attack upon these dangerous pests they can be held in check and perhaps exterminated.

Eradicating cattle ticks, $150,000, to be used by the Bureau of Animal Industry. This work was also commenced under an appropriation of $82,500 carried in the current Agricultural appropriation act, and the good results already shown justify strong hopes that by still more extended and systematic operations the cattle tick, now inflicting so much loss upon the live-stock industry of the southern country, can be confined to a smaller area, if not completely exterminated.

These emergency appropriations swell the amount carried by this bill to $8,125,790.

The current Agricultural appropriation act carries $6,930,440 for the same purposes, showing a net increase of $1,195,350, which, as already shown, is due principally to the additional amounts necessary for the enforcement of the pure-food law and a "working capital' for the Forest Service.

In addition to the $8,125,790 carried by this bill for the use of the Department of Agriculture there is carried in other appropriation acts $3,000,000 for the enforcement of the meat-inspection law, and (estimated) for printing and other objects $1,647,000, making, in round figures, the grand total cost of the Department of Agriculture $12,772,790.

FREE SEEDS.

There has been omitted from the bill the paragraph making appropriation for what is commonly known as the Congressional free seed distribution. In its place there has been substituted a paragraph providing for the "purchase, propagation, and testing of new, rare, and uncommon seeds, bulbs, trees, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants, foreign and domestic," the sum appropriated for this purpose being $238,000, the same amount carried by the bill last year for the general

distribution.

The substitute paragraph was drawn in the office of the Secretary of Agriculture and is strongly indorsed by Secretary Wilson, who expresses the emphatic opinion that he can render the farming interests of the country vastly more valuable service by carrying out the provisions of the present bill than would be possible under the old plan. This opinion seems to be fully concurred in by the National Grange, the State granges, and practically all the other farmers' organizations of the country, because with almost complete unanimity they have adopted resolutions protesting against the present plan as wasteful and useless. It can not be disputed that the original purpose of the law was to limit the distribution of seeds to the introduction of new and valuable varieties. Your committee believes the best interests of agriculture demand a return to this original purpose.

O

AUTHORIZING APACHE COUNTY, ARIZ., TO ISSUE BONDS.

JANUARY 23, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. SMITH, of Arizona, from the Committee on the Territories, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 24648.]

The Committee on the Territories, to which was referred the bill (H. R. 24648) ratifying the act of the legislative assembly of Arizona approved February 13, 1905, authorizing the county of Apache to issue bonds in the sum of $15,000, to build a court-house at St. Johns, in said county, having considered the same, respectfully report:

Some doubt existing as to whether Apache County under the limitations of what is commonly known as the Harrison Act could legally issue bonds for any purpose, and the county standing in sore need of a court-house, appealed through its representative in the legislature for relief. The legislature passed the bill and prescribed in the act that it should take effect on approval by Congress, and this bill ratifies the said act. No charge on the Federal Treasury is made. The passage of this act will cause said bonds to sell readily, and give the people of Apache County the relief so much desired.

Your committee can see no objection whatever, and unanimously recommend the passage of the bill.

REPAIR OF TERRITORIAL BRIDGE ACROSS GILA RIVER AT FLORENCE, ARIZ.

JANUARY 23, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. SMITH, of Arizona, from the Committee on the Territories, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 8969.]

The Committee on the Territories, to which was referred the bill H. R. 8969) approving the act of the legislative assembly of Ariɔna providing for the repair of the Territorial bridge across the Fila River at Florence, in Pinal County, respect fully reports:

The approaches to the Territorial bridge at Florence, across the Gila River, have been destroyed, and for many weeks at a time cut off passage from that town to the railroad lying only a short distance

away.

Under the limitations and restrictions of the act of Congress applying to the Territories (generally called the Harrison Act) some doubt is thrown on the validity of any bonds issued by the Territory for public improvements, and in order to resolve such doubts the legislature of Arizona made the act passed by it to take effect on its approval by Congress. The purpose of this bill is to approve such act and enable the Territory to tax itself for the necessary improvement aforesaid.

The act of the Territorial legislature which this present bill approves is carefully and properly safeguarded. It provides for a loan on the faith and credit of the Territory in the sum of $19,000, or so much as may be necessary, for the purposes aforesaid, to be paid in fifty years, evidenced by bonds of the Territory bearing interest at 5 per cent per annum and redeemable at the end of twenty-five years at the option of the Territory.

Your committee recommends the passage of the bill with the following amendment:

Strike out the word "confirmed" in line 7 of the bill and insert the word "approved" in lieu thereof.