Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-02-23
THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
IN DEFENSE OF AGRICULTURE.

In the senate the other day a sharp
discussion arose over a provision of the
agricultural bill which appropriated
$91, 900 for the examination of soils and
the mapping of the agricultural regions.
Senators Hale and Lodge read the
senate a lecture on it's extravagant
tendencies. Mr.. Hale claimed that he
was a farmer and knew something about
the question and that the appropriation
vas unnecessary. He wa followed by
Senator Hansbrough who said:
Mr.. President, as I understand it this
provision was inserted in the bill largely
upon the suggestion of the farmers of
this country, who have communicated
with the secretary of agriculture on the
subject.
The senator from Maine states that it
is not desired by the farmers. I submit
that the senator from Maine, who made
the startling statement here this morn
ing that he is a farmer, knows but very
little about the farming interests of the
United States. He may be what is
termed an agriculturalist, but I do not
admit that he is a farmer. There is a
wide difference between an agricultural
ist and a farmer. Horace Greeley, I be-
llieve, was an agriculturalist, and his cab
sbages cost him a dollar a pound. But
he was not a farmer. Experience
proved that to be a fact. So I submit
the senator from Maine is not much of
a farmer and knows but very little about
what the farmers in this country want.
] do notssshare in the alarm which has
been given here by the senior senator
from Maine (Mr. Hale) as to the enor-
nous extravaganza of this appropriation.
j do not believe it is going to I'll into
the hundreds of millions of dollars, as he
claims it will, or anywhere near it.
L know something about the examina-
ton of soils in my OWE state. OF course,
farming in Maine and farming in North
Dakota are two different propositions.
There we SOW wheat and other grain
with the improved modern drills, but on
the rocky hillsides of Maine they are OBJ
liged to plant their, corn, I am told, by
shooting the seed into the ground with
al rifle. There is a great difference be-
tween planting in Maine and planting in
North Dakota or elsewhere in the great
agricultural regions of the country.
In the state of North Dakota the ex-
animation of soils has been made for
the past few years with a great degree
of success. 1t does not require much
work to ascertain the qualities of the
soil of a farming state, and all the states
in the west are farming states and are
interested in this provision. It is not
an expensive business, the examination
of soils. / venture to say that most of
the work of the examination of soils in
my state is finished today, and that the
secretary of agriculture knows, practi-
ically as far IS he desires to know, the
qualities of that soil. 1t may be true
that he now desires to make a chemical
analysis in order to improve the grade of
wheat, or fax, or oats, or barley, or other
grains which we raise in great abund-
aace.in that state, and I agree that that
ought to be done. e r. 80 III 3
Mr.. President. / do not agree with the
senator from Maine that this is going to
fun into a large sum of money. The
senator from Maine has recently &C
aaired the hnbit of materializing the
ss.lost OF extravaganza on the floor of the
senate. ! am not disposed to vote the
governments money away recklessly,
but in cases of this kind, where an APP
preparation of this kind goes directly to
the basis of our institutions, SO to speak
agriculture-I think the senate ought
not to be niggardly in the matter.
The senator from Maine, as I have
stated, is deserving the sympathy of the
senate for his efforts in the line Of econ
omy. I thought the other day, when
the senator arose here aid asked for the
passage of a bill for the establishment of
a lonster hatchery in Maine, that he was
a little extravagant in that regard, but I
may be wrong. I did not say anything
about it. I thought I would let it 60,
because have great respect for the
wisdom of the senator from Maine. He
usually knows what he wants, and he
usually gets what he goes after. So
concluded not to interfere with his
holster hatchery, yet Ihave grave appre-
tensions about it. Who can tell where
twill end and what it will cost? 5gS
SIR. #Tilnaan: The senator from Maine
likes broiled lobster. Laughter.J
MI. Hansbrough: I know, Oh the
other hand, that the people of New
England require lobster. They have