St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-18
WAR ON The UGLY THISTLE.
Gov SH0RTRLDGE, or WORTH DAKOTA,
SPEAKS BEFORE
A CONGRESSIONAL Committee.
The Weed IL Choking Out Grain,
and Farmers Must Abandon
Their Lands-Statements From
a. II. Mohler, Late OF the Great
Northern, and Gov. Sheldon, or
South Dakota.

WASHINGTON, Feb. II. - Hearings
were given by the house committee on
agriculture today to representatives
of the farming interests of the North
west who favor the bill before congress
for the determination of the Russian
thistle. Gov. Shortridge. of North Da-
kota, was the principal speaker. The
secretary of agriculture was ridiculed
by Representative SIbley. Democrat
from Pennsylvania. because of n letter
written last August stating that the
weed was a blessing, because sheep
would eat it. Representative Hainer. a
Nebraska Republican, resented the
remarks Of Mr.. Sibley. and defended the
secretary. The first speaker was Rep
resentative Boen, of Minnesota, who
has bill for discriminating the thistle
before congress. and who described the
advantages Of the weed.
GOV. SHoRTRIDGE
said that the weed had been brought in
by immigrants a few years ago and had
spread until it has covered 10000 square
miles. 1t grew to a height of three
feet, completely choking out grain. IN
less war could be successfully waged
against this weed many farmers would
be compelled to abandon their lands
entirely. State legislation had been di-
rected against it for its destruction by
town and county agencies. but this
proved insufficient. He advocated a
liberal appropriation from congress. A
letter was read from A. 81. Mohler. SUI
perintendent of the Great Northern
road. He wrote:
"UnlesS united action is taken by the
farmers In different communities the
damage to the land will be infinitely
worse than any of the worst grasshopper
plaques these districts have ever eX-
perienced."
Farmers were discouraged because
the weed completely choked the growth
OF grain. Its spread had been within
three years. and there was danger of
further extension to Minnesota and
North Dakota by shipments of grain.
Another letter from
GOV. SHELDON,
OF South Dakota, stated that the weed
has had Judgment i'm the southern coun-
ties of the state for years, and was Just
making Its appearance in Northern Da-
kota, where the people were much
alarmed. He had been surprised to
learn the people preferred the Russian
thistle to fox-tall grass. In answer to
questions from Representative Simpson
the governor stated that $1,000, 900 acres
of the 100000 of land in North Da-
kota belongs TO the government. Rus
sian agricultural officers had told him
that large tracts of land in Russia had
been absolutely abandoned because of
the weed. Representative Sibley, of
Pennsylvania, asked:
"Have you not letter from the secre-
tary or agriculture, saying that the
farmers should regard this weed as a
bleSsing?'
MIR. Shortridge replied that Secretary
Morton had written such a letter, but
in his opinion the secretary must have
been deceived by newspaper articles,
written by a man who had sheep to sel,.
Then Representative Sibley stated
that the secretary of agriculture had
written that the low price of wheat was
blessing, because it could be sold
abroad and our gold brought back in re-
turn.
SECRETARY MOTIONS LETTER
was characterized by Gov. Shortridge
as ''rot." Representative Hainer rose
~ ooy NAV iiC NttHGSu " pTOLSCG OSCTG-
tary Morton from attack. The secretary
had deep interest in the welfare of
the agricultural classes. ~ see no
necessity for eulogy of the secretary
of agriculture" replied Mr.. Sibley. 40
quote his words IS not to attack him.
L have put no words in his
mouth that he did not use.
We should have specifications of
the secretary's great interest in the
agricultural classes, il be is to be dis
cussed. Ii the secretary believes the
weed is blessing he is not the man to
put i'll charge of the measures for its
determination" Chairman Hatch. of
the committee, declared the discussion
out of order and ended it. Mai. Charles
w. Butts. of Buttsville. N. D.. large
farmer and an eX-member of congress.
addressed the committee upon the eff
fleets of the weed. 1t choked the grain
binding machines, he said. and made
their use impossible. The Russian
government had taken charge of its
infested lands for two years, feeding
the farmers meantime. Since congress
permitted the foreigners to enter who
brought the weed it should furnish
funds for determination.
--aEE