The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-17
COTTON GIN STATISTICS.


bottom cotton planter urging sinners to refuse in
formation to agents Of the bureau. who win
hereafter undertake statistics OF the actual
production Of cotton BY from the gins through
out the cotton belt.
The correspondents view ia sadly Illogical. and
his advice to refuse the information will II followed
defeat most important government enterprise which
fail 70 benefit rhe farmer more than anyone
else,
The growing crop is always a subject of guessing
and always will be. The spinner gathers the most re-
liable Information he can. because he must know
nearly possible the probable output. Bankers and
merchants likewise seek the most reliable nforma
ton, because the crop furnishes the basis OF credits
and sales. These Interests viii find best they
what the crop is doing from time to time and
what it mas finally done
AL these commercial interests hope for the biggest
crop. They are rot concerned about the price be-
yond learning what fair price VIII be in view OF
supply and demand Their chief concern is for big
crop. The spinue5s especially rant big crop Nov
fl is we'll known rule 81 evidence that a man seeks
proof o. what he he the fact Unconsciously
the deliberate mird will give weight to the
evidence which iavovs MS opinion his desire Grant
him perfectly honest and the cotton spinner will UNI
Willingly oycresunate the crop. Take him as he is
under The commercial code Of morals. and he may be
depended upon to greatly magnify IT,
II IS only few years since Mr. Henry Neill OF
New Orleans and Liverpool was accustomed to issue
periodical crop estimates that Invariably influenced the
trade With or two exceptions he always over
estimated the crop. He never underestmated It, He
furnishing information to the spinners who main
tanned his bureau and his bias was unconsciousy in
their favor During the years of his fame as cotton
sJastican MI Neil cost the cotton farmers untold
millions OF dollars 1t was common thing for one
OF his circulars to carry the market off dollar bale
Mr. Neill hourished until he oyerreached himself
and nothing more edecual in destroying his in.
dueuce by exhibiting his errors than the monthly and
weekly bulletins Of the weather and crop bureau of
the United States department of agriculture These
bulletins have proved their voIue IN tbo trade , gi,
ing correct information and to the farmers nv nro
venting bearlsh overestlmates The cost of main
tanning the bureau Is returned to the farmers many
fines over oacb vear This o>,,,rIo cf ,co,ro.a a.
formation is certainly encouraging to the idea of gin
statistics
# r,,st Ma rcr,,r,,,.e, .,.4 .,.-.
- 49,, ~ '""' ,"V'e 10 ' AMERICAN
crop anu an agricultural croP-the crop marketed and
'"' crop prouueeu' mat Is there is always certain
amount OF cotton carried over which goes into the
anaront ,'a 7', an" oy 80 m"oh Sweis the
.,a'.o. 49,, " ~ '' ny '''' an"
'euec' the commercial crop which including
croc o a vgS'SE greater IMAM the
Gin reports win reflect the actual viola and r,,,..
,,,,, i,. 49, Wv "''""' Hie''' anu must
'"'r"'7 " S'"a''er output than marketing
estimated by recepts and other evidence At Ia 7oo oo
bales or more. The census Gin report made nm IN
Ma, ,, ,, -, - , 81 ''P'I' "'""' up III
total Of 9954,945, or approximately 6OO0oo bales
liss Here Is proof of the pudding which ought 70
satisfy the most exactng
III snort every commercial interest tends to ey
ageerate the crop. In the absence OF accurate in
formation the spinner viii make estimates and fv
'''N' Wv "' e''SSoS' ana ms suesSeS VIII always he
,"," ''' - "'' p''""Se 1t Is TO ms interest to
guess '"at way Accurate information will necessarily
know preciscIy tho sr,,lv th, ,,,,.,., ''''u :"
49, ,.oi, -, ~ r''. '' Ne'''i'' NE can guess
80 W. 90 '"e 'p''"'i ana ne can govern his sales
The farmer has all to gain and nothing ,o ,o.o ~,
accurate statistics and the gin ronorts - o,,Tot"
win furnish the information r. tho ,a,t,,,
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