The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-07-25
Secretary Morton wan Deprive Settlers
of the Usual Gifts.

Washington, July 21-About $1,000 farm
ers in the state OF Washington will read
with indignation that Hon. ]. Sterling
Morton, secretary of agriculture has de-
clared that the customary quantity of
seeds will not be provided to congressman
for distribution as heretofore Many farm
ers, of course. will not suffer materially,
because they do not receive n package of
seeds through the general government,
but to those settlers in the new states
who are striving hard to make a home
upon the spreading prairie, or to hew 1t
out OF the evergreen forests, such Il gift
Is not only received as an earnest of re-
meinbrance on the part of the man for
whom they voted to represent them at the
nations capital, but 1t is really gift of
great value. Such settlers are not infre-
Quently in Strengthened circumstances.
Money is often an unknown quantity and
the dollar or half dollar which would be
seeds, is not in the pocket. and could be
used 10 buy seeds only at sacrifice of
some necessity in case of sickness.
Secretary Morton, in recently publish
ed TRADE against the farmers, made pub
lie one or two letters which, from their
poor spelling and the evident lack of edu-
cation of the writer. would have appealed
to the pathetic side of almost any 9TH
er mans nature. Secretary Morton used
them as an evidence of the fact that
once man received a package of Seeds
he never failed to write another year ask
Ing for more. The thousands of letters
received annually by congressman from
the northwestern states are each one an
unanswerable proof that Secretary Nor
ton wrought an injustice to the poor far
mer when he decided to attempt to evade
the law and practically to do away with
the distribution of seeds by his depart
ment Secretary Morton said in his in
tprNipw that fha w n
received seeds ever paid any attention to
the request of the government, which is
printed upon each package, for n report
as to their success in planting them In
this he Is greatly mistaken, as any con
gressman will tell you. The letters which
they receive are filled with statements
AS TO their success or failure with the
seeds, and "A great deal more interest Is
taken in this by these farmers than by
Mr. Mortons whole department.
Congress made the usual appropriation
for seeds this year, but Secretary Morton
acting under the advice of the attorney
general, now Secretary of State Olney,
who told him that under the law, he him
self was the sole judge of what should
be bought, has decided to purchase moth
ing but rare" seeds. Few, If any seed
man i'm the United States make a business
of furnishing rare" seeds. There Is no
demand for them except by fancy garden
ers, who either raise their own or i'm
| port them from abroad. Rare" seeds
would naturally be those grown in some
| foreign land, and it is quite apparent that
| If Secretary Morton carries out his avow-
| ed purpose to supply the farmers of this
| country with Sl3O,000 worth of rare
| seeds, the total amount appropriated, he
will have to so abroad to get them. This
would be quite in keeping with other for
| eign policies of this administration.
one other thing may be done, however,
and some of those who are familiar with
| the agricultural secretary's ways, seem
| to think it quite likely. He has already re-
| Jected the bids for seeds such as hereto
| fore have been furnished and in recon-
| mending any at all for any other kind,
may take no further action in the matter.
| He will then be able to report to the pres
| ident at the end of the next fiscal year
| that he has saved all this money to the
| United States as n result of the economical
| administration of the affairs of his depart
ment. He will, of course, avoid stating
| that 1t has been done at the expense OF
| the farmers of the country.