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9. Commerce and Industry
- Indiana University Press
- Chapter
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9 Commerce and Industry Commerce and industry is a topic worth considering, and stands next in importance after the system of Government and the condition of women in the United States. The importance which the United States has acquired today derives chie®y from its commerce and industries. Let us consider the various factors which encourage them, before we describe their characteristics. The public-spiritedness of almost all things here is the chief means of the prosperity of these people. The streets, the means of transportation—that is to say, carriages and streetcars—the method of conducting the sale of goods in shops, colleges, newspapers, libraries, places for obtaining information: all such essential matters are rendered very simple and useful to all, as has already been mentioned. Public Works Undertaken by Government From a consideration of the system of Government in the United States it becomes immediately apparent that this system has been intended for the convenience of the people. It is true that the smooth running of the administration ensures peace, and brings happiness to the people. But administration alone does not complete the Government’s duties. The United States Government recognizes that it is also a part of its duties to undertake public works which augment the comfort and convenience of all; and it has therefore taken up such works. I shall brie®y recount the most important of these. Department of Agriculture:1 Approximately ten thousand people work in this department , most of them without remuneration. The department has its headquarters in Washington. The duties of its voluntary workers are to provide information about the state of the farms in their local area and in its vicinity; the cost of exporting produce to other places and other countries; the value of the produce which remains unsold on farms and in orchards, and the value of the same produce when exported to cities; details of goods used in their local areas, where they are imported from, etc. The of¤ce of the Department of Agriculture publishes this information in the form of monthly bulletins, and distributes them to traders’ associations, newspapers, etc., in important places. This provides great help to commerce, and especially to farmers. (The farmers in this country are not illiterate like our farmers in India. They can read and write, and are able to understand how to improve their farms, and what means are essential for doing so, by reading books, newspapers, and bulletins.) This information enables traders and farmers to know the value of the goods which are to be sold, the prices of goods which are to be bought, the labor charges in different places, etc., so that they can conduct their transactions smoothly. The United States Department of Agriculture distributes many different kinds of seeds throughout the country. These seeds are then sown in different places, and very detailed information is collected and published, as to the type of soil which is best suited to produce a particular type of crop, the characteristics of different types of soil, etc. Similarly, specialists in biology, agriculture, and chemistry are employed to conduct research on the breeding, sustenance, and extinction of pests and birds which destroy crops in different areas. This information is published and distributed to all the local farmers’ associations. Land has been allotted in the city of Washington, for the use of this department ; it is utilized for testing whether the seeds and bulbs of the grains, fruits, and tubers which grow in other parts of the country and in other climates can also be grown here. After ascertaining the parts of the country which are most suitable for growing them, they are planted there. In this manner many fruits,®owers, roots, and grains are grown here, and contribute to the prosperity of the United States. Take the example of the Bahia orange, which was planted in southern California some years ago. It is now regarded as an excellent fruit of this region. Trade in oranges brings great wealth to the fruit growers there. It was from this department that people learned that sugarcane, tea, and other foreign plants can be grown in this country. Now these plantations bring great pro¤t to the whole country. The of¤cials of this department do not rest content with importing seeds from abroad and planting them in this country. They also conduct detailed research on the characteristics of each kind of food grain, its nutritive value, the diseases it is prone to, and the...