The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-27
FREE SEED MONEY CUT OUT
M Appropriation Will be Made by
Congress.
USELESS EXPENDITURE OF MONEY
FARMERS COMMEND ACTION OF
COMMITTEE IN DOING AWAY
WITH THE PRACTICE.
USELESS EXPENDITURE OF MONEY

The agricultural appropriation bill
| was to have come up for consideration
| in the house of representatives this
| week, but the committee on appropria-
| tions asked the chairman of the COM
mittee on agriculture, which prepares
the agricultural bill, to give way in
order that the bill for the expenditures
of the District of Columbia during the
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 farm
ers of the country will not know def
nitely for several days just what it
is proposed to do for their advance
ment, says a report from Washington.
The agricultural appropriation bill
carries this year a total appropriation
of about seven millions of dollars, in
round figures. The first money appro-
priated by congress was provided in
bill which authorized the commissioner
of patents to expend lone thousand
dollars in the purchase and distribu-
the publication of agricultural stalls
ties" That was seventy-five years ago.
created in 1862 as bureau of the in
terror department. The head of this
bureau was designated as the commits
sioner of agriculture, and later, during
| Cleveland's first administration, the
position was raised to the dignity of
| cabinet office.
Seed Appropriation Grows.
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 these years the
principal use to which the money has
been put has been the purchase of
| just as many cheap seeds as could be
secured for the money at the disposal
of the secretary of agriculture.
! Instead of using this fund in the
/ purchase and distribution of rare and
valuable Seeds" the secretary has ap-
parently considered his duty perform
ed 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 Sc
cured. Sugar beets from Germany,
Kaffir corn from Africa and alfalfas
from various parts of the orient have
been introduced into the agricultural
| regions of the country. But the bulk
| Of the money has been expended in the
purchase of the commonest varieties of
| fardeen seeds, such as cucumbers, let
tuce. turnips onions, tomatoes and like
garden vegetables, without any benefit
whatever to the farmer or to agricul-
| tural science.
Some years ago President Cleveland
ratnrnaH ho
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 alto
gether this useless waste of unblic
funds. Useless because the seeds dis
| tr1buted are neither new nor 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 leadership 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, 900
is eliminated.
Clamor for Seeds.
Of course. there will be a vigorous
attempt to put it back when the bill
comes up for consideration, but there
| is growing sentiment throughout the
| country in favor of the committees
! action. Thousands of letters have
been received by members of the rouse
| been received by members of the house
! during the past few weeks commend
/ ing the action of the committee in
striking out the free seed clause of
the bill. These letters are evidently
| spontaneous and they demonstrate that
| the people of the country generally,