Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-24
THE RIGHT IDEA.

go long way toward securing the
confidence Of the American people II !
they will, at as early a date as posi-
bles put a stop to the free distribut-
ton Of garden seeds. We have not
much hope that they will do it, for
We presume that human nature in a
democratic congressman does not DIFF
fer a great deal from that in the
bull moose or republican congressman.
This practice of distributing seeds
came in long years ago when the
country was new, with the distinct
object of distributing new or rare
and valuable seeds. 1t has degener-
ated into a grave offense, costing,
We presume, in seeds and packing
and franked postage, somewhere
around half a million dollars a year.
This is not done for the benefit of
the farmer. The seeds thus sent out
in recent years are just the ordinary
garden seeds. Some Of them will groy
and some will not. The quality, we
understand, is getting better, through
the efforts of the Department Of Ag.
riculture. But no matter whether
they will grow or not, they are the
same seeds that the farmer grows in
his garden, or borrows from his neigh
Dor, or buys from the seed store at a
small price. They are none the bet
ter because Of the fact that some
scotsman grew them under contract
with the government, and the govern
ment paid freight on them to Wash
lington and postage out again.
1t is simply congressional graft, not
in money, but in the method of win
ming the favor of the people. A con-
gresham is selected not because of
his judgment of seeds, but because of
his ability and his integrity. The
majority of the farmers really don It
want these seeds. The state of Ohio
is endeavoring to ascertain the wish
es of farmers on many subjects, and
among others, whether or not they
want these seeds. Recent reports
given to the secretary of state show
that out of 1000 farmers 301 wanted
the seeds and 7O9 did not, more than
two to one. The farmers who want
the seeds can easily buy them or
get them from a neighbor as a gift.
Farmers have protested against this
graft, for such it is, for the last
quarter of century. Yet it still
keeps on, because the congressman
is not willing to deny himself the
privilege of mailing a package Of
seeds to some farmer or farmers
wife as proof of his thoughtful care
and interest in their welfare. The
: fact is, the congressman perhaps new.
er heard of them before. He gets a
list of names, gives them to his clerk,
and the clerk mails them or has
them mailed, and the government
pays the expense.
1t is time they should either repeal
this law altogether, or else go back
to its original intent and purpose
The government can secure rare and
valuable seeds; and these might he
distributed to the experiment sta.
tions for experimental purposes. II
they prove valuable for that particu.
lar locality or state, they can easily
be distributed. Seedsmen will get on
to it and multiply them to any extent
for which there may be a market
This will be doing the country ser
vice; but to send beans to a farmer
who has been eating beans all win
ter, and does not need any beans
or send beans to a Louisiana farmer
that might be satisfactory in Iowa, o
vice versa, is simply a piece of non
sense, which would not be continued
unless there was some graft in 1t
or, in other words, unless the con
gresham felt that by sending out
these seeds they were making them
selves solid with the good, innocent
people living out in the country, who
look upon them as evidence that thu
| congressman at Washington is lyins
awake at night thinking about tht
I garden stuff.
Reform it altogether. Cut it out
Now II a democratic congressman
will do this, even a bull moose or s
republican farmer, progressive Of
. standpat, will give him credit. They
. will all say: Well, here's a man tina
strips himself of seeming advantages
whether it is graft or not, and he's
worthy Of confidence.
If congressman could only realize
that they would make more votes BY
not sending out garden seeds, thu
farmer would cease to be bothered