Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-12
UNCLE SANS SEEDS.
J. Sterling Morton Calls the System
Fraud-Costs 100000.

j. Sterling Morton Calls the System
Fraud-Costs 100000.
Kansas City. Sterling Morton,
who was secretary of agricul
ture during President Cleveland's Sec
ond administration. departed for Mex
leo recently after remaining in the city
over night. He was accompanied BY
his son, Paul Morton. second vice presi
dent of the Atchson. Topeka Santa
Te railroad They travelled in Mr.. Nor
tons private car.
Il am still living on the same quarter
section of land near Nebraska City,
Neb., that secured forty-nine years
ago" said Mr. Morton. Il farm my own
place and look after couple of farms
owned by my sons. expect good crops
in the trans Missouri valley this year.
III this snow goes off with rain and con-
sequent freshets 1t may work some in
jury, but If it thaws gradually the bene-
ut will be almost beyond calculation. In
Kansas there is a large area planted in
wheat which is enjoying special benent
from the present weather conditions.
have lived in Nebraska since 1854 and
we have had good crops nine-tenths OF
the time, a. number of bumper crops,
and perhaps three approaches to crop
failures. This same statement may be
made of the entire Missouri valley We
in Nebraska have never shrieked for
aid or starved. There was some appeal
for aid during the grasshopper scourge
a number of years ago. but the appeal
was not authorized. We could have got
along without any outside aid. The
great drought in Kansas in early years
was largely political. Emissaries went
east and called for help. but it was
largely for the purpose of securing the
election of Lane and Pomeroy to the
United States senate
do you know Coburn,secretary of the
state board Of agriculture in Kansas"
asked Mr.. Morton of the reporter for
the Star. He is perhaps the most effi-
Gent man in dozen states continued
Mr.. Morton without waiting for an an
swer. HE is perhaps the best equipped
man for secretary of agriculture that
lives In the west. He hasn't an equal in
the matter of gathering pertinent data
and presenting his facts in an attract
i've and convincing form. One of his
books is worth dozen state fairs. AS
an educator In matters agricultural he
stands at the head of the list. And
when 1t comes to the Office of secretary
of agriculture its functions are purely
educational. The whole purpose of the
law is to teach how to do things, not to
do them.
The sending out of seeds by con-
gressmen is fraud and should be no
longer tolerated. Why, the congress-
men might Just as well send out bulls
introduced for the absorption of all seed
good 1t does / see that bill has been
introduced for the description of all seed
stores and seed farms by the govern
ment. 1t is all wrong. If 1t goes on
much further" said Mr.. Morton, grow
ing ironical. congressman will be send
ing out desiccated potatoes and canned
peas to their constituents. This sort
Of thing is modern craftsmanship gone
to seed and should be discontinued. II
originated in 1899 when the commits
sioner of patents conceived the idea of
securing an appropriation to buy rare
and valuable seeds not common to this
country. From that meager beginning
the practice has grown until the appro-
priations for seeds amount to 100000
annually. And 1t is an expensive prop
,osition, for in addition to the purchase
of the seeds 1t costs the government
more than the seeds are worth to trans
port them and deliver to the favored
few who get them. The congressman
from the city districts sell their quota
of seeds to the congressman from the
rural districts. know one congressman
who sold quota of seeds that cost tho
government 5000 for SIS. And then 1t
puts the government in the position of
crushing out the legitimate seed houses.
Seeds are distributed to perhaps 2,000,-
900 people and the cost is borne by the
70.000,00O. And besides 1t is of no ma
terial benefit to the man who receives
the seed. He rarely gets what he wants
and the seed is wasted and does practi-
cally little good. The whole thing does
but little good.
You can go into any secondhand
store In Washington and buy seeds or
government documents at a price far
less than the actual cost to the govern
ment And then, as 1 said before, the
distribution of seeds by the govern
ment puts pauper seeds in competition
with legitimate seed houses. Ninety
Per cent of the newspapers In the rural
districts oppose the free distribution of
seeds by the government. 1t seems to
me that for party that breaches pro-
lection the republican party acts
against it's principles in continuing a
practice that is serious detrment to
large industry of the country"
Mr. Morton recently received an invi-
tation to address the Knife and Fork
Club. He said that his health would not
permit him to accept the invitation UNI
til warm weather. He is going to Mex
leo for the benefit of his health Mr.
Morton occupies a unique position in
national politics. Altho democrat and
q resident of Nebraska, In fact living
only short distance from Mr.. Bryan,
Mr. Morton refused to endorse Bryan's
money views and bolted the ticket.
Working Overtime.
Eight thour laws are ignored NV those