Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-10-22
Reports on Cotton.

Mr.. Boone r.. Moss, of Walhalla,
has been appointed local special
agent of the census office to collect
cotton ginning statistics for this
county, and we join the Government
in urging the ginners to give MIR,
Moss their hea ty support and CO.
operation, thus enabling him to make
prompt and accurate returns. We
would impress upon the ginners the
fact that this agent is a sworn officer
of the Government, and that their
reports, are forwarded as given to
him directly to the census office,
at Washington, without passing
through the hands of any middle
men. The information given is held
as strictly confidential, and the ope.
rations of individual ginners are not
divulged. Upon the joint oo-opera-
tion of the cotton growers, ginners,
and local agents must depend the
success Of the census office i'm this in-
quiry, 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 vol
ume of the annual cotton crop.
This is very complimentary to the
ginners, who, no doubt, will feel q
pride in sustaining the reputation
earned.
In recognition of this interest
shown by the ginners, and of gene
raj demand for more frequent re-
ports through this source, Congress,
in the act creating permanent
census Office, provided for the collec-
tion 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 18 and December 13, re.
spectively and the final report will
cover the total quantity ginned from
the growth of 1902.
Realizing that the collection of
the data for these reports is made at
season when the ginners' time is
greatly taxed, and appreciating the
necessity for prompt returns, ethe
census office has located, in each
county containing ten or more gin
neries, an agent, who will visit each
ginnery in the county and secure a
report of the quantity of cotton
glnned up to certain dates. In un-
dertaking the frequent and hurried
reports now sought, it is of vital i'm
portance that the returns be made
with absolute uniformity, and that
all be received at Washington at
one time. This result could not be
expected from individual requests
made by mail of 10000 ginners, at a
time when they are engrossed in
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 ac-
complish such results, it becomes
necessary for the office to have local
representatives who shall be charged
with the duty of keeping in close
touch with the ginning industry in
each county, and of promptly report
ing the quantity of cotton ginned.
The statistics for the October re-
port will be collected during the
week beginning with Monday, Octo-
Der 20, and ginners should keep such
records az will enable them TO fur.
nish promptly the required informa-
ton. These returns will be tabu-
lated, and the result published
within one week from their receipt
at Washington.
Cotton statistics collected through
the commercial system, however ac-
curately compiled, fall short of the
demand of both producer and manu.
facturer-frst, in that as they cover
the quantity of cottou marketed be-
tween September 1 of one year and
81 of the following, they are
not statistics of crop grown in any
one year; and second, in the liability
to error involved in statistics so
compiled. Nothing short of official
reports, made sufficiently early to
form basis of prices, will entirely
satisfy the cotton grower or manu-
facturer. 1t is gratifying to know
that the South has the assistance
and cooperation of the Government
in bringing about the result they
desire-an undertaking the success
of which now depends upon the cot
ton growers and oinners theposalyas