The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-02-15
LITTLE GIANT SPEAKS.
Senator Vest Takes up the
Policy of the Secretary
on Free Seed and
Denounces it
Bitterly.
SARCASM AND INvEcTIvE
He Says That the Devil Gnve the See
retary Of Agriculture 10 the DEM
Oeratic Party.

Washington, Feb. 5.-Since Secre-
tary of Agriculture Morton discontinued
sending seeds to farmers at the request
of congressman, he has been persona
non grata at the capitol. Today SEN
ator Vest took hold of the secretary
and maulded him to the queens taste.
Some days ago Senator Hansbrough of
North Dakota introduced joint reso-
luton instructing the secretary to obey
the mandate of congress. Today Sen
ator Vest spoke on the resolution and
delivered a characteristic speech. He
evidently took pleasure in roasting the
secretary, and the other senator's en-
joyed the performance. Mr.. Vest said:
Mr.. President. l assume that the
proposed amendment SSy the committee
on agriculture and forestry hss prae1i-
cally eliminated the very learned afel-
ment of the senator from Mississippi
(Mr. George in regarding to the SEN
ate constituting itself a court and
of agriculture, and also in regard 10
the other point that the senate In pass.
ing the original resolution would
infringe upon the functions of the chief
executive, whose duty it is to see that
the laws are faithfully enforced. AS
amended, the joint resolution simply
directs, as we unquestionably have the
right to do, the secretary of agriculture
to purchase and distribute gratuitously
seeds as had been done in preceding
years.
l am not prepared to say that with
what believe to be the opinions and
and purposes OF the secretary of agri-
culture he will not undertake 10 nullify
even this joint resolution. l am salts
fled that his intention, if he can possi-
bly, avoid it, is not to distribute these
seeds at all. | shall undertake to prove
from his own declaration that his state
ment that he has not the right by law
and is not empowered TO distribute
seeds, as has been done for so many
years, is a mere pretense and pretext
to conceal his settled animosity to the
distribution of seeds at all, and his in
tention to accentuate before the public
what has been stated by the newspapers
that this is reckless expenditure of
money by congressman in order to
popularize themselves with their con-
slituents.
All this talk about the secretary of
agriculture having discovered that he
did not have the power to distribute
these seeds is simply sham to cover
up his settled determination and pur-
pose not to distribute them at all and
to bring all of us into disrepute who
dare TO advocate this gratuitous distri-
button as il had been carried on for so
many years. 1 assume then that under
this amended joint resolution all the
technical arguments and learning of
the senator from Mississippi go for
nothing and that we have the right to
direct this executive Office, not to
request, but to direct him to distribute
seeds AS has been done heretofore. No
executive Office of this government has
the right to set up his will and opinion
against that of the legislative depart
ment in regard to question of this
Kind, and whatever may be his conduct
hereafter, if this resolution as amended
is passed it brings him face to face with
the Legislative will. He can violate it
if he chooses, but this resolution will
fix his responsibility as the head of a
department under the law and consti-
tuition.
1t is serious statement for me TO
make that l believe the secretary of
agriculture has determined not to make
Il gratuitous distribution of seeds. ii
have not made that statement reck-
lessly nor carelessly. l have made it
because | think | have the proof, be-
cause unquestionably so believe. 1t
is a most remarkable fact that the sec
retary of agriculture boasts in his state