The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-30

Washington, December 29.-Director
OF the Census North, in letter TO Rep
resentative Burleson, Of Texas, made
public today, takes notice of the situ-
alton presented by the cotton statistics
given out for publication yesterday, and
expresses his surprise and concern at
the recent alleged movement in the
southern states, apparently approved
and augmented by the cotton growers
themselves" to destroy the census re-
ports by concerted refusal of the gin
hers to make returns. Director North
asserts that a continuance of the cotton
ginning reports is impossible without
the sympathetic and whole-hearted CO.
operation of the ginnerS Of the south.
Immediately after the receipt of the let
ter, Mr.. Burleson, a member of the
house census committee and who was
the author of the provision making ap-
preparation for the gathering of cotton
statistics, gave out an Interview in
which he Ipholds the director in the
work now being done by his. bureau.
The letter is as follows:
Washington, d. c., Dec. %, 1904
Hon. Albert S. Burleson, House of Rep
resentatives. washington, D. c.
My Dear Sir:
1t seems proper to invite your atten-
ton to certain anomalomous condi-
tons which confront the census office
in carrying out the provisions of Sec
ton 9 of the act to establish a perma-
nent census office, directing the period
ical collection of the statistics of cotton
production through the agency of the
ginners This provision was inserted
ir the law at your urgent request and
that of other southern representatives,
on the pleas that it was necessary for
the protection of the cotton producers
against the spectators and others in
terested in depressing the price of the
staple for their own profit. 1t was
urged that enormous losses resulted
from the untrustworthy estimates put
forth every year by spectators and
agents of the Liverpool market and
that early and trustworthy official infor
nation regarding the size of the crop
would protect the grower, disarm the
Speculator and market manipulation, and
permit the law of supply and demand
to regulate the price.
Since the law was passed Congress
has appointed and this office has dis
bursed more than S125,600 a year in the
collection and dissemination of this in
formation. The system has been grad
ually perfected until it has become more
nearly perfect than any similar plan
for obtaining exact knowledge of the
size of any agricultural crop during the
progress of harvesting.
No complaint has been made that the
census reports are not accurate; indeed
for a year or two past, we have been
able to trace the crop so closely that
practically every bale has been ac-
counted for.
The statistics increase in value every
year: for it becomes possible, by COM
parison of the statistics of one year
with those of the same date in proceed
ing years, TO judge the size of success
sive crops with an accuracy never be-
fore known or approximate.
The ginning reports Of the census Of
fee have crowded out the speculative
and interested estimates referred to
and the single object which the southern
representatives had in view. in urging
this legislation, has been successfully
accomplished.
prised and concerned at the present
movement in the southern states, which
is apparently approved and augmented
by the cotton growers themselves to de
stroy the census reports, by the con
certed refusal of the ginners TO make
the returns upon which they are based
Thus far the movement has not serious
ly affected our work, but if it continue!
and spreads, it will necessarily destroy
its value during the coming year. 4
appears to have been suddenly discov'
cred that these reports undertaken sole
ly at the demand of the cotton grower
are highly detrimental to his interests
sNr NJ F. Webber, president OF tn
Memphis Cotton Exchange, is quoted a
declaring that '.the cotton interests O
the south have everything to, lose ant
nothing to gain by their continuance
they put the manufacturing interest,"
in possession Of information which