Show WHETS GREAT WORK HOOSIER SCIENTIST WHO HEADS BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY Has Done More Than Any Other One Man to Place American Agriculture Agricul-ture on Scientific Oasis Father Fa-ther of Pure Food Laws Washington No branch of applied science has made greater progress during the last 25 yours than agricultural agricul-tural chemistry and Dr Harvey W Wiley present chief of tho bureau of Chemistry In the department of agriculture agri-culture unquestionably has accomplished accom-plished moro than any other living man In the work of l placing American agriculture on n more scientific basis thereby adding enormously to tho productiveness pro-ductiveness and wealth of tho country Sclentlllc agriculture or as It may otherwise be termed agricultural chemistry Is u science of comparatively comparative-ly I recent origin and the Indiana man has hear tho lending spirit In It for nearly a generation Prof Wileys Interest In scientific agriculture began with his connection with Purdue university as professor of chemistry In 1871 a year after his graduation at Harvard when ho was also appointed state chemist of Indiana In-diana Ho remained at Purdue nlno years Dr Wileys connection with the gOY eminent work began In 1883 when ho was offered tho position of chief of tho bureau of chemistry of tho department depart-ment of agricultmo Tho offer was accepted ac-cepted and from that tlmo the development devel-opment of that bureau and Us activities activi-ties became Dr Wileys lifework Today To-day ho is recognized as ono of tho worlds great chemists with a membership mem-bership In many foreign and American scientific societies Arriving in Washington to take up the duties of his now post Dr Wile found hit quarters confined to a laboratory lab-oratory In the basement of tho antiquated anti-quated agricultural department buildIng build-Ing and a little olflco upstairs His full working force consisted of four assistant chemists and a dishwasher The first years appropriation for the work of the buioau was 15000 Dur s b eJ yRt Dr Harvey W Wiley r lag tho fiscal year which will end on Juno 30 of this year Dr Wiley find himself In charge of a corps of 150 persons 200 of them chemists and tho budget of tho bureau will total 800000 Today the government also maintains main-tains GO experiment stations which arc now In operation In every state and territory Including Alaska Hawaii Porto Rico and the Philippines Mere growth In cxpendltmea would not necessarily argue increase of usefulness use-fulness but In the case of tho depart I ment of agriculture its bcncfltH to tho farming Interests and to tho country at large have been Immeasurably enhanced en-hanced during the last 25 years To these Increased benefits the bureau of chemistry of which Dr Wiley Is chief has made largo contributions By the analysis of tolls and the investigation of the effect of environment on tho chemical composition of plants tho bureau of chemistry was able to define the limits of sugar beet growing territory terri-tory In tho United States and open the way for the establishment of the beet sugar industry which promises great results In the near future In 1880 there were only four beet sugar factories In tho United States with an Invested capital of 355000 and an annual product valued at 282572 In 1905 the factories numbered num-bered 51 tho capital Invested was 55 923459 and the value of products was 24393794 From 1900 to 1905 tho I number1 of beet sugar factories Increased In-creased 70 per cent the capital Invested In-vested In the business Increased 177 per cent and tho value of the yearly output increased 233 per cent Another service of Inestimable valuo rendered to the country by the national na-tional bureau of chemistry Is In starting start-ing and promoting the pure food and drug movement If Dr Wiley Is not the father of that movement he baa been the head and front of It from the beginning When ho began work on that line upward of 20 years ago not a state In tho union had a pure food law now most of them have laws on the subject and commissions to enforce en-force them Dr Wiley was the pioneer of tho movement In America and ho made chemistry a most effective Instrument In-strument In promoting It It was mainly through his efforts that the analysis of foods drugs spices edible and beverages showed adulteration to bo an almost universal practice and started a movement that has resulted In widespread reform Ho Is tho father of the national pure food law which took effect January 1 1907 and chairman chair-man of tho national commission for construing and enforcing It |