The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1906-04-20
SEEDS AND POLITICS.
Suggestions far the Solution OF
the Free Garden SEED
Abuse.

The statement emanating from
the Department of Agriculture rela-
tive to the free distribution of seeds
by members of Congress to their
constituents is not devoid of humor.
In a general way it has been known
to the world since Secretary Ster-
ling Morton waged his famous and
delightful warfare on the humbug
that good deal of unnecessary mon
ey was squandered on free seeds I'M
der an act of Congress whose intent
had been strangely perverted in
practice. The extent of the waste
is now made clear in a striking
way.
The act of Congress which is re-
sponsble for this seed distribution
was intended to provide for wide
distribution among large number
of experiments of new and valua-
BILE seeds" in order that two blades
of grass might be made to grow
when only one grew before,
and new foods, grasses and vege-
tables might be introduced into
our domestic and agricultural econ
omy. This has long ago been lost
sight Of. and now the staid and re-
spectacle members of Congress cling
with grim determination to the
privilege of sending to their consti-
tuents number of practically
worthless packets of cabbage, tur-
nip, heliotrope. sage, gumbo and
onion seeds which may be bought at
any country store.
The actual cost of the 10000, 900
packets which are done up into
packages. giving several varieties to
the 100000 recipients. is about
$50. 900. This is indefensible enough,
but though members of Congress
will admit individually that it is non
sense to send the seed around the
country, they stand pretty firmly for
the perquisite when the adjustment
of the practice comes to a vote. But
the humor Of the situation appears
and the joke is on Uncle Sam and his |
treasury when it is shown that the
actual cost to that treasury of $780,
600 worth of seeds is nearly $3.50 900. |
To the costs of the seeds and plants
must be added the freight. The
cost of doing the seeds into packets
for distribution is S36. 900; the salar-
les paid for expert explorers"
gardeners, messengers and multi
farious hangers-on in the seed game
amount each year to SAG, 900; the
miscellaneous and operating expen-
SEES and Office rent account call for
$l4,0 and the extraordinary and
inexpicable item of additional mis-
cellaneous" is $4,000.
In short. this is as fine an example
of the waste in the government
handling of a business matter as
could be found in the annals of civ
ilized nations. More than rs per
cent of the total cost of the seed
largesse to congressman is eaten
up" by the cost of getting the seeds
to the HAY seeds" whose votes are
thought to be powerfully influenced
by the little vote getters," as they
are called.
In the interest of economy sug-
gestion is in order. 1t is positively
useless to urge Congress to relin-
cuish the perquisite, but why not
allot in money to each congressman
his pro rata share of $4,000, the ac-
tual cost of the seeds? The Con-
gressmen could send the cash by
check to his constituents, who would
please the merchants of their neigh
borhood by buying the common gar
den seeds in the local groceries. The
country's seed dealers would not be
offended by government rivalry, I'm
Gle Sam would save SlS2, 26S year
in actual cash, and the "hayseed"
vote affected by the seeds would be
safe.
Don't tie cough or cold up in
your system by taking remedy that
binds the bowls. Take Kennedy's