Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1891 — RUSK’S REPORT. [ARTICLE]

RUSK’S REPORT.

Review of a Year’s Doings in the Farmer’s Department. The Secretary Gives Many Figures and Makes Several Recommendations. Secretary Rusk’s third annual report estimates an increase of $700,009,000 in the value of farm products last year. In the first three mouths of this fiscal year $760,000,090 worth of cereals alone were exported. Total exports of farm products for the year will probably exceed those of any previous year. For the first ten months under the new tariff law imports of agricultural products increased $28,000,000 over the corresponding period of the last year under the old law. Under the new law there has been a decrease of $11,000,000 in the importation of tobacco, .$3,500,000 in barley, $1,125,000 in eggs, $1,500,000 in horses and a gradual decline in the imports of all live stock. He claims the admission of hides free has lowered the value of home-grown hides, and earnestly recommends that the duty provided for in section 3of the McKinley act imposed in all cases where the countries from which such hides are shipped have not granted equal concessions in regard to the admission of the agricultural products of the United States be imposed. Secretary Rusk savs the meat inspection law has worked well. Up to October 1 1.016,614 auimals had been inspected. 63,672 hog carcasses examined microscopically, and but 1,976 condemnations were made. The cost has been within the anticipated limit. He thinks inspection can bo made thorough for 3 cents per head, and themlcroscopical exami nation of - hogs for 6 SBBfeSrWpfcs foreigndiscrimination against American pork has cost this country $260,000,000 in the last ten years, and urges Congress to appropriate enough so inspection may be extended to all applicants. Pleuro-pneumania Is undeC-con-trol and confined to three counties in New Jersey and Long Island. The inspection of American cattle in Great Britain has been applied to 326,519 head. A slight decrease in the importation of cattle is noted. The inspection of vessels carrying export cattle has greatly reduced the losses from bad ventilation, etc. In supervising the movement of of southern cattle over 46,000 ears and 1,000,009 animals having been attended to. Greater 1 powers to enforce compliance with the regulations are asked. Secretary Rusk thinks, inasmuch as not a single case of pleuro-pnumonia has been found among exported cattle in a year, a special effort should be made to have Great Britain remove her unjust restrict-

ions. The work introducing Indian corn abroad has -been highly successful. The experiments of producing sugar from sorghum have been highly successful, and the secretary thinks America will eventually produce'all her own sugar. He thinks the transfer of the weather bureau to his department a very good move. The secretary-urges the prohibition of the importation of artificial coffee beans. He thinks liberal appropriations for the agricultural department will result in greatly increasing the value of American farm products. After giving himself a very liberal puff he concludes his report.

All the employes of the late Charles Stewart Parnell on his Avondale estate have been dismissed, and the saw mills and the Arklow quarries, which also be longed to Mr. Parnell, are to be sold. Only the family mansion will be retained. A gas explosion in a coal mine' near Nantichoke, Pa., at 4:30 p. m. Sunday did terrible havoc.. Ten men were almost instantly killed. The accident was caused by the explosion of a lamp. But fourteen , men were working at the time or the re« suit would have been more disastrous. 1 * -'■■■■——— Bankers Sommerfield, father and son shot themselves when their Berlin bank suspended, Saturday.