The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-04-10
THE FACTS IN THE CASE.

It is disappointing TO learn that no
building for the United States weather
bureau at Norwich university will be
Forthcoming this year. When the agri'
cultural appropriation bill was consid'
cred in the house, last week, the provis'
ion for such building in bill intro
duced by Congressman Haskins carrier
in the session and referred to the agri'
cultural committee, of which he is a
member, was stricken out. when tine
United States weather bureau service
was established in Burlington two or
three years since, there appeared to be
no great difficulty in securing the small
appropriation necessary for building
there.-Northfeld News.
The above item clipped from the
Mortified News, the home organ Of Mr..
Plumley, is evidently intended to con.
vey the impression that Congressman
Foster easily succeeded in securing an
appropriation for the erection Of a
weather bureau building at Burlington
and that Congressman Haskins failed
in securing one for building at North
field. The article from the News is
manifestly unfair and shows that the
writer kne 4 nothing of what he was
writing about. The fact is, no bills
were introduced by any one authorizing
the erection of buildings at weather
stations, but are carried in the general
appropriation for the weather bureau
in the Agricultural Appropriation bills
at each session and on the recommend
alton of the chief of the weather bu-
reau. Prior to the present session the
localities where buildings were to be
authorized were not named in the ap-
preparation bills, but authorized under
the following provision, viz:
"For the purchase of sites and the
erection of not less than five buildings
for use as weather bureau Observable
ries, and for all necessary labor, mate
rails, and expenses, plans and specifi-
cations to be prepared and approved
by the secretary of agriculture, and
work done under the supervision of the
chief of the weather bureau, including
the purchase of instruments, furniture,
supplies, fagstaffs, and storm warning
towers to properly equip these sta
tions.
And then follows the sum appropriate
ed, which, of course, varies from year
to year.
Under this provision the sites were
selected by the chief of the weather
bureau, approved by the secretary of
agriculture, and it was by virtue there
of that weather station was author
lied at Burlington in March, 1906, and
building subsequently erected.
At the present session the chief OF
the bureau desired to be relieved of
the responsibility of selecting the sites,
and so the committee on agriculture, OF
which Col. Haskins is a member stand
ing third in rank, inserted in the bill
the following:
"For the acquisition of site and
the erection of building at each of the
following-named places, for use of the
WodJucT UuIcdu, anu Aol I'll hoSSocoiJ
labor, materials, and expenses, plans
and specifications to be prepared and
approved by the secretary of agricult-
ure, and the work done under the super
vision of the chief Of the weather bu-
reau, namely: Abilene, Texas; Dodge
City, Kansas; Richmond, Virginia; East
Lansing, Michigan; Northfeld, Yer
mont; Saint Joseph, Missouri, and Fort
Wayne, Indiana, not to exceed one hun
dred and five thousand dollars
Mr.. Perkins of New York made the
point of order that the foregoing pro-
vision was new legislation in an appro-
priation bill, and, after prolonged dis
cussion, the chairman of the committee
of the whole house (Mr. Foster of Yer
mont) sustained the point of order and
the paragraph was eliminated. The
next day the sum of $4,000 was in
serted. 1t is expected the senate will
increase this and name the localities.
If the News s editor had read the Con-
gressional Record he would not, or
ought not, to have written as he did.
THE THOMPSON FUND.
FTyl l. e.. 4