The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-02-15
ment made before the Joint eommitlees

more packages of seeds than did bis
republican predecessor during the last
three years of harrison's administra-
lion. Mr.. Morton boasts that be
exceeded his predecessor in this sun
lawful distribution" by 1851, 900 pack
ages of seeds. Does any senator believe
that he discovered legitimatcly all at
once that this power did not exist?
He says that he has exhausted all
s'the rare and uncommon seedsn in the
language of the law originally provid-
ing for this distribution. Grant that he
did, and that his argument is good that
there are no seeds now that can be
discovered on the face of the earth
which are rare and uncommon as to
this country, does be expect us to
believe that under the latter clause Of
the original provision that he should
send valuable seed which can be made
more profitable by being carried from
one latitude or state to another that he
could not have enforced that provision
of the lawp What intelligent man be-
lieves that with the changing climatic
conditions Of this country and with the
improvements in agriculture and the
processes for increasing productiveness
of soil, it is no longer possible to trans
port seeds from one state to another
and make them more profitableP
The senator from Mississippi aggres-
sively asked us to give single instance
where seeds had been carried from one
state to another and made more profit
able. The senator from Illinois an
swered that question. / answer it again.
Within my personal knowledge, the
farmers of the state of Missouri are
under eternal obligations to the agri-
cultural department, or rather to the
provisions of the law made by congress
requiring the commissioner then, the
secretary of agriculture now, to carry
seeds from one state TO another because
the farmers of Missouri, under the pro-
visions, obtained corn which today is
unrivaled upon the face of the earth
from the state of Illinois The corn
was brought to the state of Missouri
from what is called Egypt. in southern
Illinois, the culture of which reyolu-
tionized the corn culture in my stale.
But for this provision of law that could
never have occurred.
Who does not know that in almost
every neighborhood of the west today
there are seeds and bulbs OF Incredible
value to the people in these vicinities
which came from the department of
agriculture, not sent always in the
most intelligent way-I mean 10 say
the officers did not know what would
be the result when they caused this
transportation?
The democratic party has been most
unfortunate not only in the dissensions
which exist IN rs own ranks, but in the
5zet that the devil, to use a western
phrase. ~ eNesi The party a grudge
and has paid n Il s sedfedaEk 81 .asEi-,
cultare I.anxhtar If 81
had taken contract % make he pGrl5
to which he ostensibly belongs odious
with the farmers of the United States
he could not have carried it out more
successfully
This attack upon agriculture COM
menced in 1884, when the president,
in formal annual message to congress
said that the mails were loaded down
with seeds for gratuitous distribution
used by senators and members of the
house to popularize themselves at
home. This was the first blast upon
the bugle and the secretary of agricul-
ture Immediately took up the refrain
and has adhered to it ever since.
We are told that the secretary of
agriculture is entirely honest. His
honesty is not in issue. II is question
OF administration. 1t is question of
policy. Almost every crime committed
in history has been by honest men.
There never was fanatic who howled
in ecstacy around his victim burning at
the stake who was not honest. have
no doubt the Turks who are now
butchering the Christians in Armenia
and fiourishing their scimiters dripping
with Christian gore and shouting
'sAllah, Acbar! There is one God and
is His prophet" are per-
fectly honest, and think they will reap
their reward in the Mchammedan par
adise with black-eyed houris around
.hem.
believe the secretary of agriculture
IS honest enough. l don't attack his
honesty. attack his administration
and his policy. He has committed
what great Frenchman said in regard
to public official is not crime, but
That is far worse, blunder. He has
put the party to which he belongs in
antagonism to the great agricultural
of the country, which have
been peculiarly close to the
organization.
The founder of the democratic party
vas the best friend the agricultural in
crest ever had upon this continent. 1t
5 singular fact that Mr.. jefferson,
when minister to France, ,fand when
Watching the great drama of the French
as he looked upon the
French court at Versailles, feasting and
iancing as some people are doing now,
while the mob sufged and roared like a
Wild beast In the streets of Paris, and
while corresponding with the savants
If Europe, sent home seeds and, plants
If all kinds, in order to improve the
agriculture of this county.
1t is a singular fact that he travelled