Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1902-10-15
The United Census Office Will
Publish the Returns
VIII. COOK SPECIAL LOCAL AGENT
For This Section of the State-Ginners
Should Lend Their Aid.

w. H. Cook, of Hattiesburg, has
been appointed local special agent
of the Census Office to collect cotton
ginning statistics for this county,
and we join the government In nrg-
ing the gInners to give Mr.. Cook
their hearty support and co-opera-
ton, thus enabling him to make
prompt and accurate returns. We
would impress upon the ginners the
fact this agent is a sworn officer of
the government, and that their re-
ports, are forwarded as given to him
directly to the Census Office, at
Washington, without passing through
the hands of any middlemen. The
information given is held as strictly
confidential, and the operations of
individual glnners are not divulged.
Upon the joint cooperation of the
cotton growers, ginners, and local
agents must depend the success of
the census office in this inquiry, and
its ability to render this great
service to the southern people and to
all interested In the cotton staple.
The census office has demonstrated
in three annual reports, the fact that
the ginners are the only reliable
source of information as to the
volume of the annual cotton crop.
This is very complimentary to the
ginners, who no doubt, will feel
pride in sustaining the reputation
earned.
In recognition Of this interest
shown by the ginners, and of a
general demand for more frequent
reports through this source, congress,
in the act creating a permanent
census office, provided for the collec-
tlon and publication OF these statis-
, tics at intervals during the ginning
season. For the crop of 1902 the
Office will issue three reports: the
first two will cover the quantity of
cotton ginned up to and including
October l8 and December 13, respec-
lively; and the final report will cover
total quantItyi glnned from the
growth of 1902.
Realizing that the collection of the
data for these reports is made at a
season when the ginners' time is
greatly taxed, and approaching the
necessity for prompt returns, the
census office has located, in each
county containing Ten or more
ginneries, an agent, who will visit
each glnnery in the county and
secure report of the quantity of
s cotton glnned up to certain dates. In
undertaking the frequent and hurried
reports now songht, 1t Is of vital i'm
portanee that the returns be made
{ with absolute uniformity, and that
all be received at Washington at one
time. This result could not be ex.
pected from individual requests
made by mail of 10000 ginners, at s
time when they are engrossed II
their ginning work. Furthermore
the census Office must be kept ad.
vised of all changes in the manage
ment and operation of these estab
lishments, and secure returns from
all new and revived plants. TO &C
complIsh such results, it become
necessary for the office to have loca
representatives who shall be charge,
with the duty of keeping In clos
touch with the ginning industry i
each comfy, and of promptly report
ing the quantity of cotton ginned.
The statistics for the October re
port will be collected during th
week beginning with Monday. Octc
ber 20, and ginners should keep sue
records es will !, enable them
furnish promptly the required ir
formation. These returns will b
tabulated, and the result pubIishe
Within one week from their receiI
at Washington.
Cotton statistics collected throue
the commercial system, howev,