The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-18
COTTON is A WINNER
WEEKLY BULLETIN TO BE ISSUED
BY NEW BUREAU.
SENATE PASSED CENSUS BILL.
,IIsoN OPPOSED COTTON STATS
TICS.

,o,,.o,s senator Took Position That
AyricuIturaI Department Was Do
-. All the Work Needed i'm This
1ine-Had quite a Sharp Tilt With
Sn,tor Bacon About the Matter.
southern senator's Had Their Way.
p,IIetius to BE Issued Weekly
From sept. L to Feb. L.
washington, Feb. H.-After an ex-
.,+arded debate the Senate to-day
nossed the bill establishing perma-
nent census office. The discussion re-
,,ted principally to the collection and
nnhlication by the director of the GEN.
sre of statistics respecting the pro-
duction of cotton. Mr.. Allison Wig
orously opposed the provision, but it
was inserted in the bill.
Several other bills of Importance on
.be calendar were passed, among them
one extending the charters of national
banks.
When consideration was resumed of
+be permanent census bill, the pending
amendment was that offered by Mr.
Tillnan. providing that the director of
the census should issue monthly bull
letins from Oct l each year until, and
Including March l. on the production
of cotton as reported by the ginners.
Mr.. Allison opposed the amendment
principally because information con-
cerning the cotton crop now was fur
Iished by the Secretary of Agriculture.
He described in detail the methods
pursued by the Agricultural Depart
ment in obtaining information con-
cerning the production of cotton.
He pointed out that returns We're
now being made to the Agricultural
Department from every ginner in the
cotton belt, and he ventured the opin-
ion that the returns were as accurate
as could be obtained by human agen-
cies.
Mr.. Clay interrupted to say that he
had no idea that one-half of the gin
ners of cotton made reports to the
Agricultural Department.
Mr.. Culberson said that in November
last the Agricultural Department is
sued an estimate of the cotton produc-
tion Of such a nature that the price of
cotton rose Immediately 81 bale. He
thought that indicated a lack of ae-
ourate information previous to that
time.
Mr.. Allison replied that the reports
issued by private concerns had esti-
mated the cotton crop last year as
much greater than it proved to be.
Those reports had tended to keep prices
down. He pointed out, however, that
the Agricultural Department was first
TO give to the public accurate informa-
ton concerning the production.
Mr.. Allison maintained that if the
producers of cotton had depended
upon the figures of the crop furnished
by the Agricultural Department they
would have not been led into disposing
OF their cotton for a lower figure than
II actually was worth.
Mr.. Bacon interrupted to inquire of
Mr' Allison whether he was seeking by
MS argument to save the amount of the
expenditure involved by the amend
ment or whether he desired to postpone
action upon the census bill.
Bacon AnnOys Allison.
The suggestion in the latter part of
The Senator's question" replied Mr..
Allison, with evident annoyance. II
will say is unkind"
Mr.. Bacon interrupted to say that
his question was intended only as a
bit of pleasantly.
That is not matter of pleasantly"
fetorted Mr.. Allison.
The suggestion of the Senator that
l am trying to postpone the passage
of the bill is gratuitous"
Mr.. Bacon disclaimed any intention
10 reflect upon Mr.. Allison's motives,
mus ending the incident.
Later Mr.. Bacon inquired of Mr..
AIhson whether he, representing a corn
STATE realized more fully the impor-
Iahce OF the proposed amendment to
tne cotton producers than all the sem
atUrs from the cotton states.
Mr.. Allison replied that he might be
regarded as in the position of the jury
man opposed to his eleven associates,
put that he would be consistent what
ever the result might be.
Mr' Money proposed an amendment
- lhe amendment so that the bulletins
should be issued weekly, beginning
sept Of each year, and extending 20
ana including Feb. 1.
me amendment to the amendment
was agreed to and the amendment as
Si,l'lied amended was then adopted without
Mr- Allison moved that the paragraph
authorizing the director of the CEN
Gu, 10 collect cotton statistics be
81 ~, ,gken out, but the motion was lost.
cne ne Dill was then passed and the
'''e SHORTLY after adjourned.