REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. CXV 



of §5,000 for the chiefs of the Bureaus in this Department, firmly 

 believing that the men who now occupy these positions are fully 

 deserving of such salaries; that if less is given them they will be 

 called to other countries or to other positions in this country, and 

 that if these men, who have been instrumental in the remarkable 

 development in the work of the Department in recent years, sever their 

 connection with the institution it will be impossible to fill their posi- 

 tions with capable men for anything less than the salaries named. I 

 would urge upon Congress in the strongest terms liberality in this 

 regard, as I believe it to be for the best interests of the country to 

 obtain and retain the best men that can be found for these important 

 positions; and I would also urge this increase in their salaries in order 

 that we ma}' appoint experts at salaries which they can command in 

 commercial lines, and not have to take the humiliating step of paying 

 the experts more than the chief of the bureau who is directing the 

 work, a step which has had to be taken twice already in one of the 

 Bureaus of this Department, in order to secure from the commercial 

 world men competent to maintain the integrity and insure the success 

 of the work that had been undertaken. 



The chiefs must direct the special technical education of the students 

 in their lines. If we could look to the universities and colleges of the 

 country for men prepared to do our work in applied sciences relating 

 to agriculture, the loss of an expert chief would not be so serious. 

 From the agricultural colleges we are getting young men and women 

 as scientific aids, who will become valuable investigators and teachers 

 in their specialties after being trained in the Department, but the 

 chiefs who train them are indispensable at present. 



Respectfully submitted, 



James Wilson, 



Secretary. 

 Washington, I). C, November 23, 1901. 



