St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-15
United States, beg to recommend the

United States, beg to recommend the
following:
To the governor Of................
Whereas, the Russian thistle, a for
eign plant recently imported into the
United States, has extended from the
Dakotas to California the west, to
New York state on the east, and from
the thirty-fourth parallel on the south
to the fiftieth parallel on the north,
rendering valueless for purposes of ag-
riculture extensive acres of our com
mon country. 1t has been carried in
every direction by the railways, in
stock and grain cars and by other
means of carrying. 1t is rapidly
spreading from the lines of transport
alton to cultivated farm, open prairie,
public common and highway. 1t has
already become so threatening from
it's wide distribution that it's eradica-
ton has gone beyond the power Of the
individual and the state, and without
the prompt cooperation of the general
government, and immediate, united eff
forts from all concerned, it will be i'm
possible to eradicate it. 1t is fast
reaching the semi-arid regions of the
West and Southwest upon lands owned
by the federal government, where, if
once established, it will continue 10
pollGte all sections of the Union. 1t
has already destroyed farms, rnined
homes, driven citizens into exile and
greatly diminished the products of our
fields, estimated by millions of dol
lars;
Therefore, Be it resolved by this
convention that We urge upon the gov
ernors of the several states here rep
resented the necessity for prompt and
vigorous action to repel this foreign in
vasion upon our greatest of all indus
tries-that of agriculture. To that end
we would respectfully suggest that the
attention of our legislative bodies be
called to this matter by special mes
sage from your excellency.
And be it further resolved by this
convention, That we deem it advisable
and necessary that the legislatures Of
the several states here interested shall
adopt joint resolutions, to be forward
ed to the governors of all the states OF
the Union, urging concerted action
upon the lines Of destruction, and pre-
venting distribution of said thistle; and
Resolved, further /. That all owners
of real properly be required TO clear
their own premises of this weed. 2.
That where such undertaking shall be
come of such magnitude and cost as to
he beyond the financial capacity of
such owners of real estate, then we
believe that the character and habits
of this weed justify and require the ap-
preparation of public money to assist
in such undertaking, and we cannot
resist the temptation to add that the
necessity for prompt, vigorous and i'm
mediate action is now upon us.
Resolved, further, That the attention
of congress be called to the terrible af-
Fiction now experienced from the
above causes, by the states here repre-
scented, and which threaten the entire
agricultural resources of the nation,
and, incidentally, all other interests,
and in self-protection we request that
immediate action be taken, whereby all
lands, the title to which remain in a
national government, including aban-
doned lands, shall be cleaned and taken
care of at government expense.
Resolved, further, That, in our opin-
ion, the conditions prevailing in some
of the states afflicted are such that the
national government must render di-
rect assistance to the people in connec-
ton with their state governments, by
appropriation of public money, if de-
cisive battle be given to this common
enemy to all material prosperity.
JAMES WILSON,
c. p. REEVES,
THOMAS BRAINARD,
H. C. STEWART,
c. T. FISHER.
Following the adoption Of the COM
mittees report, a lengthy discussion
regarding ways and means of deal
ing with this great enemy of the ag-
ricultural interests of the country
was again INDUCED in. The differ
ent members Of the commission re-
lated their experiences in dealing
with the evil, Prof. Laughlin caus-
ing laugh by declaring that it
fiOurished and took root like an evil
thought, and that moreover it affect
ed the sale of North Dakota No l
hard, and to that he emphatically OBJ
Jected. The question as to whether
1t t1OuriShed best in dry or wet sea-
son was very thoroughly gone into,
the general opinion being that dur
ing a good wet season it was more or
less crowded out by the grain. The
agencies by which the seed is con-
Veyed from one state to the other
were discussed, the members of the
commission all agreeing that the
lines of railway throughout the
country were one great source. After
more general discussion of the ques-
ton and of the various bills to be
presented to the Legislature of the
states represented, the commission
adjourned until 10 o'clock this morn
ing.