The Beaver Herald (Beaver, Okla.), Vol. 35, No. 23, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 9, 1922 Page: 3 of 12
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THE BEAVER HERALD BEAVER OKLAHOMA
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WMMMWMBMMMWWMiMMMMlMMWWllWIMWWWiMWWWWWMll'JH
nelG Sam's rree sipi
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Stf'-fl1 ..: -tXI? S J ldT .."VS B'fc -"W ....l -''-s:1' 7 : .
fniS spring nbout 13000000 Amerl- .S' ?5sS ttL -sM
cnns received free iisickiiges of vesc- jx;;' '$ '"JW ljgP sSh
tnl)le uiiU enrtlcn seeds from tlieir ' i S D
scnntors nnd representntlves In con- 5 'Sb-Sisi
Kress. Undo Sam not the member "5E55?1? S AfltfzP
of congress bought the seeds tied ' !S5
up the pneknges put tliem lit the """S fF
mnll und curried them free to every "V P??r
nook nnd corner of the land. Of i 5
ttttttmtttiMHUtmtmmmtMtmMMamt
"We're Three of
a Kind"
Ry MARTHA C. WILLIAMS
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HIS spring about 13.000.00(
cnns received free packages of vege-
table und garden seeds from their
scnntors and representatives In con-
gress. Undo Sam not the member
of congress bought the seeds tied
up the packages put them In the
mnll und curried them free to every
nook nnd corner of the land. Of
course In tlio lust analysts the
people themselves though they ap-
parently got something for nothing paid for these
seeds since the cost of the purchase und distribu-
tion cnrno 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 nnnu-
1 Hurry over theso same seeds Is onl It's really
us exciting as n two-ring circus for there arc two
eeed Hurries going on nt ono und the same time.
One Hurry Is going on at Uncle Sam's seed wnre-
Iiouse where n small army of girls Is doing up the
seeds nnd pasting on the franks of the members
of congress nnd hustling the packages off to the
malls.
The other (lurry Is In the cnpltol where congress
Is lighting tooth nnd tocnnll over the question of
whether it will distribute seeds again next spring.
You see Uncle Sam's fiscal year begins July 1
each year nnd he has to make n seed npproprla-
tlon n year In advance or no seeds. So this
spring whllo congress wns lighting out the samo
old light on seeds for 1023 the 1022 distribution
of seeds wns going merrily on under nu appropria-
tion mndc ufter n prolonged tight In the spring of
1021.
The fight over the seed distribution usually runs
nbout like this: Tim appropriations committee
reports tho agricultural department appropriation
bill without the seed Item. Soma "seed man" of-
fers n seed amendment. The untls object to the
amendment on n point of order. If the speaker
rules ngnlnst tho seeds tho house overrules htm.
Then tho bill goes to the senate and the senate
throws out the seed amendment. Tho bill then
goes to conference nnd die sennte nnd boiiso
wrnnglo over tho seed Item with other Items
until an ngrecment Is renched. It's like n gnmo of
poker bluff nnd raise. And of course there's al-
ways n show-down for tho agricultural npproprln-
tlon bill must be pnssed seeds or no seeds.
This year tho fight wns unusually prolonged
but ns usual the seed men In tho house had tholr
wny. The agricultural bill carrying 530000000
contained nu Item of $300000 for the free distribu-
tion of seeds in 1028.
In the course of the house debate this spring
llcprosentutlvo Hill O. Lowrcy of Mississippi a
"seed man" rend Into tho Congresslonnl Hccord an
Interesting article on Undo Sum's seed distribu-
tion from tho Washington Sunday Star. Hero aro
6omo of tho points brought out In the nrtlclo:
At n cost of $3G0000 food products to tho valuo
of $iyo000000 will bo grown from 100000 packages-
of Vegetable seeds nnd 10000 packages of flower
seeds which nro being sent out from Washington
by each nnd every ono of tho 00 senntors and 433
members of tho house under 13000000 frnnks (free
. postage) to homo gardeners In every Stato In the
Union.
Now let us look over the historical background
for this nnnunl "graft." The purchnse of seeds
nnd plants by the government may bo snld to
date back to colonial days. As early as 1743 the
British pnrllnment granted $000000 to promoto tho
cultlvntlon of Indigo and other crops In the Ameri-
enn colonies and tho nsscmbllcs of tho vurlous
colonics appropriated smnll sums from time to time
to encourage the cultlvntlon of plants new to the
country such ns hops In Vlrglnlu mulberry trees
Cor silk culture in Georgia and vineyards for tho
6tnbllshment of nn American wine industry.
In 1830 through tho efforts of Henry L. Ells-
worth commissioner of patents an appropriation
of $1000 was made for thp purposo of collecting
nnd distributing seeds prosecuting agricultural In-
vestigations and procuring agricultural statistics
with which 30000 packages of seeds were pur-
chased and distributed. This appropriation
marked the beginning of tho Department of Agri-
culture. Demands upoii members of congress for seeds
becarao so numerous nnd Insistent thnt It wns Im-
possible to Oil tho ordes with new varieties of
seeds. Tho practice of sending out larger and
larger quantities of vegetable seeds thus developed.
During the years from 188U to 1803 practically
the entire seed appropriation was expended for
standard varieties of vegetable nnd flower seeds.
In 1804 n chnngo was advocated nnd action taken
to discontinue tho customary distribution. This
action wns not approved by congress which In un
net approved April 25 1890 changed the wording
of tho previous net. Tho nttorney general to
whom the question wns submitted for decision
held thut tho purchnse anil distribution of seeds.
Including vegetable and flower seeds were manda-
tory and left the secretnry of agriculture without
discretion. Congress bus speclllcnlly reserved for
Itself the distribution with proportlonote nllot-
ments to each member of five-sixths of all the seeds
nnd plunts purchased by tho department. So thnt
Is where "congressional seed distribution" origi-
nated. Now then It costs Uncle Sam about 3' cents
for every pneknge of seeds sent out by n congress-
man. Bnch package contains five different kinds
of seed. .The following kinds of vegetable seeds
nre purchased for freo distribution: I'.eas beets
lettuce onions radish beans com carrots cu-
cumber parsley parsnip squash tomato turnip
und watermelon. There nro 14 combinations so
thnt u member of congress enn select tho flvo
different kinds of seeds he wants to send out In
ono packnge. Similarly there are 22 different va-
rieties of flowers such ns chrysanthemum nstcr
cosmos balsam candytuft dlanthus unsturtlum
poppy sweet peas petunia zlnnlns mignonette.
That pnekage containing five small papers of
seeds which costs the government 3V5 cents It
bought In tho open mnrkct would cost 60 cents.
The ofllce of seed distribution In the Department
of Agriculture keeps an exact account for ench
member of congress Juyt tho samo as n bank ac-
count. Tho member la credited with his quota
nnd Is allowed to draw against that quota. Just
the samo ns ngnlnst a bank account.
From one sample pneknge containing live smnll
papers of seeds any person enn raise nt lenst $15
worth of food nccordlng to the agricultural au-
thorities. Deducting $5 for wnste loss In transit
or cnrelessness In plnntlng or poor soil It leaves
n 510 net production. Members of congress nre
sending out this year 13000000 of these large
pnekoges (flvo papers In each) which. It Is con-
servatively estimnteil will return $130000000 food
products for nn outlay of $300000 which certainly
should have some effect on the economic life of
this country.
When tho nnnual right over tho appropriation
Is being waged the claim Is often made that tho
free-seed distribution comes near wrecking the
Post Ofllco department nnd is responsible for an
nnnual deficit. The records show thnt the run Is
usunlly from 1500000 pounds to 000000 or 700000
pounds nnd thnt If tho ofllco of seed distribution
paid postngo on ench pneknge the snme as any
private Individual tho postage bill would never
hnve been more than $131000 nnd that It would
average about $05000.
Every seed sent out Is tested for vitality and
for trucness f.o name. Theso tests nro mndo on
tho experimental furm of tho department near
Arlington National cemetery although tho germl-
nation tests nre mostly made In tho laboratory by
using blotter poper. All seed has to be of tho
pnrtlculnr variety ordered. Tho department whllo
opposing tho congressional distribution takes very
good cure thnt tho seeds aro all good beforo they
nro sent out. It sets n very high standard to which
tho seeds must register a much higher stnndard
than Is often required commercially. If tho seeds
do not reach that stnndard they nro shipped bnck
to tho contractor from whom they wcro purchnsed
nt the latter's expense. Some years they reject
a very large amount this year for example nbout
150000 pounds ufter It had rcuched Washington
because -tho germination was not high enough.
This Is sent back ns not good enough for con-
gressional seed distribution but there Is no as-
surance onywhoro that tlje very same seed Is not
disposed of commercially.
Uncle Sam buys these seeds on straight com.
petltlvo bids nnd when any contractor's deliver-
ies show a consistent poor germination ho Is
blacklisted. Each bidder Is Informed why ho did
not get the contract told who did get It und why
nnd tho price paid. This Is n straight olllclnl let-
ter. Congressmen nro coming more nnd more to send
their quotns of seeds out not to tho voting lists
In their districts but to tho school children to
civic organizations chambers of commerce banks
nnd factories for workmen nnd n great deal to
miners.
With the department opposed to tho congresnlon-
at seed distribution and with congress habltunlly
for It Oliver F. Jones originally from Cincinnati
who Is in active charge of this work has had nn
unenviable Job us buffer between tho department
and congress for nbout twenty years. He prob-
ably knows all the members of congress moru In
timately than any other man In Washington bo-
cause ho Is calling upon them In their ofllces every
day In the year. At present ho Is getting more
than 200 telephone calls a day from them dictates
about 100 letters a dny to them nnd has 20 or 30
of them calling on him In his olllco ench day.
The seerdlstrlbutton Is conducted under the
bureau of plant Industry of which Dr. William A.
Taylor Is chief. It. A. Onklcy nnd J. E. W. Tracy
purchase under contract nil tho seed thnt enters
into tho congresslonnl distribution nnd supervise
the mechanical nnd physical work of filling tho
pucknges and mailing them Mr Tracy Is In
charge of the seed warehouse located at 339 Penn-
sylvania avenue which Is not ut nil modem well
ventilated or .lighted. This building wns erected
In 1SSI nnd wns tho scene of receptions banquets
mid Inaugural balls for Andrew Jackson Martin
Van Huron nnd Abraham Lincoln. This Is not n
government-owned building but- has been rented
by tho department nnd used ns a seed wareliousu
for about ten years.
Tho filling of tho orders of congressmen Is nn
interesting part of tho free-seed distribution. Tho
members supply their frnnks in sheets of ten.
They ute cut up Into single slips nnd counted Into
bundles by expert counters from tho bureau of
engraving and printing. As n member sends In
an order n blue slip is made out calling upon tho
seed warehouse to deliver that quantity nnd this
is accompanied by the corresponding number of
frnnks. Tho seed pneknges nro either sent to tho
ofllco of the member of congress If tho franks nro
not addressed or aro mulled out directly from
tho seed wnrehouso If they nro addressed.
Theso frnnks nro now coming in at tho rate of
200000 or 300000 n day. Each member Is entitled
to 20000 packages of vegetable seeds nnd 2.000
packages of flower seeds. As each of theso pack-
ages contains live smnll pnpers of seeds it really
means that 110000 papers of seeds aro sent out
by curb member of tho sennto nnd house.
The wny In which these seeds nre first put into
the small papers nnd senled nnd then put ono each
of flvo different kinds Into n larger pnekage and
sealed' with the member's frank pasted on each
pnekage for direct mailing Is an Interesting part
of tho congresslonnl distribution system This
is done by contract und this year n now contract-
or is on the Job Frank Clnrko of Wnco Tex. who
hns speeded up the work by devising n new gluing
ranchlne.
The seed envelopes nro filled by machinery
which automatically weighs the contents of each
envelope. Two girls work nt one of theso ma-
chines ono Ailing nnd tho other sealing tho llttlo
envelopes on a revolving belt. Filling nnd senllng
30 000 of theso llttlo envelopes Is considered n good
day's work ino gins gei iiecuwuru ovur aiuuu
a dry
Other girls sit nt big tables pasting the congres-
slonal franks onto tho container on which nro
printed the nnmes of tho flvo vnrletles of vego-
tables or flowers thnt are to bo placed within. A
belt carrier runs besldo huge bins Into which tho
small packages of seed have been dumped. a
the f.""Is flns" PstIS tho frnnks on tho big en-
velopes they nro cnrred ono at n time along this
traveling belt rondwny nnd in frout of a lJn at
regular Intervnls are girls ench of whom sllpi In
n small envelope nnd tho container proceeds to
nn Inspector nnd then past another girl who seals
up tho pucUnge by machinery.
8JnmtmmnttMjmtattj
UM by McClure NwiPr SyhdlcuK.
"Did you ever really think" Ilruce
besaii luminously Anne Marhl inter
rupted him with her Inr.lest laugh.
"Never. Thinking Is so bud for tho
complex Ion and 1 haven't too much
complexion unless I go buy it."
"Anne Mnrlnl For slmmol" Aunt
Massy Interjected bristling with hor-
rified propriety. Again Anna Mnrln
laughed this time roguishly. "You're
forgetting thing. Tnnty. Shouldn't
not so young as you urc. Hut I re-
member for both of us.
"With reason. You shut me up In
tho closet n whole half hour for spoil-
ing your pink saucer I wanted n bath
for my rodblrds and didn't dream It
would iiinko any difference even
though Mr. Jacks was coming to court
you. And ho didn't do It said ho
wasn't out for no pale sickly woman
and you hadn't any health certifi-
cate. I could have told him you wero
as hardy iih u pine knot" she retort-
ed. Miss Massy stood up almost weep-
ing. "I'lease go I" she said to Ilruce.
"I don't know what alls this wicked
Klrl-"
"Oh she Is Just being naughty ns
spoiled children always nre before
company" llruco broke In gallantly
Anno Mnrln turned upon him eyes of
grave reproach. "Company 1 You're
no company not enough to deserve
fried chicken" she snld. "Hut you're
ulwnys hold up as tho pattern of truth
to tho rest of us. How dare you dis
credit your reputntlon'i"
"Where yon nro concerned I dnro
anything" llrucu said with his most
Impressive bow. It set Anno Mnrln to
giggling wildlyshe darted through
the side door and half a mlnuto later
was safe In her treehouse her refuge
slnco she was flvo. ltrueo looked nt
Miss Massy doubtfully. "How over
can I tamo her?" ho asked shaking ills
head. Her head also shook. "I don't
know" she said stonily. "Hut you
hnvo got to do It. It means salvation
to both of us."
"I know" llruco sighed. "Haven't
drawn an easy brentli slnco she enmo
homo so changed. And sha'n't until
wo nro married It Is tho ono wny
out." '
"You Invo her7" Miss Mnssy ques-
tioned. Ilruce sighed ngnln saying:
"Yes. And hnto her llko poison. Sho
sho seems somehow to sco through
mo ns though I wcro mndo of ginss
und finds only tilings to laugh nt. Can
you understand how that gnlls nnd
cutsr
Miss Mnssy nodded. 'Snmo here I
Sho hns surely chnnged. So sweet
nnd biddable nnd confiding she wns.
Why dhl I ever let her go to West-
rand? I ought to hnve known It would
wake up her wild blood to hear about
her father see his plcturt "
"Tell nit wns ho n greut adven-
turer?" llruco asked slowly.
Miss Massy wns silent n minute
then went on nodding: "Judgo for
yourself ho mailo seven fortunes
und lost six of them. If ho hnd not
died when ho did tlicro would hnvo
been no money to tempt us to tho
depths. lie married my sister's daugh-
ter hardly younger than myself.
"Tho shock of his death In thnt burn-
ing building ho wns trying to snvc
nn old crlpplo they say really killed
her though sho lingered years In n
sanitarium. That's how I enmo by
Anne Marin. She was still In arms I
have tried honestly to to do right by
her. Hut It was so easy to do other-
wise all her money In my hands
nnd the first 1 borrowed enme bnck
treble. Then I thought when sho mar-
ried or enmo of nge I should hnvo
nothing but her charity to snvo me
from tho old grinding poverty. You
know tho rest how wo hnvo risked
nnd won nnd lost until we must keep
on or lose everything for her ns well
ns ourselves.
"If 1 could tell her whut I had done
nnd that' It was nil for myself she
would forgive me. Hut I enn't she
would know It wns mainly for you."
Tho last word was a groan so low
nnd hollow It startled Ilruce. Ho tried
to speak some soothing commonplace
as though ho had not understood sho
would not have It so. "For you 1" sho
repented almost bitterly. "Of course
I am a fool but not so much ns I
seem. Seven yenrs older but nt first
you seemed not to mind. And und
I did wunt to help you to give you
tho chance I thought you deserved
never dreaming how things would
turn"
"Stop I" Hruco snul hoarsely his
fnco ashen. "You shall not suffer
further whatever happens to me."
"Whnt do you mean?" Miss Mnssy
asked doubtfully. He braced himself
took both her hands and said slowly:
"I am going straight to Anno Slarla
and tell her the exact truth. If I
know her It is truth thnt will make
us free."
"No no I I hnd rather die I I could
never foco her! Never In tho world "
Miss Mnssy moaned but ho was nt-
ready at tho door. There ho turned
smiling painfully at her then went
outside his head high.
He had never dared climb the tree-
house which sat 20 feet from earth In
the crotch of a huge spreading1 elm.
Hough steps contrived of cleats nnd
branches led up to It. Anna Mnrln
almost skipped over them Hruco lost
breath Ifke a mountain climber. Hut
ho kept on his lips set hard though
exertion hnd brought back wholesome
ctolor.
;
nbove the floor of her eerie hut a haRI
man being dominant with purpose.
"Sit down! No fall! Looks llkl
you're ut the Inst gasp" the girl crle
gayly. IIo went nenr nnd stood uf
right snjing: "Anno Mnrla If
great criminal plends guilty nftcr fu!
confession will you give him n sui
pended sentence?"
She bowed her bond too nmnzed fj
speech. Hrlelly ho went on nil throuj I
tho sorry tule of misdoings neltln
sparing nor excusing himself nor 1
partner but setting forth baldly 1
with his most lucid legal ability t
ugly facts In the ense. Tills until 1
enmo to tho next last sentence spok
In stammers with clutching bands:
think you nwiui.it know n-ulrendy
nil this wns done- for me."
Anne Mnrla was choking her cj
bright with tears yet managed to
saucily: "No such thing Sir iinl
It wns Just Opportunity thnt woko
gambler who lives In nil of us. I !n
we're three of n kind. It will bo v.
to forgive you two for not taking
Into the big game at first. Think I
tho thrills I've lost nnd bo nshoi
of yourselves."
"Sentence plensol" Ilruce cntr
ml lili( Imlil nut liftr ltnni1Cllpn
did not tnko It clutched his nnd 1
gayly: "Tho Judgment of the ci
Is thnt you keep on to the eiji
sweet or bitter. I lovo risks l
mean to be equnl partner. W'jl
lose. I shan't whine. Let's get d'l
to earth and powers of attorney1
things. Hut first I must sentenco.
self not to tease aunty for n vj
solid week." j
'I wit vnu imiHt not bo nllovi
Ilrupo Ktnniiilprpil. ?
"'Allowed' is good." Anno K
Hung back. "Understand sir
myself to do ns I like. Hy
proving thnt I'll lell you some
very nice I nm going to tnnrryt
Year somebody who regards my nj
ns nn excrescence ho lins so
more of his own."
"Ills name Is West" Bruce nss
conlldently. Anne Mnrln smiled.
nicely j'ou say It. Yes tho hell
no V
fIi
y wri
some!
sumptlvo of Westrand nnd n Ul
sides. So be easy In your mlm'l
my future and remeniuer incfci
no strings of uny sort on any!
three."
Hruco understood whnt sho wj
finely wrought to sny that luj
gtvenoss cnrrled no sort of obll.
And In thnt glimpse of her s
understood that nil he wns gnlil
this rclenso wns less than b.
losing. i
HAD SOME GOOD QUAU
English King Furnlihed Phraic
ward Incorporated In the
laratlon of Independence
It hns been tho custom to
brick" nt Henry1 V1H of Engl
cnbse of bis summary fnshlot'
vorclng tho wives ho had tired
"bluff King llnl" had some go
tics. Ho furnished a phraso
American Declaration of Indep
and ut tho samo time Issued
Initiation of emancipation In
1514 In theso word:
"Whereus God created all r
but afterward laws and cus
nations subjected somo under
of servitude wo think it p
meritorious to manumit."
This wns partly In ntone
nn net of Henry VII. Tho
men revolted In Henry VII's i
wero dofentcd. Thereupon II
them sold for two shillings c
net provoked unothcr rcvol
1'crkln Wnrbeck nn Impo:
pretended to bo of tho royt
nnd rightful heir to the tnr.l
body took much stock In Pci
beck but the king of Scotlai
IV hated Henry so much
gavo tho Impostor his cou;
wife. j
The klpg of France to she
like to Henry sent Wnrbe'
nnd letters of encourngenr
tho poor Impostor wns defc
fessed his fraud nnd wns
Tyburn tree. Tho Cornlsl
Into serfdom were flnully r
Henry VIII. In 1533 the si
hnd a compulsory stntuto
tho relief of the poor. Up t
nil such relief wns afford
churches and by private cl
Origin of "Shyster" Lil
An everydny term oppll
scrupulous laywers as
Probably only a few of
glibly uso tho word are a-
origin. Somo believe thai
rived from the word "shy"l
to a sharp cunning or sly
Tho lute Frank Moss b-
tho term orlglnnted In Ne'
In Essex Mnrket court so
tlvo years ngo says tho Ne
According to Mr. Moss a
frequently appeared in tin I
named Scheuster. Ho wil
nonulnr nnd on many o
practices to which ho
noyed Justice Osborne vl
there. Eventuolly this Jul
refer to uny displeasing oil
tlco ns "u Scheuster prnl
not hnrd to see tho do-
this phrase Into tho tern!
Bluff Opfnfor
Chnunccy iDcpew tolls
Melvillo a Ingnlls who
president hnd combined
tutcd several bankrupt
returned for a rest to thl
vlllngo where ho wns bo
hot-stove sennte in tho
nn old farmer said:
dew tell thet yer ijcttli
nigh onto ten thousand
year." Ingnlls who wa:
ernl times thnt sum aa
thousnud: whereupon t
observed: "Well th'
It was no death's head thnt whnt luck an' cheek
astounded Anne Maria rising painfully feller.
-" J '--fc AM-. STB -f
gff -.- 11MriLv. M n frtn
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The Beaver Herald (Beaver, Okla.), Vol. 35, No. 23, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 9, 1922, newspaper, November 9, 1922; Beaver, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc69437/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.