The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-03
SEED ACETATE SENATE
ANNUAL DISCUSSION OF DIsTRTBU-
 TION BY GOVERNMENT.
Senator Pettus Appeals to His Fellow "Houthful" Statesmen to stand by the old Time
 Custom


 Washington. Feb. 2.--The Senate spent much of today discussing the distribution of ordinary farm and gar. den seeds by the Agricultural Depart- ment, the agricultural appropriation Dill being under consideration, An at- tack on the seed distribution custom was made by Mir. Lodge and those who stood with him contended that the seeds were of the common varieties. to be bought of dealers everywhere ana urged that only rare varieties should be supplied free. Their oppon- ents ccntended that much good was be- ing accomplished by the work of the Department. Mir. Pettus, the vener- able Alabama Senator, stood with the latter class. and appealed to his fellow youthful, Senators not to forget the days when they enjoyed the violets that grew in the flower box on the front porch. The bill was not conn pleted.
 A further conference was order on the Qualifications appropriation bill.
 The agricultural appropriation bill was then taken up Mir Hale critI- cised the House provision imposing a penalty of $500 and imprisonment for eounterfeiting weather forecasts or weather flags, saying that it is a. drastic provision for a trivial act
 MT. Proctor replied that the provis- ion had been inserted and retained be- cause of complaints of bogus forecasts and false reports as to the crop condi- tiona
 Mir. Clay asserted that the terms of the provision appropriating $1,5o0, 900 In the collection and dissemination of information concerning live stock per- ntts. the Secretary to carry on an ex- pert business and expressed the opin- Ion that there is danger of abuse under an unWise administration that if so itf4 olined the Secretary could buy and dis pose of meats.
 MT. Proctor said the provision is In the interest of the extension of our commerce and that any attempt to abuse it would be brought to ' sudden halt.
 Mir. Lodge agreed with Mir. Clay saying 1t would be competent under the provision of the Secretary to turn the money over many times, and to proceed as any other business man might do.
 The point was temporarily passed. MT. German. criticizing the increa SC In appropriations, said $50, ,O00, 900 could be saved by return to the old system. when the Appropriations Committee considered all bills.
 A@C0Sp CA4tICANHQ IUe aOOfODElA- ton of $240,000 for seeds, saying that the seeds distributed were cheap and common and that the entire provision was a humbug.
 We are appropriatinE public money" said Mir. Lodge. year after year in order to enable us to make gifts to our constituents. We may as well look the truth in the face. It is pleasant thing to do, we all like it.. but we should hot forget that we are making the country pay for it."
 Mir. Latimer defended the distribu- ton as of great value and Mir Perkins read from the report of the Secretary of Agriculture to show that an intel- ligent effort was being made to i'm prove varieties.
 MT. Bailey said there was no more reason why the government should supply farmers seeds to plant in their gardens than there would be for SUD- plying them implements for working them.
 MT. Proctor suggesting that the en- tire appropriation did not exceed the cost of one battleship, Mir. Lodge ex- pressed tho opinion that the appropri- ation for the navy was the most wise ly spent of all our appropriations.
 MT. Berry intimated that Mir. Lodges Interest in the navy was due to the fact that his State was directly bene- fited.
 Mir. Lodge disclaimed any intent be- cause of local benefits, and instances his support of the river and harbor bill, which he said, benefited Arkansas more than any other State, This brought forth a general defence by MT. Berry of the river and harbor bill He rontended that Arkansass interest was incidental to it's proximity to the great Mississippi river.
 Mir. Pettus defended tho seed distri. button as one of the most profitable acts of the government He commend cd Secretary Wilson in high terms. saying that he had done more good than all Of his predecessors in that of- flee He dwelt on the importance of having a farmer at the head of the department.
 Of course ] wouldn't put lawyer there" he said, turning and looking it MT. Bailey. "eVen though he came from Texas. And" he added. evil denuy responding to private sugges- ton from MT. Spooner. who sat near him, T think he would administer the