The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-30
GINNERS LINE UP
AGAINST BUREAU
DIRECTOR MAKES PROTEST.
CAN'T GET OUT REPORTS If OPPO-
sITION CONTINUES.


ners Have Turned Against the
Government System Now That the
Crop Is Shown to BE Large ana
the Price Has TumbIed-South Had
Asked for the System.
Washington. Dec. 29.-Director of the
Census North, in a letter to Repre-
sentative Burleson of Texas made pub
lie to-day, takes notice of the situation
presented by the cotton statistics given
out for publication yesterday and ex-
presses his surprise and concern at the
recent alleged movement in the South
ern states, apparently approved and
augmented by the cotton growers
themselves" to destroy the census re-
ports by concerted refusal Of the gin
ners to make returns.
Director North asserts that a con-
tinuance of the cotton ginning reports
is impossible without the sympathetic
and whole-hearted cooperation of the
ginners of the South.
Immediately after the receipt of the
letter, Mr.. Burleson, a member of the
the author of the provision for the
gathering of cotton statistics, gave out
an interview, in which he upholds the
director in the work now being done
by his bureau. The letter is as fol-
lows:
washington, Dec. 20, 19O4-Hon. AL
bert S. Burleson, House of Representa-
tives, Washington, D. c.: My Dear Sir
1t seems proper to invite your atten-
ton to certain anomalous conditions
which confront the census office in car
rying out the provisions of Section 8
of the act to establish a permanent
census office, directing the periodical
collection cf the statistics of cotton
production through the agency of the
ginners. This provision was inserted
in the law at your urgent request and
that of other Southern representatives,
on the plea 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.
Would Discount False Estimates.
1T was urged that enormous losses
resulted from the untrustworthy esti-
mates put forth every year by speeu-
lators and agents of the Liverpool
market and that early and trust
worthy official information 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 regu-
late the prices.
Since the law was passed, Congress
has appropriated and this Office has
disbursed more than $125,000 a year in
the collection and dissemination of
this information. The system has been
gradually perfected until it has be-
come more nearly perfect than any
similar plan for obtaining exact know
ledge of the size of any agricultural
crop during the progress of harvest
ing.
Reports Have Been Accurate.
mo 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
accounted for.
The statistics increase in value ev-
cry year; for it becomes possible, by
comparison of the statistics of one
year with those of the same date IN
preceding years, to judge the size of
successive crops with an accuracy new
er before known or Appropriated.
THE ginning reports of the census
office have crowded out the specula-
tive and interested estimates referred
to and the single object which the
Southern representatives had in view,
in urging this legislation, has been
successfully accomplished.
In view of these facts, / have been
surprised and concerned at the present
movement in the Southern states
which is apparently approved and aug
mented by the cotton growers them-
selves, to destroy the census reports,
by the concerted refusal of the GIN
ners to make the returns upon which
they are based.
Movements Started Against It,
Thus far. the movement has not
Seriously affected our work hut If 1t
continues and spreads, it will neces-
sarily destroy it's value during the COM
ing year. II appears to have peeii
suddenly discovered that these reports,
undertaken solely at the demand OF
the cotton grower. are highly uetri-
mental to his interests. Mr.. ". =
Webber, president of the Memphis COT
ton Exchange, is quoted as declaring
that the cotton interests of the South
have everything to lose and nothing
TO gain by their continuance; they put
the manufacturing interests In possess
sion of information which WORKS IL
reparable injury to the South.
My attention has also been called
20 the so-called National Cotton GIN
ners Association the purpose Of when
IS stated to be to gather accurate and
reliable information regarding the
amount OF cotton produced, IN advance
OF the government report II also ap-
pears that this Information Is to be
sent IN code; and the members OF tne
association will be sworn not 10 de
vulge IT, The information is still high
" desirable. but possession OF II Is TO
be restricted 10 those who grow and
gin the cotton.
Anxious for ~ NJ First.
II can understand the disappoint-
ment Of cotton growers az the present
prices OF cotton and their feeling Thar
these prices are due 10 the unusual
tize of this years cotton, early ana
definite knowledge concerning which
hif been given 20 the public BY the
'ensus reports. But ] confess myself
unable - follow The reasoning which
i.aaa the growers, and through ihefn.
pc Einners. 40 imagine that u WI
NH 70 their advantage, because N tnlf
,AfrpilOnnl situation, ~ destroy the efs
Mtifnff ~ fnf onlcial nAfhlnfff
through which fhfy learned me pres
sni Situation, early hnoNladse " which
iha undoubtedly cEfH11f1 fhf rnhHff
fhf pflra ~ cotton over Wpfn
lpNNff ufTIqt nn0 fhua aafff fif
finHffn ans fhe country from mpfl
INff losses fNnU NuIl1 niEffh if
..ss been enooa0feIfe u 'opne' ii'p
VIA fNls Yfarf rfrD
"a ...,.l ...., N. A. oisin faai al