Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-02-10

An0 usual EIIOU0SU Has D00u uI0Q
by the seed dealers of the county
against the free distribution Of seeds
by the government. The seedsmen
claim this is ''class legislation" and
. ''grievOUs restraint of trade" and
they upbraid the national lawn
makers for following practice that
from their viewpoint is SO injurious
and unbecoming to a great govern
ment like this. They likewise argue
that the real intent of the original
act authorizing the free distribution
OF seeds was chat only the rare
seeds, collected from remote cor
ners of the earth and unknown to
the people Of this country, should
Oe distributed TO increase the wealth
of the nation
1t can scarcely be denied that in
theory the seed dealers are correct.
There is, for instance, really no
more reason why the government
should undertake the free distribu-
Gion Of seeds each year, to the I'M
doUbted detriment of regular dealers
IN the same, than to have it under
take the free distribution of plows, or
sewing machines, or certain breeds
of eggs calculated to improve the
stock OF poultry keepers. At the same
time there are certain facts in iusti-
dcati0n of the practice, chief among
which is to be mentioned the short
Com3ngs of the seedsmen themselves
IN failing to be fair and square with
the public in their business dealings.
In most countries in Europe seeds
are required to be tested IN a gov
eminent laboratory and sold under
a guaranty of purity, while in this
country the adulteration of seeds is
a common practice. Grass and
clover seeds are commonly mixed
with more valuable seeds, and often
dead seeds, sand and weed seeds are
used to swell the quantity of pack
age. Some of the most troublesome
weeds have been widely introduced
IN this country by INSCRIPTIONS
dealers who sell them to innocent
purchasers under another label.
And SO if the department. of agri-
culture is unfairly competing with
the seed dealers, by reducing the
demand for their seeds, it is ONLY
another instance of their own sins.
like chickens, coming home to roost.
at is pity that the wholesale aduI-
teratlOns that prevail in their
branches of commerce." such as
foods and drink, cannot be restrict
ed in the same way.
Probably the real remedy for the
trouble would be for the govern
ment to establish laboratories for
testing seeds, as is done abroad,
where the prime Importance of good
seed is recognized, Oand the quality
of seed is q subject of governmental
control. At these laboratories a
small fee is charged for testing and
certifying to the quality of seeds.
The fee is paid by the dealer, and the
planter is usually allowed free re-
examination if he is not satisfied
with the seeds when purchased.
Due precautions are taken against
substitution by the purchaser, and
the rights of the dealer are rigor-
ously enforced. If this were done
it would remove one excuse for the
free distribution of seeds, but 1t is
very probable that this would be as
little pleasing to many of the regular
seed dealers as the plan which is
causing their present complaints.
Probably they would be ready to
make the point that in nearly all
other lines, of business the dealers
are free to swindle the purchaser if
they can, and to have restrictions
placed on their own particular bust
ness would be regarded as an 1mposi-
ton fully as great as to have the
government engaged in competition
with them by furnishing the people
with seeds.
And then of course there is the
inal thought that members of con
gress have found this free seed dis
fribution an excellent help in their
political plans, kind of graft, in
fact, which materially aids them in
getting solid with their constituents
and convincing the latter that a