The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1904-12-07
A BIC COTTON CROP
Seasons Yield is Placed at
100000 Bales.
GOVERNMENTS ESTIMATE
Fiaures Cause Tremendous Surprise
Even Among Veteran Dealers.
Growers VIII be Greatly
Disappointed. 3

Disappointed.
A Washington special says: Pre-
liminary returns to the chief of the bu-
reau Of statistics of the department of
agriculture show a total production
of cotton in the Unied States in the
wears 1904-O5 of 1916. 900 bales.
Round bales are included in this esn-
mate and reduced to their equivalent
in square bales.
The estimate does not include lin
tiers.
In the preparation and issuance OF
the cotton report Secretary wilson
gave demonstration of the precautions
taken to avoid advance information
leaking out. Representatives Burgess
of Texas, and Ransdal, of Louisiana
we're invited by the secretary to Wit
ness the preparation of the estimate.
The party, was locked in the private
Office of the statistlcian and reports
from all the cotton districts were
taken into the room. The doors
we're locked from the outside, and the
secretary then gave orders for the
opening of the report. The estimate
of the crop for the year l9O4-I9oo
was then prepared and sent out before
anv person in the room was permit
ted to leave or communicate with any
persOn from the outside.
an this manner the cotton estimates
are invariably made" said Secretary
Wilson. land all human ingenuity is
used to prevent leaking of informa-
ton"
A Tremendous Surprise.
New York special says: The
government estimate for the cotton
crop placing the yield at 2,162,OOO
bales. issued Saturday, was surprise
to more people than any govern
ment report Of recent years. While
few of the more extreme bears had
been talking 100000 bales or over,
the average opinion even in bearish
circles locally was that the govern
ment estimate would be under that tig-
ure.
The announcement was followed by
another sensational break in prices.
The decline that has been in progress
now for over a month and carried the
market down from II cents to IL
cents proved insufficient in the est1-
nation of the trade to fully reflect the
new condition of affairs, and crop
Of the size reported. There was I'M
doubleday big short interest IN the
market, but in spite of covering,
prices declined nearly half a cent IN
less than half an hour OF trading"
January, which sold around 8.56 dur
ing the forenoon, was depressed to
about $40 and other months suffering
in like measure. The market was
very excited with trading exceedingly
active.
Disappointment to Planters.
There is no doubt about the TACT
that the government cotton crop re-
port estimating the present seasons
crop at 12 10000 bales will prove
a serious disappointment to the plant
ers all over the south.
The recent decline has given an IN
dication of the trend of things, but.
despite all that, and despite the H.
800 .0O0-bale estimate the planters
have been nursing the hope OF some
thing better when the government es-
innate came out.
Everywhere cotton is being held for
10. and in some cases, for IL cents;i
the government estimate smashes
these hopes for some months to come,
at least, and, perhaps permanently, SO
far as the present seasons crop in CO.
cerned.
But far from making the planters
rush into the market, the effect OF the
government report will undoubtedly,
be to make them even hold on to their
cotton tighter than ever, hoping
against hope, it may be, but hoping,
nevertheless, for something better in
the future.