| Show ATTACK THE GIVING OF SEEDS senator pettus defends their free distribution and calls to mind old flower boxes washington feb 2 the senate spent much of today discussing the distribution trib ution of ordinary farm and garden seeds by the agricultural department the agricultural appropriation bill being under consideration an attack on the seed distribution custom was made by mr lodge he and those who stood with him contended that the seeds were of the common varieties to bo bought of dealers everywhere and urged that only rare varieties should be supplied free their opponents contended that much good was accomplished by the work of the department sir pettus the venerable alabama senator stood with the latter class and appealed to his felloe youthful senators not to forget the days when they enjoyed the violets that grow la the flower box on the front porch the bill was not completed A further conference was ordered on the fortl catlon bill the agricultural appropriation bill was taken up mr hale criticized criticised the house provision imposing a penalty of and imprisonment for counterfeiting weather forecasts or weather flags saying that it is a drastic provision for a trivial act mr proctor replied tha the provision had been inserted and retained because of complaints of bogus forecasts and false reports as to the crop conditions mr clay asserted that the terms of the provision appropriating tor the collection and dissemination of information concerning livestock permits the secretary to carry on an export business and expressed the opinion that there Is danger of abase under an unwise administration the point was temporarily passed mr lodge criticized criticised the appropriation of for seeds saying that the seeds distributed were cheap and common and that the entire provision was a humbug we arc appropriating public money said mr lodge year after year in order to enable us to make gifts ta our constituents we may as well look the truth in the face mr read from the report il the secretary of agriculture to show that an intelligent effort was belne made to improve varieties mr pettus defended the seed distribution trib ution as one of the most profitable acts of the government he commended secretary wilson in high terms saying that he had done more good than all of his predecessors in that office he dwelt on the importance of having a farmer at the head of the department oh I 1 would not put a lawyer there he said turning and looking at mr bailey even though he came from texas yes he added evidently responding to a private suggestion from mr spooner who sat near him 1 I think he would the office honestly but I 1 am sure would do it poorly mr proctor announced his personal opposition to the distribution of common seeds but said he had found it impossible to get the committee to strike it out without concluding consideration of the bill the senate after a brief alve session adjourned at p m AMERICAN MEAT TOO COSTLY feb 2 if american meats were furnished to soldiers in tho philippine islands the cost would be doubled according to a letter bent to tha senate today by secretary tatt replying to a resolution calling for information the encloses a report from the commissary general of the army giving tho total cost of fresh meat bought for the soldiers in the philippines for the years 1903 and 1904 at most of the supply was purchased from australian dealers at an average cost of 8 12 1 2 cents a pound for beef and 6 cente for mutton secretary calls attention to the fact that there were no american bidders for any of the contracts BASED ALLERS CASH CLAIM cincinnati feb 2 the national baseball commission in a report given out today on player readies Ro adies claim for money alleged to be due from tho portland ore club has referred the mater ac e of alo matter back to the national As of minor leagues jefferson city mo feb 2 the ben ate which la democratic by a large majority today adopted the house joint resolution endorsing president roose stand on railroad legislation POISON FOR MURDERERS windsor vt feb 2 five hundred dollars waa offered to harold harpin a guard in the state prison if he would carry a package of poison to mrs mary M rogerst Ro gersi convicted of the murder husband who is under death sentence the offer was made in an anonymous letter from boston containing in billa which hareln received recently the writer offered to send the other as soon aa the poison was delivered to mrs rogers the guard turned tho letter over to bupt supt oakes who showed it to governor bell postal au thorit lea have been asked to hinves algate the letter i |
