The Dolores star., 1922-06-16

D.
parentiy got something for nothing, paid for these
seeds, since the cost of the purchase and distribu
ton came out of the public funds
doubtless this seed business all seems peaceable
enough TO the voter who gets the seeds but, good
ness, he should be in Washington when the annu-
al furry over these same seeds is on, Its really
as exciting as n two-ring circus for there are two
seeo Hurres going on at one and the same time.
one hurry is going on at Uncle Sans seed ware
mouse, where small army of girls is doing up the
SEEDS and pasting on the franks of the members
OF congress and hustling the packages off to the
malls.
The other furry is in the capitol where congress
is hghting tooth and toenail over the question of
whether 1t will distribute seeds again next sprinp
You see Uncle Sans fiscal year begins July
each year and he has to make a seed appropria-
tioh year in advance-Or seeds. So this
spring, while congress fighting out the same
Old fight on seeds for 1923, the 1922 distribution
of seeds was going merrily on under an appropria-
uon made after prolonged fight in the spring of
1921
The fight over the seed distribution usually runs
about like this: The appropriations committee
reports the agricultural department appropriation
bill without the seed item. Some seed man" of.
fers seed amendment The ants object to the
amendment on point of order If the sneaker
rules against the seeds the house overrules him.
Then the bill goes to the and the senate
throws out the seed amendment. The bill then
goes to conference and the senate and house
wrange over the seed item-with other Items
until an agreement is reached. It's like game of
poker-buf and raise. And of course there's al
ways show-down-for the agricultural appropria-
ton bill must be passed, seeds or no seeds
This year the fight unusually prolonged
but as usual the seed men in the house had their
way. The agricultural bill carrying $4,000 900
contained an item of $360OOO for the free dstrbu.
ton of seeds in 1923.
In the course of the house debate this spring
Representative Bill G. Lowrey of Mississpni n
seed man." read into the Congressional Record nm
Interesting article on Uncle Sans seed distribu-
ton from the Washington Sunday Star. Here are
some Of the points brought out in the article:
AT a cost of 100000 food products to the voIue
of $13000O,0OO will be grown from 100 600 nackopas
Of vegetable seeds and 10000 packages of flower
seeds which are being sent out from Washington
by each and every of the 90 senators and 435
members of the house under 100000 franks free
postage) to home gardeners in every State in tbe
Union.
Now, let us look the historical background
for this annual graft" The purchase of seeds
and plants by the government may be said IN
date back TO colonial days. AS early as 1743 the
British parliament granted 5000 900 to promote tho
cultivation of indigo and other crops in the Amer1
can colonies, and the assemblies of the yarious
colonies appropriated small sums from time to time
to encourage the cultivation of plants new to the
country, such rs hops in Virginia, mulberry trees
for silk culture in Georgia. and vineyards for the
establishment of an American wine Industry
In 1885, through the efforts Of Henry L. Ellis
worth. commissioner of patents, appropriation
OF $1,000 was made for the purpose of collecting
md distributing seeds. prosecuting agricultural in
vestgations, and procuring agricultural statistics
with which 10000 packages of seeds were mr.
chased and distributed. This appropriation
marked the beginning of the Department of Apri
culture.
Demands upon members of congress for seeds
became so numerous and insstent that II wos i'm
possible TO fill the orders with new varieties NJ
seeds The practice of sending out larger and
arger quantities of vegetable seeds thus develonad
During the years from 1889 to 1893 proctic,II,
tSe entire seed appropriation was expendes for