The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-16

States treasury instead Of going to tho
consul us compensation.
All clerks TO consuls slinll be citizens
OF the United StateS-
Consuls are forbidden to engage In any
other business. The salaries range from
$500 year to $4,000 a year, the latter
sum TO he paid consuls ut London and
Paris only. A system Of Inspection IL.
provided for through neutrality-suspicious.
each for Europe. Asia, Africa. South
America and North America. the latter
to nave charge of the inspection OF con-;
suiates In Mexico and Canada Consuls-
general are TO receive $1,000 year and
travelling expenses.
1t seems certain that Congress will
enact into the agricultural appropriation
bill an item providing for the, expendl-
ture of at least ssio,D0oa for the free
distribution OF seeds among the farmers
of the country. The Complete on AZ.
riculture, by a strictly party vote, cscaNu
to omit this item from the plii az repois Wv
to the house.
n Is believed that Secretary wilson. oi
Tic Department OF Agriculture. Is IN
Z lined to favor the free seed Distribution.
He has written q letter to Representative
Lamb. senior Democratic member OF the
committee. in which he says:
Question Of Seed.
80 ia . committee OF seedfnen CAL
unon me the other day and / told them
the difticulty with regard to the SEED
dist rihution was not with the congress-
men but with the people behind the con-
y gre sstnen: that we were sending out BET
ter seed than the people could buy; that
We took so much care; In watching Tue
growing of the seeds, and tested them
SO thoroughly before we accepted theIti,
that, with few, exceptions they were mucn
superior to what the people could buy IN
their neiehfbrhood; that only a few.
seedsmen in the United States took the
same pains that we. did; and that II
they desired to have the Distribution OF
common seeds stopped, they must see 20
II that they send out as good seeds, as
the government is sending out. and that
the people would continue to insist upon
getting seeds from the government as
long as they got seed much superior
to what they could buy in their own
sIocalities.''
This hard rap at the seedsmen by the
Secretary of Agriculture gives a new turn
to the discussion OF the abolition OF the
free seed distribution. and helps to make
1T certain that the system will be con-
stinlled. Representative Lamb said eto-
day that several of his constituents had
writtei him that the best farm and gar.
den seed in their localities had origi-i
mated from packets received from tho
department
Compulsory Pilotage.
The bill to abolish compulsory pilotage
for vessels engaged in the coastwise
trade. which the National Pilots Assoc
Sciat.on has been lighting for SO many
years. has been favorably reported from
the Senate Committee on Commerce.
Senator Frye. Of Maine. is the author
OF the Senate bill, and Mr.. Littlefield. OF
Maine the author of the House bill.
srhe latter bill has also been favorably
reported, but has not reached n vote.
strhe National Assocla ton of sPi lots. n as
that character, have had representatives
here all winter flghtng such legislation.
{'rhe Virginia association, with head
Quarters at Norfolk has requested the
Virginia senators to oppose the bill. and
3it8is understood that they will do so, as
SIT is claimed that 1t is solely In the in
terests OF ship-owners of New TIngland.
and that to abolish the compulsory pi-
|lotage law would be to endanger the