The morning times., 1896-02-16
THEY MUST HAVE SEEDS
Congress Will See That Morton
Oheys the Law.
HARD RAPS GIVEN HIM
Debate on the Agricultural Bill In
the House Brought Out the Feel
ing-All VIII BE Fixed So That
the Secretary Must Send Out the
Seeds-Warm Words.

When the agricultural appropriation bill
was taken up in the House yesterday, there
was goodly attendance OF members and
spectators, in anticipation OF at least
some semi-sensational utterances on the
question OF seed distribution.
Mr.. Willis, of Delaware, in presenting
the bill, was both brief and felicitous.
He stated that the bill was the natural
born child of a company OF farmers.
tLaughter.b 1t carried q total appropria-
tion OF So ,15S.192, which was S145, 1853
less than the total of the bill for the current
year. THAT bill,' he said, "was passed
while the famous Holman of Indiana was q
member OF Congress. The reduction from
a standard which passed his scrutiny and
approval should commend itself to the
economical spirit of the House. believe
the bill will meet with your approval
until you come to the seed distribution
paragraph, and that. ] have no doubt,
you Will be able to manage to the satisfaction
Of men and angels
Mr.. PICkLER'S QUERY.
Mr.. Picker. Rep, South Dakota, asked
If there were anything in the bill different t
from that of the current year intended to
compel the Secretary OF Agriculture to dis
tribute seeds as desired by Congress.
Had the committee any assurance that the
Secretary who had defied the law of
1S95-1S96 would not defy the law OF
1861 1S97?
Mr.. Wadsworth, Rep, New York, chair
man OF the committee, said there was no
change in the law and no such assurance
as the gentleman suggested had been
given.
Mr.. Pickler-Wouldn'u it be well for the
committee TO arrange a parity between the
law and the Secretary?
Mr.. Wadsworth responded that an amend
ment would be proposed by Mr. Wilber, Rep,
y. Y, which was intended TO accomplish
that result.
BAKER WENT FOR MORTON.
Mr.. Baker, Rep, n. H.. whose controversy
last summer with Secretary Morton over
the refusal of the latter 10 distribute seed
in accordance with the appropriation law
and the intention and desire of Congress,
was exploit at the time, addressed the
committee for half an hour.
He quoted largely from former speeches
in Congress and from reports by department
officials, TO show that the Secretary could
have carried out the law passed by Con-
gress, TO the advantage OF the country gen.
orally. and farmers individually, i'll the dis
tribution of seeds, as il had been done
for more than thirty years. Mr.. Baker
asserted that there was absolutely
nothing in the opinion OF the Attorney GEN
eral upon which the Secretary of AgriCul-
ture said he based his action, to warrant
that official in refusing to execute the law
of Congress in relation TO the distribution or
seeds.
RAKED BOWLER IN.
Several attacks were made upon Secre-
tary Morton, the most bitter being made by
Messrs. Moses and Livingston of Georgia
and Boatner of Louisiana.
Messrs. Livingston and Boatner included
Comptroller Bowler in their scathing de-
nunications. aud insisted that the time had
come when il was necessary that the line
between the legislative and executive de-
partments of the government should be
definitely and finally settled.
Mr.. Livingston said he was willing that
the legislative branch should be required
To attend to its business and he wanted the
executive branch 10 learn to attend TO its
business. When, the House adjourned at
. O'Clock the agricultural bill was the pend
ing business.