84 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOLL WEEVIL CONVENTION. 



appropriation from the Federal Government, for the stamping out of the 

 boll weevil up to date. 



Mr. Brazeale. You are right about that. At that time, there was no 

 explanation, no fight. We did not know what it meant. It went through 

 Congress without any explanation about it. I know if the explanation 

 had been made, the appropriation would have been larger, 

 facts, as we know them. It has been said that we can reason as to the 



Mr. Foster. We must come face to face with this question with the 

 future only from the past; and if I understand the general trend of Fed- 

 eral legislation, it is more in the line of supplying facts, for research, scien- 

 tific and otherwise, than for fighting the battles of a section of the country. 

 While the Federal Government may send its experts down here, to find 

 out the progress of the boll weevil and establish experiment stations here, 

 as they have done in the State of Texas, and conduct the battle of fighting 

 the boll weevil, still I have some doubt as to its spending thousands and 

 thousands of dollars to patrol our borders and keep the pest out of the 

 State. 



Another point that has occurred to me is, that notwithstanding the fact 

 that the General Assembly will meet in regular session in four months, 

 perhaps, after the special session will have adjourned; that during these 

 four months, if the boll weevil has made any inroads in our State, he may 

 have advanced very rapidly. It may be that by the time the General As- 

 sembly meets in regular session, the boll weevil will already have made 

 its inroads in our alluvial lands. 



It is well to be forearmed. Nobody believes that this money will be 

 squandered; and why not address the Legislature for one hundred thou- 

 sand dollars, rather than risk the danger of not having enough ? 



The President. A dispatch in this morning's paper says that the Sec- 

 retary of Agriculture, Mr. Wilson, recommends an appropriation of 

 $500,000.00, an organized effort, to deal with this boll weevil question. 1 

 simply make the statement as I saw it in print. 



Captain Marston. I would like to ask whether the State of Louisiana 

 has $100,000.00 in the treasury to make this appropriation. I believe a 

 twenty-five thousand dollar appropriation would be easier to get, and it 

 would serve every purpose. I believe that is what has been recommended 

 by the entomologist and others. 



Mr. Brazeale. I look upon this question from a practical standpoint, 

 I would like to give you one or two reasons why it appears to me, that it 

 would not be wise to adopt the substitute offered by Mr. Polk, which Mr. 

 Foster favors. 



I take it for granted that a Committee which goes to work, and asks for 

 an appropriation, makes figures, and is better situated to make those figures 

 than you and I are. They figure out just exactly what the thing will 

 cost. Therefore, they are in a better position to speak than you and I 



