The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-11-16
INJUSTICE TO sRRDsMRN.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer,
RICHMOND, Va, Nov. II, 1897.

has been said about the disposition of |
Secretary Wilson to restore the seed
distribution of the United States De- |
partment of Agriculture to its original |
design of importing and distributing |
new, rare, and promising specialties. |
It now seems that this is all mere |
empty talk. The advertisement invit |
ing bids for seeds, bulbs, ETC., for the
ensuing year, specifies only seed Of
beet, cabbage, carrot, celery, cucum |
Der, egg plant, lettuce, cantaloupe,
watermelon, onion, parspip, radish,
rutabagas, squash, tomato, turnip, |
beans, peas, sweet and field corn, to |
bacco, Australian salt bush, cotton,
cowpeas, Canada field peas, vicia
villosa, alsike clover, alfalfa, Bermuda
grass, lawn grass, mangel wurzsl, kid
ney vetch, and choice varieties of
cia1 list includes only the commonest
stock seeds, such as every scotsman
furnishes at ridiculously low prices
And the amount of this common stuff
sent out ia each batch of the free seed
distribution is too small TO be Of any
practical use. Evidently the free seed
humbug is to be as big fraud under
Mr.. Wilson as it has been heretofore.
The who thing ought to be Wipe d out,
thus saving the $3.50, 900 or more (and
the cost of maillng) that is practically
wasted by the present plan Of giving
each NJ O. few seeds with which to
deceive himself into the idea that he is
winning votes by giving them away.
The thing is an insult to American
farmers"
The Democrat and Chronicle. of
Rochester, N. z, on Oct 2l, 1897. gives
one result of the free distribution of
seeds: Briggs Bros. & Co., of this
city, have gone to the wall, owing,
they claim, to the government furnish
ing seeds free, so that the people will
not buy of them. This firm dates back
nearly sixty years, and was one of the
largest dealers in seeds at one time"
Now all that seedsmen ask is fair
play. They have constant reminders
of the baneful influence of the free dis
tribution of seeds upon their business
in the shape of former customers Sat
ing that they now get their suDplv of
seeds from their Congregsman. and
country stores now rsd1ire very little
because their tradef is destroyed through
their neighOors receiving free seeds
from the government. Seedsmen think
they can with confidence appeal to the
public for aid in fighting this gigantic
government competitor, with whom
they are unable to compete, because
they are able to give away seeds. as
they are paid for by the taxes of the
people; whereas, on the other hand,
the seedsmen have to go to great ex.
pense in procuring them,
They further look with confidence to
the public for help, as it is not believed
that they wish to see people driven
from an occupation to which they
have devoted their lives, and through
which they support themselves and
families; and after seedsmen have done
more to advance agriculture in intro
ducing improved culture and varieties
than any other class.
Over twenty millions of packets of
seeds were distributed free last year,
each Senator and Congress man having
over forty.tWo thousand packets each
to send to voters. Gen. Le Due,
former Commissioner of Agriculture.
reported that thousands and thou
sands of dollars worth of seeds have |
passed through the hands of members |
of Congress, and it is safe to say that |
not a dozen reports have ever been |
made that have been available by the
department as data" A recent report |
from the Agricultural Department /
saws "a careful review of the depart
ment reports during the last decade, in
which over a million dollars were ex
per ded for free seed distribution, fails |
to reveal single instance Of benefit to
agriculture attributable to this dis
tribution." AS it is admitted by the
department itself that there is no good
result from it, it should be abolished.
There are only three results from the
free gifs of seeds, which are banefuI in
their effects. First, the free distribu
tion of seeds has tendency to pauDer.
ism and create dependence upon the
government. Second, it savors of
bribery and corruption. Third, it is
extremely injurious and destructive to
the business of seedsmen, who have q
right to look to the government for the
protection of their interests, as they
are compelled TO pay their quota OF
taxes. Therefore, their business should
not be destroyed by the governments
representatives.. and the government
free seed distribution through Con