New-York tribune., 1906-12-10
AGAINST FREE SEEDS.
Opponents Of Congress Distribution
.1gain IN arms.
-rr,m The Tribune Bureau.


Washington. Dec 9-The opponents OF the Con-
zress free seed farce are again in arms. and will
make another desperate effort 10 put stop 10 the
ludicrous practice OF sending small and generally
useless packages Of seeds around the country by
members Of Congress. who hope thereby to gain re-
election. As this farce costs the taxpayers nearly
4 quarter of a million dollars annually. there Is
ample ground on which base the opposition.
Al the last session the House Committee on
Agriculture after careful delibera ton. reached the
conclusion that as the government had been dis
tributing the same varieties Of seeds for many
Years and az all the seeds sent have been
on the market for from ten fifty years and could
be purchased at any seed store, il vas e waste OF
money spend S242.10 annually in distributing
such common varieties Of garden seeds The com
unittee also took cognizance OF the fact that the
seeds were distributed through the mails and en-
tailed i burden on the Post0fice Department and
s97 a.. snn1aI The comHittee omitted the TEN
for free seeds distribution, but il was resrted by
after debate which lasted nearly week.
one o. the strongest objections TO the omission
without any one appearing before II 10 object to
the clsIrplLon. L1ls l We Was \ 9Ttileu ~ ne a.
f -5e connietee would take action on the sub
;ac+ sn6 therefore did nor appear When the point
was raised il was Of course. too late TO MAKE rep
resentations 10 the House committee but large
delegation appeared before the Senate committee,
and IS result of that hearing II reported mat
distinct naiority vas oPPosed 70 the plan OF free Zee
a HE 70 make z satisfactory change Tn order that
those opposed 10 free seeds shall have an opPor-
ruuity present their case To the house Commit
fee on Agriculture that committee has fixed hear
inE for December i, at which the entire matter
will be carefully gone over.
The anti-free' seed movement has the support OF
al the important national state and iocal organza-
tons Of farmers together with the horticulture
societies both state and local and the faculties Of
naanV II all. Of The state experiment StSlonS
ana agricultural colleges. The farmers protest that
benefit there millions Of packets that are
burned or otherwise destroyed are distributed TO
me er-hauts bankers mechanics. iabOTeTs and others
who cannot possibly have any interest ~ them.
familiar with The varieties OF seeds distributed they
can learn nothing from them. and as they dis
tributad in pennyweIEGt packages the amount
-sfyad is 100 small Justify the majority OF the
that this money should he turned 10 the De
r,.r-rnent % Agriculture for with the state
t,arfnlenr stations in developing and valI
a he seeds and plants 81 both domestic and foreign
origin whose adaptability TO TIE locality he de-
terrni-led hy the experiment stations II their prop
osiron were adopted the department would have
from s. 20 $1,000 annually available for addi-
-forsl V-o-k with each OF the experiment stations
and this idea strongly appeals to the experiment.
stations and agricultural cole ges. As no
caDt q few members OF Congress has appeared 20
defend the distribution OF pumpkin and squash
seeds nd entire agricultural press nd ~
No. cent n the daily press has been attacking the
distribution for years. there Is 10 hope that
Congress viii last do away with II at the present
session
series ~ interesting exhibits One will he sp-
Droxir7a tely thousand packages or these seeds
which We're rescued from bonfire on Long Island
last summer They show the franks Of the mem
be-E q Congress 20 whom the seeds were allotted,
and testimony will that Of the varieties
was less than ten wears old and some had been
the market for from thirty 70 1fty years