUDY DISEASE? CARRYING INSECTS WHICH AFFECTS AG RICULTURE. The effect of the malaria-carrying mosquito on agricultural production has been made the subject of investiga tion on Southern plantation. Atten tion will be given to other disease transmitting insects such as the house fly, stable fly, and spotted fever tick, which have a bearing on the health of rural 'populations. Satisfactory prog ress has been made in a study to dis cover means whereby the breeding of fles in manure may be prevented with out lessening its fertilizing value. SOIL SURVEYS. The value of the soli survey work will be enlianched by glvjng prece dence in surveys to those States which offer active co-operation nineteen states during the past year have en tered Into this plan. Rconnaissance surveys will be confined to classifica tion of agricultural'lands in the nation al forests and the undeveloped areas of the the community. THE FARM PROBLEM. I To gain information that wouM en- j able the department better to sorve rural women, the secretary addresses letters of Inquiry to the women on 55, 000 selected farms covering every | county. Other surveys and studies were also conducted. Analysis. of the j small part of the lettefs as yet digest ed shows that farm women desire as- { slstance in all phases of home man-', agement. especially as to ways of se- | curing running water, Introducing ' household power machinery and labor saving arrangments, and providing bet ter hygienic and sanitary conditions ; Many seek advice as to the better mar keting of the articles they produce. | Others ask the department to proVe to ; the man that their work is worth something in dollars and cents. The overwork of women and children and difficulty of securing domestic help are mentioned by a number of the writers. These letters have furnished valuable sugestions for constructive work In this field. The department believes that Intelligent help to women In mat ters of home management will con tribute directly to the agricultural suc cess of the farm. It purposes, there fore, to ask Congress for means and authority to make complete studies of domestic conditions on the farm, to experiment with labor-saving devices and methods, and' to study completely the questions of practical sanitation and hygienic protection for the farm family. - v RELATIONS WITH STATE COLLEG- ' ES AND 8TATIONS. j To eliminate duplication of effort and friction and bring about greater co-ordination between the State land grant colleger and experiment stations And the department, several confer ences were held witfr\ representatives of these Institutions. The executive committee and the secretary signed a memorandum formulating certain views. In substance this memoran dum holds that the Federal depart ment's primary function Is to under take the study of problems and regu latory work that are more particularly^ regional. Interstate and international In character and that upon the Btatlon should rest the responsibility of in vestigating problems within its state. Provision is made for union exort where co-operation seems necessary Committees on projects and correla tion of work, relations and publication of research will be appointed to bring about closer relations. . It was agreed that the extension and demonstration' service through which information is carried directly to the people should be administered under the Immediate direction of the colleges; that exten sion service projects maintained by Federal funds should be entered upon only after mutual approval by the de partment and the colleges and that Federal funds be distributed and ex pended under proper federal check; and that extension appropriations by the States be under State control, The Congress will be asked to provide nec essary legislation which is embodied In the Smith-Lever bill to stabllsh ma-' chinery for extension work through out the States, bring about a decen tralization In this work and' enable the department to conduct this service with the full co-operation of the agri cultural colleges. Legislation where by the department, the colleges and the stations may co-ordinate their re search activities and avoid duplication of work should be enacted. The de partment Is of the opinion that in the administration of the Hatch and Adam acts. It will regard unwarranted change in the personnel and unneces sary Interruption of projects as call ing for inquiry and possibly warrant ing the withholding of funds. FEDERAL ROAD POLICIES. There has been a steady movement for better roads during the past 20 years, and today about 34 States have highway commissions or some other State highway agency. The total an nual expenditure of the States for con struction and maintainance of roads which ten years ago amounted to but $2,000,000, has grown to $43,000,000 in j 1912. The Federal Government should take th? lead in investigational and experimental work, and there is need for a central agncy which can furnish lowest information on all problems of road building and maintenance. Re cently Congress made an appropria tion of $500,000, for improving post roads, expenditure to be contingent on the appropriation of double^the amount of money by the State or local subdivi sion. If Federal aid Is to be further extended in highway development, leg islation to that end should incorporate this co-operative principle. The Fed eral Government should deal with the State as the lowest unit, through an expert highway commissioner as its agency. The plan should provide for maintenance as well as construction. Preference should be given to the im provement of roads over which prod ucts from the farms can be taken to i the nearest railway station. A scheme j of road construction and maintenance within a State should be developed and j mutually agreed upon. Money appro priated by the Federal Government , should be apportioned on the basis of such factors as total population, farm ! population, area, taxable valuation. | and mileage. * POWT3TR AND RSCRKATIONA* MITS IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS The National ForestB are being clas- j sifted to segregate lands valuable for I agriculture and to establish "perman- . ent boundaries for timber production and water proceo.'li \ The earnings froifl theit* timh?v sales and of bar ? sources increased $300,000, or 15 per j cent over 1912. The forests should ! produce all the timber they can and supply tfie public need at the lowest possible cost under conditions that pro tect the public against monopoly. Seventy-six water power projects have been developed and thirty more are under consideration. The law | permitting only a revocable franchise j should be changed to allow a 50-year permit for power purposes, under pro- ' visions protecting investor and the pubtife. Future use of the 167 million acres, which does not Interfere with more important employment, should be en couraged; the people should get the highest net total of recreational other benefits from them. 15,000 spec ial permits for various purposes are In force, and last yeear over 1,500,999 visitors made recreational use of the forests. Legislation Is needed to allew term permits for the construction ef hotels and cottages and for certaia recreational use of the forests, with safeguards against damage, vandal ism and contamination of water. 1, 200 cities and towns now draw their water supply from these watershed*. Adequate legal authority te prevent water pollution and permit sanitary regulation o( watersheds is sorely needed. THE CROP OUTLOOK. Special emphasis is laid on the fact that the figures for crops quoted are estimates, and it is pointed out that this fact should be constantly kept la mind. From the estimates at hand It appears that the production of croqa In 1913 was materially below the aver age, tht yield per acre of all crops combined being smaller than in aajr past decade with the exception ?t 1911. The corn crop, the most val uable product of this country, accord ing to the estimates fell belftw 2,60#, 000,000 bushels, which Is smaller than any crop since 1903. Wheat produc tion, with an estimate total of 753, 009, 000 bushels, Is the largest ever record ed In this country. This crop was matured beore the drought became ef fective. Brief mention Is made as te crop conditions throughout the world. Prom the estimates it apears that there were increased areas sown to wheat, oats, barley, rye, and corn, aad that the wheat acreage has probably yielded a record out-turn. Barley, oats, and rye are bountiful crops, but corn will probably give the poorest result in zO^ears. Homy Kln^s on Liquor Dealers. Ashevllle, Dec. 2. ? The investiga ting of the alleged illegal traffic in whiskey which has been conducted by Judge Frank Carter here for the past several weeks, came to an abrupt close this morning when the presiding of ficer announced that the defendants in the various cases have agreed to pay the heaviest fines ever imposed in a North Carolina court for a similar offense, donate their intoxicants to the Mission Hospital tor use In the charity wards, destroy barroom fix tures in their possession and refrain from the sale of whiskey for the nex^ three years. Under the terms or the compro mise a fine of $4,000 is imposed on John H. Lange and Gay Green, the former paying $2,66 .67 and, the lat ter being assessed with $1,333.13 James L. Alexander pays a fine of $2, 000. J. Bayliss Rector pleads guilty and judgement is suspended for three years. D. Macon McKay forfeits his liquor license and agrees never to ap ply for another and a similar entry is made in the case of F. F. McMul Icn. I The costs of investigation amount it g' to approximately $1,500 are divid ed equally among Messrs. Alexander Green and Lange. Each of the de fendants pleat &u:.ty c defendants ha.e agreed to accent tfie twins outlined by the cj'irt ^fuclge ? Carter stated i1 at no fuither'pio jceedlngs will be instituted against tho defendants in the present investiga tion although he made it clear that the ending of this phase of the in vestigation docs not mean that he ; will not investigate prescription files in an effort to learn whether or not 1 physicians have been writing pre scriptions for persons other than bona fide patients. Wins Another Trip. I The Missouri State Life Insurance Company has a plan of giving prises for the efforts of its agents each year or quartor and it has been the espec ial distinction of Mr. W. D. Egerton their efficient agent here to win in ad dition to the trip to Mackinac Islands tlie past summer to win another to Columbia, S. C., to attend a banquet given the successful agents the latter part of this weetL Mr. Egerton left Wednesday and will be out of town several days. The winning of these trips speaks well for Ite'Kgerton, and come as a- just reward for the special energies he is putting forth.