The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-18
congressman
DISTRIBUTE
FREE SEED

Washington. Jan. is~-ii'= annual
distribution 81 free seed is on The
aIlieea Of most Of the eonefesqmen ~
the great marble office building lool
IKE branch offices Of seea supply
houses. Secretaries 10 mcmhers ot
aonrfees anl hundreds Of girls are
busy getting out me millions ol Nlt
Ia packages which are the delight ot
the farmers wife and the salYaslon
Il many an agricultural statesman
la Washington a congressman VINO aei
compIlshes lltsle else save distribute
he aAsden seed that come % him ~
formed Farirn seed slatemhan.
prt this year there Is & bis roar
coming from lae members 81 congfeSA
hecause tae allotment Of seeds nave
been cnt aown from the original l2t
800 packages 10 paitry $4,000 pack
ages 81 garJcn seed aud 500 packhNes
q, nlower seed
and Il may De added that those
loo packages of lowe, seed are mali
"a to 4 list of names prepared WIN
.rens care. Most every congressman
nnlls these flower gsed lo ladies' n
da dis,rlct. and Nliiie CT course ne u
anilrely "a gallan, % be cansat piayf
na poities those packages have sol
70 Be distributed with q niceiy snat 4
lm0ss scieaeeif 1ae congressman
,ets lhe best results
Few years agc g reform states.
nan from Texas BY The name OF snep
end attempted 10 abolish ihe lfee
ee4 G,sr,hnllOn hy congressman
rhls had already become q time hon
red custom, ani while no member
would admit the seeis hre distrinuted
or political purposes, the storm q or
,osltlon that The [aiN proposed ny MI
sherperd met gnve very definite
aea IL the value placed hy cnnsfesHi
nen apon the garien seed.
II takes forty million pacA,Ies q
eed ID supply thp mcmbef con.
tress. These seed are hons 0Hl
egular seed supnlg hnusee. a6l tha
armer who sunp0ses that he T. get
lNN NFttEf HtNN itNiH VI" ARf'
han BE EotA from bis seed supply
,ouse en altractiyely advertised n
~ lie catalogues Nlth fac mcioua
ookIne pictures which are also beina
enl out about thls time Of year, has
Of anntAaf guess coming OF course
ne government attempts % iesl
nose deed GHa see 10 v lhat they are
ot aea3. bui that IS the extent Of the
ayernments responsibility This L
Not so bad ss It useJ 10 be aoNeYeH
when In former years Il was g stand
he Joke among farmers that Hts soc
ocelyea from congressman would
l0t grow
The free sead distribution ldea was
tarted hy the government with the
lea of distributing new ana valuable
eeds 10 different PARTS of the cOun
ry C0negeaamen were asked 70 suK
est the names 10 whom seed was
ent, This rapidly developed into the
dea az congressman sending seed
each ol his constituents. especially
agricultural districts Il has be
ONE lxel habit taat many con
yressmen nso their full quota Of seed
nd then buy enough more % send
laekage 10 every man IN his district
Congressman Ferris this Year had q
ntf thousands Of packages "a supply
Is constituents N the Fifth district
he department. agriculture refuses q
nale puhslc the amount ecneressniei
re required ts pas for eeeila when
hey are forced TO buy 20 fll ont taeli
lsta.
n addition to The quota Of garden
eed TO which he "a entitled. j Unite
states senator gets a box ol cuttings
rom vines. shrubs. plants Of mans
sinda. all boxed and roady 10 ship &
rs home Thesc boxes are valued Al
Go oaca The plant cuttings con
aimed IN lhem are grown under ta'
HnHrylslen Of the department Of agri
uitr.e ana are uf tAo real brand
II costs the government pile d
money 10 keep up this free seed dis
rhullon. The forty million packages
seed are seni Through the malll
rae. the envelopes they are packes
6re furnished free, All The con
fessman has 90 Do ls TO ad iress ths
ENVELOPES and put tae small package.
if seed n lkenA There are Hrohahf,
Thousand girls engase il this warl
y Washington rlghI now
Tho only thing that has prevented
he seed supply houses an over III,
United States Masking 4 moro deter
mined fight on this system nT free
eel distribution. 4 because Tho GOV
rnment in the baglnnlng must bur
J he seel supply from The seed houses