The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-19
FREE SEED
CLAUSE IS
OMITTED
From the Agricultural Appro.
priation Bill Next
Week.
OVER 100000 WASTED.
Annually in Distribution of Chean
Garden Seeds Among the
People.
By f.. C. Snyder.

Washington. D. c., April 1s.-
Especially The Agricultural appro-
prlation bill was to have come mn for
consideration in the house of repre-
sentatives this week, but the COMMITTEES
on appropriations asked the chairman
OF the Committee on Agriculture, which
prepares the agricultural bill, to give
way In order that the bill providing
for the expenditures in the District
OF Columbia during the next fiscal
year might have the right Of way.
After several consultations with
Speaker Cannon, Chairman Wadsworth
consented to the program laid out and
IN consequence the farmers of the
country will not know definitely for
several days just what it is proposed
to do for their advancement The
Agrlcultural appropriation bill carries
tn1s year a total appropriation of about
seven millions of dollars in round
ngures. The first money appropriated
oy congress was provided In q bill
which authorized the commissioner or
patents to expend 'one thousand dol
lars IN the purchase and distribution of
rare and valuable seeds and in the
publication of agricultural statistics
nat was seventy-t1ve years ago. The
,'Sfstt~-SAShS ~ 0SoI "GS CfSAtG3l
III 1867 as Il Bureau of the Interior
department. The head of this bureau
was designated as the Commissioner
of Agriculture and later, during Cleye-
lands first administration, the position
was raised to the dignity of a cabinet
Office
Through all the years since Norman
Coleman. of Missouri, was first ap-
pointed to hold the portfolio of agricul-
ture, the amount of money provided
for the purchase and distribution of
rare and valuable seeds" has grown
until last year a third of a million
dollars was made available for this
purpose. But in all those years the
principal use to which the money has
been put has been the purchase of
just as many cheap seeds as could
he secured for the money at the dis
posal of the Secretary OF agriculture.
instead OF using this fund in the "pur-
chase and distribution of rare and
valuable Seeds" the secretary has an
parently considered his duty performed
when he bought as many seeds of the
commoneSt varieties as he could get
for the money. 1t is true that some
valuable seeds have been secured,
Sugar beets from Germany, Kaffir corn
from Africa and alfalfas from various
parts of the Orient have been intro
duced into the agricultural regions of
the country. But the bulk of the
money has been expended in the pur-
chase of commonest varieties of garden
seeds, such as cucumber. lettuce, tur-
nips, onions, tomatoes and like garden
vegetables. without any benefit what
ever to the farmer or to AGRICULTURAL
science.
Some years ago President Cleye-
land returned the agricultural appro-
priation bill to the house without his
approval because he disapproved of
the seed item" Since that time
there has been growing disposition
to cut out altogether this useless waste
OF public funds. Useless, because the
seeds distributed are neither new or
useful in the way of educating the
agriculturist. But all efforts to cut out
the free seed clause of the bill have
been abortive until the present time.
This year, however. under the leader
ship of Messrs. Wadsworth and Cocks.
of New York, the committee decided
to leave the free seed clause out of
the bill, and as it will be reported to
the house. that one item of about $780,
600 is eliminated.
Of course there will be a vigorous
attempt to put it back when the bill
comes up for consideration. but there
is a growing sentiment throughout
the country in favor of the committees
action. Thousands of letters have been
received by members of the house dur
Ing the past few weeks commencing