Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-01

ton you and others have had. You have
right 10 your opinion, undoubtedly, as
have other gentlemen engaged in dealing
in cotton and discussing cotton. But in
making up our report we have not given
any weight whatever TO the opinions OF
interested private individuals. but relied
entirely upon the thirty thousand report
ers who gave us that particular informa-
ton. We shall have three times that
number advising us with regard to our
December report"
Congress, in authorizing the depart
ment to get the facts regarding cotton,
acted not alone for the benefit of dealers
and Spectators I'm cotton, but also for
the benefit of the growers Of cotton. You
have been speaking OF the extensive
sources of information at the command Of
houses in New York and other cities
Doubtless this consideration was in lie
mind OF congress when II required the de-
partment of agriculture to obtain infor-
nation for the benefit of the growers. As
the Cotton Growers Protective associa-
ton Of the south. the Texas Cotton Grow
ers' association and the Association Of
Commissioners OF Agriculture of the
southern states have all recently passed
very strong resolutions indorsing the
work OF the department. is seems that We
are satisfying the growers and we regret
II IL we are not also satisfying those who
deal in the staple. Respectfully,
JAMES WILSON. Secretary"
investigation by Congress.
Secretary Wilson's letter seems to have
fallen like a bomb shell into the camp Of
the great New York Cotton exchange.
when he bluntly and fearlessly told them
that his department gave no weight
whatever to the opinions Of interested pri-
r-rFa fw-7f htfr anti
the 5000 reporters who gave us that par
ticular Information" the members OF the
New York Cotton exchange realized at
once that Secretary Wilson was not the
man they wanted in the agricultural de-
partment at Washington. They realized
that he could neither be influenced nor
bullied into swerving from the straight
path that lies ahead Of every honest pub
lie official. Mr.. Wilson has been regarded
BY the agricultural classes all over the
United States as the most competent and
active secretary ever placed at the head
OF the department OF agriculture.
He has won the confidence Of the people
generally by earnest efforts to do his full
duty and TO furnish as nearly accurate re-
ports from his department on all kinds
OF field crops as II has been possible to
obtain. His reports on the cotton crop is
made up from 4 stan Of $4,000 reporters,
county 1t is a well established fact and
thoroughly understood by the men who
are now asraf-ing him that these reporters
are not all farmers, but are made up of
merchants. bankers, local cotton buyers,
fwarehousemen, etc, as well as farmers.
Mr.. Wilson also tells them that the De-
cember estimate this year will be made
up from reports sent in from $1,000 corre-
spOndents. and this additional fact has
trebly alarmed the bear" element of the
spectators. Firms. who issue crop esti-
mates rarely have reports from more than
5000 correspondents, barely one-sixth of
the usual number who report to Secretary
Wilson.
Mr. Buston does the whole work himself
and estimates the yield of fields per acre
white travelling at the remarkable speed
of fifty miles an hour In touring southern
cotton states. His recent estimate OF II,
10000 bales was fixed in the minds of HIS
employers before he started from New
York to New Orleans. The criticism OF the
members Of the New York exchange on
Mr.. Wilson's cotton estimates Is a sever
reflection upon the honesty and integrity
OF every one of the $1,000 southern CORE
spondents of his department. 1t imputes
dishonesty to every ginner who recently
reported to the census bureau because
that report bears out the October esti-
mate of a short crop this season by the
department. The Southern Cotton Grow
ers' association, with representatives pres
ent from every cotton state. in convention
assembled at Macon, Ga, October 9. 1902,
passed strong resolutions indorsing the
work OF Secretary Wilson and his assis-
tants because the members of the associa-
ton believed that the department Of agri-
culture was making a determined effort
TO arrive at the truth, and because they
knew by actual observation and as cotton
producers that the estimates Of the de-
partment were nearer the facts than the