The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-18
Over Half of Congressional
Appropriation for Seed
Spent Uselessly.
Government Not Justied in
Expense Except for
Original Research.
SENTIMENT OF COUNTRY, Ea
PEClAllY THAT OF SOUTHERN
FARMERS, SAID TO BE PRAcTIc-
ALLY A UNIT AGAINST PRESENT
PRACTICE-cHEAP SEED FEAT
URE MAY BE ELIMINATED.
Special to The Journal.

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE PROPOSE
ton presented to the house committee
on agriculture by the opponents of the
present method of conducting the Con-
gression Free Seed distribution is one
that will not fail to, receive the sup
port of the entire country with the
exception of few members of con-
gress who are welded beyond hope to
turnip and pumpkin seed. OF the
s242 900 now expended in distributing
free seed, $4,000 is spent in giving
away the commonest and cheapest
seed on the market.
For two days the anti-free seeders
argued the matter before the house
committee on agriculture this week.
They represented that while the gov
eminent was justified in it's work of
original research, to develop. and i'm
prove seed, to secure seeds and plants
from all parts of the world with a
view of ascertaining the possibilities
of their domestication, 1t was not
justified in giving away, year after
millions OF packets of cheap and COM
mon varieties of seed which could be
obtained at any seed store in the coun-
try.
Country Unit.
In support of their contentious that
the sentiment Of the country was prac-
tically unit on the subject they pre-
scented the views of the department OF
agriculture as voiced by Secretary
Wilson and Prof. B. T. Galloway, chief
of the bureau Of plant industry; reso-
lutions from national organizations OF
farmers and about five hundred state
and local agricultural and horticultur-
al societies; letters from five hundred
professors of agricultural colleges and
more than a thousand selected edi-
torials from as many daily newspapers
and periodicals; all to the same eff
feet
The intimatiOn having been fire.
quently made that the opinions of the
press were being improperly in
fiuenced by the seed merchants
through advertising patronage. sever
al editors of prominent agricultural
papers stated TO the committee that
they had opposed the turnip seed dis
tribution for years before they became
editors, and that no seed merchant
had ever intimated to them that he
would either increase or decrease his
advertising because of any attitude
they might take on the question. That
further stated that they were south
erners and their publications circu-
lated largely among southern farmers.
and that the members from the south
were mistaken if they thought the
southern farmers were clamoring for
free squash seed Give us all the
money you will" they said. "but LET
it be devoted to the real advancement
Of agriculture"
The Washington representative
the anti-free seed movement. himseI
q newspaper man well-known TO IN,
members of the committee stated TO-
the benefit Of inuuiring members that
in his Judgement any man seeking TO
purchase editorial opinions by cash
or advertising. would be foolish and
would defeat his own purposes. He
thought the members Of congress
shouid pay some attention 10 the opin.
ions of some Of the thousand news
papers published in all parts Of the
as they certainly reflected tht
sentiment Of their readers. Whethe
the house will abandon the turnip sec
feature Of the distribution or not VII
be unknown until the vote is take
but it begins to look as though n
might