Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-01-22
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


man of the Committee of Ways and Means, the
course which he has pursued has met with the
warm appreciation of all candid and discrimina-
ting men, serving with him in iegisiatiVe ca
pacity His fine qualities as a parliamentary
debater-his indomitable perseverance as
working member-his thorough acquaintance
with every thing which concerns the Govern
ment, and his promptness, at all times, to give
such information as is necessary TO diligent leg
islation, are wellknown to those who have
" kept posted" in Congressional proceedings.
Having been for years, a close observer of his
course in the House of Represen tatives, We do
not recollect that he has ever made a speech,
or q motion, which had not direct reference
to the business pending. We like the prompt
ness, directness, zeal, clearness, of Mr.. Phelps,
in all that concerns his high and responsible
public position. There may have been as good,
but certainly not q better chairman, of the
Committee of Ways and Means, within the
last fourth of q century. Although he pos
sesses sense Of honor delicately keen, and
has been in many an earnest encounter in the
"wars Of words" he has never been thrown of
his guard, nor has he descended to the use Of
language which has called for personal ex-
plantations" and amicable adjustments ~
Nor has any language of a dsrespectful char
acter ever been applied to him in the Hall.
In fact, the manners of the thoroughbred
gentleman-taught in the school of experience
and wisdOm-have always controlled him, and
secured that degree of respect even from po-
litical opponents, which his intrinsic merits
deserve.
1t is always our pride, as we'll as pleasure.
to point to such men-not in the way of mere
regard for his private, but for is inestima bic
public worth. His constituents may we'll cher
lsh him, and the great State which he in part
represents, honor him as one of her noblest
sons
1t may be here appropriately mentioned that
1t was at the instance of Mr.. Phelps that pro-
vision was made for the current night sessions,
in order to afford time for general debate on
questions not legitimately pending, and thus
to accord the day sessions entirely to practical
business.
SEEDs.-Mr. Homer, a noted railroad man,
in recent New England railroad convention,
complained bitterly that the Patent Office did
not scatter railroad statistics broad cast
throughout the land instead of information con-
corning agricultural matters, and seeds par
ticularly, contending that the former subject
Is OF vastly more public importance than the
latter. Mr. Homer is evidently an advocate
for I" building Notifications of prunella." In
reply to his remarks, the Boston Herald pub
fishes facts concerning the Importance Of the
country's commerce in seeds, and of the value
OF improved varieties of seeds which tell not
only of the requirements of the land in that
connection, but of the current condition and
the progress of American agriculture, an inter-
esting story, indeed. We quote the Hvald
on the subject, as follows:
"On the other hand, reports concerning .. eds
are OF practical and immediate importance To
every FARMER In the country. When it is under
taken TO undervalue reports concerning new va
rienes OF seeds, we are sure that II is not con-
sldered that the Introduction Of some new yari-
ely Tor cultivation, which will secure only one
half bushel More grain to the acre or I've hush
els more roots than have formerly been gathered,
add more TO the annual productive value of the
country than the profits Of all the railroads for
nVe years The profits Of the railroads advan-
taSe, simply, stockholders, whereas increased
returns in crops are for the benefit Of every land
holder, and every farmer directly and indirectly
Tor the benefit Of every consumer Of the products
OF the earth, inasmuch as incTea DEDUCTION
lessons the cost OF those who purchase
The commercial Importance Of seeds is not
OF that small and insignificant character which
remarks like MIR. Homer's would seem 70 tndi
cate The aggregate sales of seeds in the United
states cannot fail short Of one hundred million
dollars year. while the reserve of crops for seed
ior sn9tner year, among farmers throughout the
United States, Will reach another hundred mil
lion. This Is not, certainly, an interest Ia he
sneered at. IL Is not an interest to be nader
valued, even alongside Of the great railroad in.
terest, which represents SO much capital That
capital mig ht all be sunk and rretrievably lost
AS SO much Of IL has been already,-and the
country would not suffer a 1.-THE Of the losses II
would sustain, IL there were fatal di.arrange
ment OF seed distribution
In Boston alone, we are certain that the seed
Trade Will reach as high figure as three mil
which an Immense business Is Transacted Those
who are accustomed to look upon the yegetabIe
and Hover seed business as sort of Ave cent
anair, VIII be surprised, perhaps to learn what
is undoubtedly the fact, that $50 o. u worth OF
minute hover seeds are sold, in Boston in a
year that ten tons Of turnip set d. ten tons of
beet seed i've thousand pounds Of tomato seed
ana nve thousand pounds each Of SQUASH and
cucumber seeds are sold. In the small article M
Mignonette, five hundred pounds of seeds are re-
CURED 10 supply the annual demand In other
varieties OF seeds, Of which five or ten cents,
worth are usually enough for each indiyiduaI-
thousands and tens OF thousands Of dollars make
up the aggregate Of sales"
TIE JOURNALS OF TIE OpposIr1oy NOT ;ds,-
tilted with the Republican party continue
TO be neryousiy anxious to learn whether the
Republican party will or will not abandon Mr..
Seward in his aspirations for the next Presi-
dency. The able speech of Mr. Humphrey
Marshall, referred to in yesterdays Star, was
pronounced to the end of bringing about the
abandonment of Mr.. Stewards fortunes by the
Republicans, doubtless. Yet it caused no
futter among the Sewardites Of the House.
though its main point was definite announce
ment that the American party, as represented
in Congress, will not, under any circumstances,
swallow the distinguished Senator from New
York. The truth is, Mr.. Seward friends have
long been perfectly aware that the American
party proper will not touch their candidate
with forty-foot pole. Nevertheless, their
purpose of running him is unalterably fixed.
IA IL