Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-08-15
WHY NOT GIVE
AWAY AXES
AND SAWS
FREE SEED PRACTICE
INTERFERES WITH TRADE
Dealers Will Put Up Most Bit
ter Fight Against Govern
ment Distribution at Com
ing Session of Congress,
The Morning Journal Bureau, !
1929 Pennsylvania Ave, N. w. !
Washington. ID. c.. Aug. Ia.

1929 Pennsylvania Ave, N. w.
Washington, ID. c.. Aug. IA.
Indications are that the. congress
sional free seed distribution will be
fought more bitterly next session
than ever before. Encouraged by the
pronounced opposition of the senate
and house committees on agriculture
to this appropriation, and its almost
universal condemnation by the press
and public, those interested have un-
dertaken Campaign of education"
to use a hackneyed term. The seed
dealers make no secret of their oppo-
sition to the free distribution of COM
mon garden seeds. In an open letter
to the public, Mr.. Henry W. Wood, OF
Richmond, Va, president of the
American Seed Trade association,
says that the seed dealers oppose the
practice because 1t Is an unjust inter-
ference with a legitimate industry,
and because it is waste of public
money. Mr.. Wood points out that
the total packet seed trade of the
country amounts to 120,000,000 pack
cts, of which the government gives
so, 900 900. What industry could
survive If the government gave away
free, half as much as those engaged
in the industry sold?" he asks. He
also suggests that it is time for con-
/ gress to change off and give away
| axes saws, pocket knives and looking
! glasses and give the poor seed mer-
chants rest. The American Seed
Trade association is composed OF
| growers, wholesalers and retailers
and is thoroughly in earnest in its op-
| position to government interference
in its business. The Wholesale Seeds
mems League is also out against 1t.
in growing selling seeds, and with
, about ten thousand persons engaged
In growing and selling seeds, and with
at least fifty thousand store keepers
who carry seeds in stock. AS some
of the larger merchants have more
than one hundred thousand customers
| who purchase seeds In small lots, 1t Is
| expected that they will have been IN
, communication with. hundreds oil
thousands of people before next ses-
/ sion.
The oranges have taken up the
| matter III a systematic manner. The
farmers are tired of the idea that
! their votes can be influenced by the
receipt of a package of seeds which
! they can buy at the corner grocery
for five cents and which usually ar
riveS too late for planting. They say
they do not want sunfiower and
pumpkin seeds from congress, and
point out that the S242,000 now vast
ed In this manner would support q
national agricultural college, the like
of which the world has never seen,
with eighty professors at $2,500 a
year, and sufficient funds to maintain
the institution. Divided among the
agricultural colleges, 1t would give
each state institution between five
and ten thousand dollars more than
they now receive. This, the farmers
say, would do more good than the
distribution of rutabaga, turnip or
parsnip seed.
| An analysis of the vote on this
question in the house of representa-
tives last May shows that the free
seed distribution item was inserted III
the agricultural appropriation bill
by democratic votes. Led by Repre-
sentative Gaines of Tennessee and
Lamb of Virginia, elghty-two demo-
Gratis voted for the appropriation
How they reconciled their vote to the
democratic traditional opposition to
government bounties and gratuities
is not known. They rallied to thell
support seventy-one republicans, In
cluding such old warhorses as Hep
burn of Iowa, Crumpacker of Indi-
ley, of Indiana; Lacey of Iowa, Cur
tis and Calderhead of Kansas, Allen
and Powers of Maine, Bishop. Ham
ilton and Fordney of Michigan, and
others. All these are old campaign
lers and they believe that free seeds
helps them campaign. While seven
ty-one republicans voted for free
seeds, seventy-six voted against the
appropriation, so, II 1t had been left
to republican votes, it would have
been defeated. OF the 1856 member:
not voting, ninety-seven are republi'
cans and thirty-elght democrats.
A further analysis of the vote
shows that Alabama, Arkansas, Flori'
da, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana
Maryland Missouri North Carolina
South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas ant
: Virginia cast seventy-eight votes fol
free seeds to six against It, With the
exception of Maryland (one) Missouri
(two) and North Carolina (three)
every vote cast by member of con-
gress from q southern state was II
favor of of free Seeds" In the cast
of the great agricultural states of thu
north, east and west, less than ma
jority of the whole state delegation
voted for the appropriation, while II
many cases there were more vote
against IL tnan Tor IL. INDIANA snow
ed up with five, Illinois with only sin
Ohio did better with eight, Pennsyl
vania found ten trusty ''free-seeders,
while Minnesota produced only one
Massachusetts, cast seven votes agains
and only two for, free seeds go
, half the Nebraska delegation. bu
only four votes from Iowa to 81;
/ against. New York cast fifteen vote
against to five for, with seventeen
members not voting. From this 1t
| apparent that the item was nut II
the appropriation bill by democratl
votes, the bulk of which came from
the south.
While there Is no politics in tn
matter, those opposed to this distri
button will try to get their friend
to write to senators and representa-
tlves. urging them to vote against tn
Y appropriation next session. The Ma
! tional grange, and many state an
! local oranges have already adOpte
0 resolutions condemning the appro
: prIatlon, and other oranges and 80
4 cieties OF farmers are expected TO d
: likewise. The press will doubtlet
G continue its hostility as 1t has alway
o roundly denounced this form of petl
graft.