Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-07-01
The Nations Sood.

Sing q song of six pence, a
pocket full Of rye. Just before
tho adjournment Of Congress, tho
House, discussing tho momontous
seed question, showed one of the
means by whicl, Congressman
hope to placato their constituents
and sucurc return to tho seats
which they would not willingly
lose. Some $4,000 is annually
appropriated for seeds OH the
prctense of encouraging agricul-
ture. Tho expenditure is madc
blythe Department Of Agriculture,
which, just now, is conducted by
tho famous Lc Due. But as that
iunctionary madc tho distribution
according to his own opinions
and necessities, Congressman
have felt it desirable to regulate
tho important matter in tho into
rest Of {, amscIycs. Ii was pro-
posed to gobblc thrcc-fourths Of
the seeds and distribute tho plum
der equally between members and
Senators, but Lc Due had pro
cured an amendment leaving the
nlattcr, as at present, substantially
i'll his hands. The House deus
scd the matter with much mid
summer freedom.
Mr.. Hill, Of Ohio, said with
something Of the charming frank
moss Of a Flanagan: HSt il; a well
known fact that members Of Con
gross use these seeds only for
cicctionccring purposes" Tho
House smiled a confession, and
some one asked Hill, who, by tho
way, had never been heard Of
before, if he ever used them that
way. Ills prompt answer was:
"Ccrtainly; and I'd 10 it again, i'll
had the opportunity; SO would
every gentleman on this floor"
Isat ihc seed doesn't always
i.u't thc situation. sNi,noss
Mr.. lEil!s narrative of lis own
experiences "Why, Sir, when |
was trying to get denomination
for Congress, and ma'lo applica-
ton over there for secd, / got
tobacco seed enough to plant The
svhuEc of.ho United states. The
fact IS, there is moi q stalk Of 10
bacco raised in my district, and
never was" Nr. Dunncil, of
Minnesota tho gontlcnlan who,
Whcnthc salary grab became a
law, tc|nsraphod: "John, YOU may
commence hauling sand for tho
new house" had his complaint to
make Of t'lc commissioner, thus:
"Wc lave been left where we
were Left heretofore, ut the discrc-
tion Of ;hc Commissioners; and il
is wei! known the Commissioner
refuses to give seeds, except to
a few special friends. Somo
mcmbers Of this House have had
lots Of scod--bus!lols- ls--scnt to
their rooms, while other members
have had mono. Under tho
present system, all the seeds may
be disposed of in tho months Of
March and April. a. member of
Congress will have fifteen, twenty,
thirty or forty applications for
seeds after that time, and it is; the
usual habit oi,'ncn writing for these
scct,a TO attribute thc;r failure TO
receive them to tllcir members.
In my own State the bulk Of ap-.
plications for seeds como to mo in
thc month of April. April is tua
timc for men to ask fox seeds II
the State OF Minnesota. ,;@;s
when l applied TO obtain t!u
was told they were all gone,
never have received, | think, ten
dollars worth q year, although
representing a purely agricultural
district"
Mir. McKcnzic--"I1as the gen.
tlcman from Minnesota ever in
closed a request to the Commits
sioncr Of Agriculture for seeds
and been dcnicd!"
MIR. Dmicll.--"T have"
Mr.. Ryan, of Kansas, and
many othors-.".So havc L."
a 4