Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1914 — We Can Say Amen to This. [ARTICLE]

We Can Say Amen to This.

Indianapolis News: We observe with regret that the members of the house of representatives have again rallied manfully to the support of the free seed graft. When the agricultural appropriation bill was under discussion Representative Sumner, of Texas, urged an amendment to place the distribution of government seeds in the hands of the department of agriculture. This introduced a lively debate, followed by a vote which showed that ninety-six representatives favored the continuance of the seed graft, while thirty-six desired distribution to be controlled by the department of agriculture. Where the other members of the bouse stood ran only lie conjectured. They, at tiny rate, silently acqiesced' in the defense of the graft by abstaining f roin voting. A feature of the debate was the earnestness with which the members from the farming districts recommended that the distribution be taken out of petty politics. It was said a long, long time ago, that government seeds were mainly for the benefit of the agricultural communities. Here are all the great resources .of the government, it was argued: and there are the farmers and the vegetable and fruit growers. What could lie better for all concerned than that these seeds and bulbs should be distributed? And why not kill two birds with one stone? Why not let the home congressman sow the seeds of popularit.v 1)) Scattering the seeds of grains and flowers and vegetables at the expense of the government? ft has been very simple and of late years most, of the supporters of tine free seed graft have dropped all pretense and have defended the graft as graft and nothing more. The department of agriculture has for years been trying to reform the system of distributing seeds. It lias bad the assistance of congressmen from the rural districts— those who have the interests of the users of seeds really at heart. But year after year the small-minded members whio put polity favors above economy and service have clung to the old graft.

Thus the expense continues. A disagreeable feature is that the seeds, which are, as a rule, of good quality, do not go to the persons by whom they are most needed. They are sent out in great lots—-almost in carload lots, as Indianapolis has had occasion to note—and are th n redistributed to the faithful and <o those who “esteem ’• little favors from the “boys down in Washington. If the democratic house of* representatives uesires to make a name for itself, aside fhmi the ambitious legislation which the administration has planned, let it ao in for economy and efficiency—let if abolish the free seed and mileage graft and break up the log rolling end pork barrel activity.