The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-20
.MKELLAR SPEAKS
|. FOR AGRICULTURE
Senator Explains Vote Given
for Larger Appropriation
for Farm Work.
BY cAAS. S. HAYDEN.
(Staff Correspondent.)

WASHINGTON. June 90. tSpl)-The
bill making appropriations for the de-
partment Of agriculture, which recently
passed the house, has been amended
in several important features in the
senate n win have to go to confer
ence.
The bill as Il came from the house
carried an appropriation OF 81, 800, 600
for the stimulation of agricultural ac-
tivtties, but the agricultural committee
OF the senate with an amendment in
creased this item to 81. 800, 600. An at
tempt was made to amend the COM
mittee report OF the floor OF the SEN
ate by making the appropriation $4,47S,-
$50, the amour TO v hich the senate
increased this item in the 65th con-
gress. The bill, however, failed to be
come the law. A great many OF the
senators thought that II the larger
amount vas needed then II was needed
now, but this was rejected and the
amendment providing for $2,500,OO0 was
agreed to.
This specific appropriation is dis
tributed among those states which de-
sire II and which contribute a like sum
In the cooperative plan stimulating
farm activity.
Senator Mcclellan voted for all the
increases proposed, and when the larger
amount was rejected he spoke in be-
half OF the committee amendment APP
propriating 50, SOC, 900 as follows:
Explains Measure.
81 merely wish to say that I am
heartily in favor OF the committee
amendment. / voted for the amend
ment offered by the junior senator
from Mississippi increasing the amount
awhile ago because l think this work
is one of the best kinds of work that
the United States government engages
in. The junior senator from Utah has
said that when he was in congress
about 20 years ago the appropriations
for the agricultural department amount
ed to about SIS. 1000, 900 a year and they
the amount is $25, 000. 900 or $4,000, 900.
That is true. At the same time that
is true, 1t Is also true that, by reason
Of the stimulation of agriculture,
brought about in a large measure by
the increased state and federal aDpro.
priations and the better methods used
in farming, due to instruction received
from government agents, the agricul-
tural products of the country have in
creased very much more In proportion
than the congressional agricultural ap-
preparations have increased.
The junior senator from Utah also
said that the states ought to do this
work and it ought to be left to the
states, and the United Staes govern
ment is taking away the proper au-
thority from the states in making these
appropriations. As a matter OF fact
unless the United States government
makes these appropriations the states
would not make half as large appro-
priations as they now do, The fedora
appropriation stimulates the states to
act. 1t stimulates the counties to act
1t is, in my judgment, one of the very
best appropriations for the good of al
the people which we make, and / am
surprised at our n~iggardliness in max.
ing these appropriations for the benefit
of our farming interests, in view o.
the way we have made certain Other
appropriations in this body.
~ certainly hope the committed
amendment will be agreed to. Gen
orally speaking, l know of no bettel
use that we can put the peoples none!
to than to devote to improved methods
of farming and to teaching the farm
ers of the land how to raise more crop:
and better crops on their farms"