New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-24
PART II.
PAGES II TO ~.
TIE AGRICULTURAL BILL.
DISCUSSION OVER THE STATISTICIAS'S
POWERS.

AZ APPROPRIATION FOR RAINFALL EXPERT
MrSTs RETAINED.
Washington, June Gain the Senate to-day the
Agricultural Appropriation bin taken up The
Committee amendment having been reached which
Strikes ont the provision for the monthly crop report
thp VOID, that cOafne Ii strictly TO statement OF the
percentage without comment or argument" Mr..
Vest opposed the amendment striking out the words
IN quotation marks, and argued that the language OF
the provision as 1t came from the House was sb-
soluely proper and was called for by the fact that
Mr. Dodge, the statistlcan, had been In the habit
Vt Injecting political and ether extraneous matter into
the Tepsr.s.
Mr. Allison On charge Of the biiD defended the
amendment
After much discussion the paragraph WIS passed
over without action. All the Committee amendments
Except TIE reserved for aconl having been DIS
posed OF, Mr.. Gordon offered an amendment which
WINS agreed to- increasing the appropriation for botari-
cal Investigations and experiments from $4,000 u
$50 900.
MI. r-tr,r Offered an amendment which was agreed
to- appOphat.ng -, 500 for experiments in applying
electricity as motive power In the propulsion OF
farm machinery.
Mr. Chandler offered an amendment transferring the
Fish Commission to the Department Of Agriculture.
Mr.. Allison made a point OF O!dc- en- the amend
ment and remarked that the Fish Commission had
grown so large that he expected II b swallow asr-
culture Instead Of agriculture swallowing the iisn
The pint CT order WIS sustained and the Amendments
excluded.
The question Of rainfall experiments having been
taken up. Mr. Coke said that from information which
be had received the experiments in Texas had been
fa,:re.
Mr.. Afson made similar statement but ex.
pressed the OPINION that there was stn enough proDa-
ty In their suoes to Justify pursuing them further
For that reason the Committee on Appropriations
had not recommended the striking out OF the appro
prn,.on Of $4,000. The appropriation was retained
The amendment as 20 the monthly crop reports was
again tascu up and Mr. George expressed himself III
favor OF the Notwithstanding out the words
strictly" and With without comment or argument"
Another long discussion oHsucd, in the course Of
which Mp Vest mad further strtctUres on the stat
stlcian of The Agricultural Department. specifying
particularly remark IN one Of the monthly reports
that there was an over production OF 100000 bales
Of cotton a year--f statement Ifr. Vest sad) which
could not f to have the effect OF reducing the price
Of cotton.
Mr. Allison replied with much warmth to an allusion
made By Mr.. Vest as to his ,lr. Allson's posing as
the especial friend Of the farmer. lie made such
pre,ens on-te said-bnt would allow that monopoly
to belong to the rcnator from Missouri.
Nr washburn argred that the statistic!an should
be held to the most rigid rule. and should be allowed
to give nothing but absolute facts and statistics with
ont comments. He expressed his belief that all the
agricultural reports for the last two or three years
with but few exccpiOns) had had the effect OF 90
prccatlng the prices % the great products OF the
cOu.try. These reports OF value to the pro
duccr but Tsed by the grain and cotton gamblers
The bill reported back to the senate and all
month"; crop reports. which still remains 70 DO
acted upon.