Arizona republican., 1905-02-15
The Annual Seed Distribution.

The Republican has received. as a
token of esteem from a United States
senator. several packages of tobacco
seed the same being furnished by I'm
Gle Sam. We understand that tobacco
grows Iuxuriantly in the Salt River
valley, and that the quality is superior
to anything raised in the Carolinas
Virginia or Connecticut. Our ranchers
seem backward about beginning the
culture of the weed, however. It is
said that Sumatra wrappers of the
first grade can he grown here. and we
do not see why the tobacco industry
should not become important in all of
Arizona's irrigated valleys. A distinc-
lively Arizona cigar, comprising a
homegrown Sumatra wrapper and ma
tive alfalfa filler should become a pow
erful weapon wherewith to chase the
tobacco trust out of the territory.
We are reminded by this gift from
Washington that the annual distribu-
ton of seeds by the national govern
ment is now on, and a letter to Dele
gate Wilson. or to some acquaintance
house of representatives. making
known the applicants wants. will
doubtless bring response in some
shape or other, postage free. Your
Uncle Sam, he pays the freight. But if
you send for lycopersicum esculentum
and receive a package OF tobacco seed,
do not feel hurt; neither accuse the dis
fTihntnr of sub
common for what would naturally be
supposed to be a very rare specimen
of some foreign vegetable.
And if you should be captivated by
the name and send for a specimen Of
the brassica rapa and after carefully /
planting and nursing be rewarded by
mess of turnips, consider yourself
amply repaid-the government fur
nished the seed, you do the rest. /
Whenever this free seed distribution /
is brought before congress some |
would-be watch dog of the federal /
treasury makes a futile attempt to stop
this annual giving away of the govern
ment's money, and this year proved no !
eception. A Mr.. Lilley. who represents
a district in Connecticut, denounced /
the practice as petit larceny" but he
had his efforts for his reward; bucoIic
rights and established custom could
not be denied, and it is well for the
gentleman from Danbury that he does
not stand for farming constituency.
But in truth where is the benefit, not
to say justice, of this act of class pa
ternalism on the part of the govern
ment? If the distribution has come to
be a custom stronger than law, why
not give it a tinge of justice by Civ
ing to those who do not care for, who
cannot use seed, their equivalent in
cash? or permit residents of different
localities or of other occupations to
choose something that could be made
of as much use to them as the seed
can be made to the farmer? Why not
have the annual distribution of prunes
for the benefit of the boarding houses.
of gum for the school children and de-
butantes of chocolate drops or tea for
old maids, of railroad passes for
Weary Willies who desire to move
south about November first, or, if it
did not seem to border on unseemIy
premises. why not annually distribute
a number of yearly subscriptions to
the favorite newspaper of the con-
gresham. These suggestions are mere
~ thrown out, as it were. for what
they are worth. Seeds are all right.
but even the farmer tires of going into
this national gift enterprise and draw
ing out the same old chicken feed each
year. Congress should inject little
variety into the game and popularize
it with the masses.