The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-02-20
FREE SEEDS AND SILVER.

However little 1t may belong TO the Re
puhlicans to defend the present admins
tra;ion from assaults within It's OWE
party, and as little as there really is
worthy OF praise from a non-partisan
standpoint in amy act OF any member of
Cleveland's official family, all tair-minded
men win regret that the house OF repre-
sentatives has seen tit 10 follow the silver
senators who have gone into the seed
business to boom silver in general by
enlisting the sympathy OF the farmers.
and to revenge themselves particularly
upon Senator Morton fer being a sound
money Democrat from n Western state.
This is the explanation Of the passage
OF the bill making compulsory the seed
distribution perqulaite Of the senators
and representatives. While 1t IS true
that under the law as administered for
merly seeds were placed where they
would do the most good for the political
aspirations of the distributors. even this
motive would not have been strong
tlAGuHn 70 AlANSt AAtt ENAAsAAN " EdAiSNANAA
a revival OF the abuse if the majority in
that body were not determined to make
a iifty-eent dollar the only issue and TO
punish everybody who has the courage TO
oppose them.
The clear intent OF the law under which
the seed abuse has grown UP was to pro-
vide for the distribution OF rare and new
varieties OF seeds which would not get
into the hands OF farmers in any other
way For this purpose, and this purpose
only, the law was justifiable. in prac-
allow the purchase and free distribution
OF large amounts of seeds and grains of
the commonest varieties at a large out
lay to the government and with little
advantage 10 the great mass OF the
farmers. as the seeds were given to
political favorites. and with view 10
political effect solely. The political
farmers got most Of the seeds; the plain.
everyday farmers were still compelled TO
purchase or grow their own.
Much as Senator's Vest and wolcott
would like 10 work the seed racket for
the increase Of their own popularity, they
probably would not have ventured TO adj
vocate legal sanction of seed jobbery on
an extensive scale if the secretary of
agriculture had done nothing but ad-
minister the seed law according to its
original intent The motive for the i'm
passioned speeches OF Vest and wolcott
in favor OF spending large sums Of money
for the free distribution OF seeds is to
be found in Secretary Morton's deter
mined and unanswerable advocacy of a
hundred-cent dollar currency. It is a
case of trying to punish public official
for being honest in the administration Of
his department. and for advocating hon
esty in all financial transactions. public
and private.
The free silver senators have simply
determined to apply the hold-up principle
to anything and everybody that stands
in the way of the free coinage Of silver.
This has been shown by their action in
turning the bond and revenue measures
passed by the house into free coinage
bills, and the seed distribution act, as
passed by the senate, was a measure Of
senatorial intimidation pure and simple
Fortunately the hold-up business is a
game that two can play at, and President
Cleveland will have the last say upon
all hold-up measures. including seed hills
as well as free silver.