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| Horace Capron's Senate confirmation
vote (Click to enlarge.) |
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Report of the
Commissioner of Agriculture for the Year 1870.
Collection of Ken Skrivseth/Karen
Lubieniecki (Click to enlarge.) |
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| Plan for Department of Agriculture.
Published in 1870 Report of the Commissioner.
Collection of Ken Skrivseth/Karen
Lubieniecki (Click to enlarge.) |
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Horace Capron left Illinois sometime after 1865, probably
sometime around the period when he was confirmed as Commissioner of Agriculture:
November 27, 1867. His Maryland and Illinois political
connections were vital to getting the job and his nomination
took a while to get through Congress.
Agriculture was “the foundation interest of the country.”
There were 2.6 million farms. Farmers were 53% of the labor
force. Between 75-79% of the country’s exports were farm
products.
As
Commissioner Capron oversaw areas ranging from the
distribution of seeds, to exports, farm tool inventions to
agricultural colleges, and farming experiments.
He
also tried to cut some government waste by closing down a
seed packing department…..
"...This
involved the necessity of discharging a large number of
employees—mostly females—a most disagreeable duty,
particularly as most of them were protégés of members of
Congress…"Horace
Capron Autobiography, p 147.
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Front of old
Department of Agriculture Building. Developed
during Horace Capron tenure.
Library of Congress |
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