Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-16
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Morton Is Looping or Useless Office Help
..The Sesd Nulsancs

Morton ls Looping or Useless Office Help
1.-The Seed Nuisance.
The report of the secretary OF agri-
culture will be found exceedingly inter-
esting, especially TO that large part Of our
citizens intimately concerned in agricul-
tural occupations. On the 7th day Of
March, 1893, there were upon Its pay rolls
2,430 employees. This number has been
reduced to $50 persons. In view
Of depleted public treasury
and the imperative demand OF
people for economy in the administration
OF their government, the secretary has en-
tered upon the task Of nationally reducing
Expenditures by the elimination from the
pay roll of all persons not needed for an
efficient conducf % the affairs Ct the de-
partment During the first quarter of
the present year the expenses of the de-
partment aggregated SSI5,970.70, rs
period Of the fiscal year ending June 80,
1895. The secretary makes apparent his
intention to continue this rate OF reduc-
tion by submitting estimates for the next
fiscal year less by $99i, $50 than those OF
the present year.
Expensive Seed.
In the year 1899 congress appropriated
81 900. to be taken from the patent Office
funds, for tho purpose OF collecting and
distributing rare and improved varie'
ties OF seeds and for prosecuting
agricultural Investigations and procuring
agricultural statistics. From this small
beginning the seed division Of the depart
ment OF agriculture has grown 20 Its pres
ent unwieldy and unjustiflably extrava-
CANT proportions During the last fiscal
year the cost OF seeds purchased was g.
t4S6l. The remainder OF an sppropria-
tlon Of $3.50 % was expended In pulling
that1 N m a nd dist trlh hntipU fhaun suraly
never could have entered the minds Of
those who first sanctioned appropriations
OF public money for the purchase OF new
aud improved varieties OF seeds for graf
uitous distribution that from this would
grow large appropriatiaiions for the pur-
chase and distribution by members OF
congress of ordinary seeds, bulbs and cut.
tings which are common in all the states
and territories and everywhere easily
obtainable at low prices. In each state
aud territory an agricultural experiment
station has been established. These sta
tions, by their very character and name,
are the proper agencies TO experiment
with and test new varieties OF seeds, and
yet this indiscriminate and wsstefui dis
tribution by legislation and legislators
continues, answering 40 purpose unless IL
be To remind constituents that their rep
resentatiyes are willing TO re-
member them At public cost.
Under the sanction of existing legislation
there was sent out from the agricultural
department during the last fiscal year
enough cabbage seed TO plant II, 200 acres
OF land, a sufficient quantity OF beans TO
plant 1900 acres, beet seed enough To
plant $500 acres, sweet corn enough TO
plant 500 acres, sufficient cucumber seed
To cover 30 acres, with vinee and
enough muskmelon and other melon seeds
to plant 2.675 acres. The total quantity of
flower and vegetable seeds thus distribu-
ted was contained in more than 900, 900
packages and they were sufficient II
planted to cover u, 593 acres of land.
In view OF these facts this enormous ex-
penditure without legitimate returns or
benefit ought to be abolished. Anticipat-
ing consummation SO manifestly In the
interests of good administration more
than Sl00,000 has been stricken from the
estimate made 10 cover this object for tho
year ending June 80, 1894, and the secre-
tary recommends that the remaining
s., 800 of the estimate be confined strictly
to the purchase OF new and improved va
rieties Of seeds, and that these be distrib-
uted through experiment stations This
seed will be tested and after the test has
been completed by the experiment station
the propagation OF the useful varieties
and the rejection OF the valueless may
safely be left to the common sense Of the
people