Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-02-13
Vest CritiCises Morton.

The speech of Senator Vest, of
Missouri, in the Senate on the 9th,
criticising the action of Mr.. Morton,
Secretary Of Agriculture, in regard
to the distribution of Government
seeds, was exceedingly caustic and
breezy. Mr.. Vest referred to the
"bugle blasts" from the Secretary
of Agriculture as to Congressional
extravaganza in distributing seeds.
"The Democratic party has been
most unfortunate" said the Senator
with emphasis, "nOt only as to its
international discords, but also in
the fact that the devil has owed US a
grudge and has paid it in Secretary
of Agriculture. The Secretary has
put the Democratic party in antago-
nism to the great agricultural inter
ests of the party, although that party
has always stood as the close friend
of agriculture.
The gigantic intellect Of this Sec
rotary of Agriculture has daily gone
outside of his Legitimate duties, and
why did he not discover some of the
really gigantic abuses? This Secre-
tary assumed the run Of the entire
Government. He has been practi-
cally the Secretary Of the Treasury,
flooding the country with reports
and pamphlets denouncing the silver
lunatics and upholding the single
gold standard"
Mr.. Vest said the Senator from
South Carolina had been called a
communist because he had sounded
a warning in the Senate. He COM
pared this with a New York publica-
ton, threatening revolution unless
Senators and Representatives yielded
to the gold standard.
1.-The trouble u.s." said Mr.. Vest,
"that the Secretary of Agriculture
is monO-maniac on the gold stand
ard. He sees only gold, gold, red
gold, and he thinks any man who
does not see as he sees it is a luna
tic. When the Secretary of Agri-
culture hears of the silver lunatic he
is like the war horse in Job. His
neck is clothed with thunder You
might go further and say, He saith
among the prophets, ha ha! And
he smelleth the battle afar off, the
thunder of the captains and the
shouting"
Mr.. Vest severely criticised the
practice of furnishing costly flowers
from Government greenhouses for
the receptions at the Executive Man
sion, and added, "Sir, | would
rather give twice the amount of this
appropriation to enable some poor
man in u distant county of the
West who is fighting the hard battle
of life - / would rather give him
something that would make his
cherries home comfortable and
bring light to his fireside; / would
rather put one flower i'm the sick
room of noble working girl or ma
iron than to have it said that / voted
a hundred and odd thousand dollars
for the flowers and eXotics to go to
the receptions and banquets of the
Off Gals OF this Government where
the chandelier flashes its light acrsss
the red wine and the air is fragrant
with perfume like the spicy breezes
of 'Araby the Blessed"
Mr.. Vest closed with singing
peroration as follows:
Mr.. President, the Secretary of
Agriculture attacks the distribution
of seed, but there is one seed which
he is now propagating and distribut-
ing most industriously through this
country. The Senator from Missis-
sippi (Mr. George) was grimly face
tious over the name of some of the
botanical products which were Of
fered for sale to the Department. |
take the liberty Of saying that this
seed being now distributed is known
by botanists as the d,rJer .fe,aicul,tn
CAMS MOrtOni, or, in other words,
Morton's golden dog fennel. Under
the shadow of this noxious plant he
repOses by day and almost dreams
by night, occasionally seeking re-
creation by swinging his golden CEN
ser, filed with incense, at the Ex-
ecutive Mansion and shouting out,
Holy, holy art thou, on Grover,
king of kings and lord of lords J"
notwithstanding what Mr.. Vest
says, we believe Secretary Morton
is right in the main in regard to the
humbugery of this seed distribution.
1t is nothing more than an abuse by
which, under guise of favoring the
people with free seeds, the Govern
ment is made TO assist Congressman
in electioneering the people for re-
election.
JUDGE HARVEY, of the Cahel
county Circuit, has announced that
hereafter $50 will be the minimum
fine imposed in his court for carry