Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-18
CONGRESS SEEDS.
HOW OUR STATESMEN DISPOSE OF
DR.. LoRINe'S CROPS.
A Correspondents Peep at tho seed-Dis-
tributing Industry Of the National
Capitalize Goods Which Go
to the Grangers-
fWashington Cor. New York SUM-

Washington Cor. New York Sum-
Congress votes sl00 600 annually for seeds.
Two thirds of this sum goes back in seeds
to the 400 senator's and representlvss, and
the commissioner Of agriculture distributes
the rest through other channels Each con-
gresham is allotted $1,000 papers Of flower
seeds to begin with. In addition, the MEM
bers from tobacco districts have received
in the past years 500 papers Of imported
tobacco seed each; the cotton-belt members
have each had 200 quarts Of cotton seed; the
winter wheat men have had 200 quarts
apiece Of their sample grain; the spring wheat
representatives have been equally favored,
and the corn congressman have been
blessed in abundance with kernels of choice
maize. Ali the congressman received in
July, about the time the nominating conven-
tions were held, 1000 papers of turnip seed
each; and grass seed, three or four bushels
to the member, was showered alike upon the
just and unjust Sorghum and sugar-beet
seeds were sent also to favorable districts
The pecularities of statesmen are often
indicated by the manner in which they dis
pose of DIR. Loring's crops. Some latitude
Of choice is allowed, and members who are
well up in farming and gardening get their
that are staple articles in their districts, and
thus make themselves solid for years. There
is Joe Blackburn, for instance, who moves
over from the house to the senate on the 4th
Of March, whose enduring fame in Ken.
lucky is in no small degree due to the fact
that he takes out all his allowance in hemp
seed, and induces the commissioner to give
him several bushels over
Ben Lefevre, who comes back to the houso
term with steadily increasing majorities, ia
particularly strong in turnip seed, although
his gallant bachelor heart always prompts
him to sow a few choice flower seeds in the
gardens Of his lady admirers. Blount, of
Georgia, runs entirely to cotton seed, and is
solid with his constituents. Sunset Cox of
course distributes beautiful flower seeds to
his constituents who have summer homes in
the country. He gives part Of his allowance
to southern members Hon Jack Adams
gives his in the same direction. Hon Abram
s. Hewitt takes whatever the commissioner
gives him, and sends the packages to his
New Jersey country seat
Hon John H. Ketcham Is perhaps the
most able seed distributor in the house. In
the long years he has Teen here he has never
made the mistake Of sending turnip seed to
the Poughkeepsie aesthetics or flower seeds to
horney handed wood-choppers, acts which !
often fill congressman's soul with bitter |
thoughts in after years. Ketchman knows |
the tastes Of HIS constituents better than |
they know them themselves, and not seed |
grows by the wayside or among thorns
Frederick Nick Mueller never sends any |
grass seed to Battery park He gives his |
order to brother congressman who have |
ground to put the seed in. Hon Samuel J. |
Randall has all his seeds sent in bundle to |
Bryn Mawr. and attends to their distribu.
ton when he gets home. Speaker Carlisle |
Q not so methodical Whenever a constitu-
ent asks him for seeds he sends the letter to
Commissioner Loring and asks him to at
tend to the request He is careless about
getting his full allowance.
The champion seed distributors of the
house are Taylor of Tennessee and Jones Of
Texas, with Lanham Of Texas a good third.
These congressman represent big and grow
ing districts, with innumerable wants. They
are omnivorous. They exhaust their own
allotments Of seeds early, and then get as
many assignments of orders from other
congressman as they can. A literary con-
gresham who wants to swap seeds for doc
uments is great find for a seed congress
man. The average congressman sends from
ten to three hundred names of seed con.
,tituents to the commissioner Occasionally
the lists reach LOCO names, and there have
been members who have sent in 5 600 names. |
with the request to send one paper of seed
,achl
Hon. Thomas Porterhouse Ochiltree was a
great seed-huuter before he was a congress
nan, but having once been elected he ne
elected his constituents in this particular
strangely. In reply to the last notification
hat seeds were awaiting his order he re-
,lied: my constituents don't go much on
eeds, but they are mighty fond of part
.idges You may send a few coops around
% my rooms" DIR. Loring is looking up the
aw on the subject to see if he can comply
With the requisition- Col Ochiltres says if
member can have cologne and suspenders
harged to his stationery account, he sees no
eason why partridges can not be enumer-
ted under the head of turnips and Jerusa-
EN- artichokes
The senator's di aw their seeds with as
much punctuality as representatives. War
er Miller does not send out small sapplings ,
hat will grow into wood pulp trees, as has {
cen supposed. He has a very complete list
half f-breeds, to whom DR.. Loring franks
hoice flower and vegetable seeds. Mr. E s
t. Lapham sends his crop chiefly to agri- S
ultural societies. Nevada Jones has a con- 1
,ituency that grows nothing but quartz i
ock. He gives away his seeds to his swarms t
friends Edmunds is as formal and mys- 7
,rious in the seed business as he is in every
hing else Nobody ever sees his list of bene-
ciaries He does not send it to the depart il
'ent, but orders the seeds sent to his room q
! bulk. he then goes into executive session t
18th himself, and before coming out makes ]
solemn oath never to divulge what has c
appened C