River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-01-15
VOL. 81
APPRECIATION OF FREAR'S
WASHINGTON LETTERS
BY E. S. REED

self In appreciation OF Ine lStteIS OIL
the Hon. James A. Frear, Repre-
sentative in Congress from the 10Th
District? | find instruction and
entertainment in reading these de
lightful letters as published in the
Journal. 1t is a commendable
scheme that Mr.. Free pursues in
sending to the local l.pcrs of the
District from week to week the inn
portant doings Of Cong and the
current gossip of the ca al. This
news keeps us up to date on issues
and has a tendency to create an in
dividual interest in what is going
on, to make this interest more per-
vasiye as information increases.
Mr.. Frear'S individual views of the
merits of measures before Congress
as expressed in these letters are al
ways fair to the opposition and ex
pressed in good taste. In fact his
fairness in criticism is refreshing
and commends itself to the appre-
citation of all fair-minded men His
constituents will give him credit for
the manifestation of good judgment
in his public expressions while they
realize his manifest industry in
laboring for the general good. The
territory that now constitutes the
10th Congressional District, and
the old 10th District, has been for
tunate in it's Representatives. Many
eminent men have represented the
districts from first to last, and while
they were partisans | do not
remember that any one rendered
himself Extensively partisan as
representative of the district While
elected by faction he was repre-
sentative of all the people and Ia.
bored for the interest of all. Mr.
Frear maintains our credit as a
good representative.
What has especially prompted me
to write these lines is that portion
of his letter of December %, pub
lished in the Journal December Is,
relating TO the distribution of flow
er and vegetable seeds by the gov
eminent:
A statement has been quite cen
orally published that Government |
seeds cost 100000 annually and |
that they are of inferior quality. |
This charge is claimed to emanate
from seed houses and letter from |
the Department states in reply to |
my inquiry, that seeds furnished |
for Congressional distribution cost
$l95, 900 annually and are as good |
as can be grown.
The changed policy Of the De
partment of agriculture in sending |
seeds to those only who express a |
desire for them is in the interest of |
economy while conserving the in
terest of those intended to be bene-
fitted. Heretofore there has been a |
great wastefulnesS in sending out
seeds to individuals indiscriminate |
ly. People who live in cities and |
villages have no opportunities o.
any disposition to cultivate gardens.
Few of these have any practical in
terest in the cultivation of vege-
tables and but a limited interest in |
the cultivation of flowers. 1t is the |
people who live in the country and
have fields to till that are interested |
in the cultivation of vegetables and |
flowers and it is these the distri
button of seeds by the government
is expected to benefit. OF course
there is opposition to this libera
intention of the government. But
it will be noticed that this opposi
ton comes exclusively from those
who would benefit by the proven
ion Of this policy. We never hear
that the recipient of the govern
ment's liberality is aggrieved or has
complaint to make of poor seeds
That the objection comes from the
seed houses is apparent and those
representative who oppose the ap
propriatiOn for the purchase of
seeds and those newspapers that
denounce the policy cf free distri-
button manifest bad taste. They
certainly lay themselves open to the
inference that they are working for
hire. These DISTINGUISHED" speech
es of Congressman and the pro,
found editorials of papers controll-
ed BY the interests" are accepted
for their worth. The extravaganza
statements are saturated with the
tincture of interested advertise
ment, indicate a subservience to
to personal interest-either already
paid for or expected from those
who are to be benefited by the
blocking of the government liber-
al intention of giving aid TO farmers
and gardeners in furnishing rare
seeds and seeds of superior kinds
of vegetable products.
Engaged for some fifteen years in