The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-07
.SOLONS MAY LOSE FREE GARDEN SEED Fight Is Being Made on This
 Appropriation KENYON IS LEADING Agricultural Bill Amended
 in Senate THE HOUSE WILL ACT It Is Probable That This Time Hon. ored Custom Will Not Be AL lowed to Be Stopped When
 Conferees Meet
THE HOUSE WILL ACT
By HUGH ". ROBERTS

Washington, July 6.-(Special.) )-The av- always contended that the sole benefit he directly derived from the national gov ernment consisted in an annual allotment of garden seed. And he has almost in- variably added to the foregoing cynical observation that he didn't give d. about the seed"
 The aforesaid average citizen may now be interested in learning that there is chance that hereafter he will receive no more seed. For the Senate, under the leadership of that modern Ga llahad MT. Kenyon, has stricken the seed appropra- tion from the agricultural bill The Sen ate action may have oeen taken in the knowledge that the House, through its conferees will insist on the retention of the seed provision. At any rate, the ac- tion was taken, and the seed allotment may. for the future, be discontinued.
 COST OF SEED
 While the average citizen" has smiled in manner sarcastic whenever his pro rata share of the seed was delivered by the postman, the matter of seed distri- button has become matter of importance to the federal government. While it Is contended that congressman cling to the seed gift because it wins them affection at home, and while the average citizen receives the seed gift with monumental disdain, the appropriation for seed dis tr;I lac od tp So51 5d0
 Of the above appropriation. s25,245-s; was expended for salaries; $l,241.4S was expended for travel and field expenses fo, inspecting seed under contract; SIP, 4Ol was expended for office stationery and supplies; $72, ,948SS was expended for pack eting assembling, and mailing seed under contract; ss4OO was expended for drayage' freight and expressage; s2.36S.11 for mis- celaneous expenses, and sl2S904.oS for plants, seeds and bulbs.
 THE SENATE FIGHT
 Mr. Kenyon, when the agricultural bill reached the Senate, initiated the fight against the seed provision. He declared that it was a form of graft, form of graft costing the government more than s1, ,OO0, 900 during the four years of every 
 administration.
 Of course. there was opposition to the Kenyon propaganda. for some do con tend that the senator is trifle inclined to stand upon and speak from the gra randstand." But the opposition was not virulent, and finally took the form of substitute amendment proposed by Sen ator Norris This substitute would have reduced the appropriation from s252,0O0 to s75,
 The substitute was beaten. Senator Underwood voted against it. Senator Bankhead was attending conference on the postoffice bill.
 THE SECTION KILLED
 And then the battle was renewed along the line of the Kenyon motion that the seed section be stricken altogether The motion prevailed by a vote of B to 2l. Senator Underwood did not vote. Sena- tor Bankhead, who had returned to the Senate. voted against the motion to strike out the section.
 When the smoke Of battle cleared away, the Senate, which had consumed ar entire afternoon in discussing seed and in wasting time for which the con stituents," in paying for are taxed 10 their utmost, prepared to renew the grind which has resulted up to the pres ent moment in daily appropriation of s1O 0oo, ,O0o-a sum compared to which the annual seed appropriation of s2oooo ap- coyotes, wolves and other animals in- But on the following morning other
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