The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-16
THE aussr1r rHrsrEE
shsn = Hsiuies Doilsrs ne vstss frsn ths
Treasury for tie EHtirRatnont

| Treasury FOE tie ErtirpstrsNt
| WASHINGTON. April 15.-Coneress has still
| under discussion the 81, o00. 900 bill for de-
| stroyine the Sdisold KdH tdous. popularity
known as the Russian thistle or cactus.
Senator Hansbroueh OF North Dakota is the
manager Of this measure. which he has urged
/ vigorously.
The new feature in the matter IL the ingsn-
| ious attempt to meet the objection urged
against the constltutionallty Of the bill By
different mode Of distributing the sum which
| IL calls for from the Treasury. 1t is evident
| that Congress would create a precedent n IL
should enter certain States and begin. through
its agents. the digging up OF weeds and the
| determination OF noIious plants upon farms
| privately owned. Yet this IL might have to do
| in order TO carry out efeotually the measure
originally proposed. II Is true that q step In a
similar direction may seem to have been taken
by the Irrigation laws. But in reality the set
ting apart Of reservoirs and similar work can
| not be classed with employing men to till and
| improve lands. The actual construction Of
| bitches for the watering OF particular farms
| might be q case parallel to the one proposed,
| but that has not been undertaken By Congress
| on lands taken up under home stead laws, and
IL not likely to be.
It IL now proposed. therefore. in amend
ments offered by Mr.. KYLE. that the Secretary
| VI hRTlCulIuF6 bnhtI make an APPROXIMATE ee-
| Innate OF the cost OF exterminating the Rus
| sian thistle 10 the States where IL exists, and
divide the 81. 600. 900 among the States In pro-
portion to that estimated cost for each. taking
an obligation from the Governor that his share
OF the sum will be expended In connection
with any other sum or sums which may be
provided In his State, whether BY taxation or
voluntary contribution for that purpose In ex-
termin ating said thistle In his State" Prior
to this distribution sum sufficient for paying
the Government agents provided for in the
first section OF the act IL to be deducted.
Very little assistance 10 thus insured from
States or Individuals. The obligation is simply
to expend the Treasury fund In connection
with any other that may be" contributed By
q State or an individual. and certainly no Gov
ernor will object to agreeing to do that But
the aim is to avoid the constitutional objection
by giving the money OF the Treasury to the
Governors OF the States for disbursement
There seem to DO several theories on which
this legislation is asked. One 10 that the weed
was brought to this country By immigrants
who came here under our national laws. The
report OF the committee says that It came from
Russia. about 1919 in some black fax seed.
which. being sown. developed the plant about
1880 In South Dakota It is said to have
spread more or less In two-thirds Of the grain
growing regions OF that State. and upon
nearly one.third OF the arabic land Of North
Dakota. and In PARTS Of Minnesota. Wisconsin.
strange ni theory that bscsSse som ething no1.
ious was brought among the personal effects
Congress is bound to appropriate money to
extirpate its results The case is different
But as Tse
States ever prohibited the brin ging Of the Rus-
sian thistle Into this country;
e1tirpation OF the thistle from the cultivated
isnsins I: the Tnissa states. fstins *:
states i nst SPOKEN Of It is asserted that out Q!
States dovernment holds Is. Soo. 555; S out q
IA 299 acres 10 SS S11 si Rasot. It holds
b9ssfs hol Ss' 5sSSS out .sF? 30
acres in Minnesota II holds 6.5l08!1i out Of
out q a.rss IL
holds 81 .087. In tho aggreG ate 1t holds about
Of the acreage in the States
ment. however. would not DIS pose OF the OBJ
lection to employing public funds for the sui;
lands OF this pest, both in order 70 retain
from becoming a nuisance to nelehbori1g
iands taken up by private Ownership, It would
oftheir citizens. This point was made clearer In
sSe1ssa sontrlSution. !Se Bskeis fs s1Tss
In which the writer said: Il object to any law
SS o ss C Ss'6o asn.i : s,S..
men who wish to follow . system Of farming
Similar Sef.1ence S wa. sn1 msd. 70 the weed
q: s9Sa nns
coarse growth with large thorns. cattle viii
eat Il; However. the evidence is overThelm-
S for the tni!sd states 70 dseisrs su' weed
owners might even like to have it, "A'''
The report OF the committee suggested that
which ha. threatened our material interests.
yet the tS Ssnf {s rem n to agricIlture are
Interests from pleuro- pneumo nia ten years
ago In 1874 Congress- passed q law for the pur-
and sSss TSs IN
said to have been ; about twice Is great e. what
thistle. and it lie still considered an economical
outlay: But after all the questions asked By
Secretary Morton. who among all GOVERNMENT
the owners Of thes. lands, he says, unani:
ali time. and seasons By the hired weed Kill
ers OF ths general Govern ment2 VIII land
thority at Washington. thousands Of miles
away. inysding their real property and inter.
isRs Ea as G R;sns as
SCENTS enter gPon private lands for the Ddr
The amendment to the bill offered By Mr..
Ryis would apparently o6yiats these . seruples
execution OF the crusade 10 the hands OF the
Governors OF the starss. who would then make
But, after ali. there would still Be the question
Of the public lands to consider. and 1t might
be argued that Congress would do It's part
fact that the appropriation called for Is so
large, and entirely new. coming in 9 year de-
II anything 10 done at all By Congress- 1t should
be done now. But II IL little remark a BILE that
made Of a single Legislature In the States con-
cerned making even a small appropriation