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

Ny attention has also been called TO
the so-calied National Cotton Gin
ners Association the purpose OF
which is stated to be ito gather ac-
curate and reliable information re-
garding the amount Of cotton pro-
duced in advance of the government
report" 1t also appears that this in
formation is TO be sent In code; and
the members of the association will
be sworn not to divulge it,
The information is still highly desir-
able but possession OF ii is to be re-
stricted TO those who grow ana gin the
cotton.
ct understand the disappointment of
cotton growers at the present prices
Of cotton and their feeling that these
prices are due to the unusual size Of
this years cotton crop. early and def
mite knowledge concerning which
has been given to the public by the
census reports. But confess myself
unable TO follow the reasoning which
leads the growers and through them:
the ginners. to imagine that ii will be
to their advantage. because of this ex-
ceptional situation, 10 destroy the er-
ficiency of their official machinery
through which they learned the pres
ent situation, early knowledge Of
which has undoubtedly extended the
change in the price Of cotton over a
much longer period. and thus saved
the growers and the country from
much larger losses than would other
wise have been encountered in con-
nection with this years crop. 1t would
seem to be plain that in the long run,
taking one year with another, only one
thing can decrease the speculative
element in the business of cotton sell
ing and thus permanently benefit the
cotton growers and that is knowledge
of the exact truth as to the size of the
crop from an absolutely impartial and
trustworthy source, at the earliest
practicable dates. This was the unan-
imous contention of the southern rep
resentatives in congress when the law
was passed.
1t is not my purpose, however, to ar
que matter. / simply desire to call your
attention to the fact that the contin-
uance of the census cotton ginning re-
ports is impossible without the COM
plete, sympathetic and whole hearted
cooperation of the thirty-odd thousand
ginners of the south. The census office
cannot enter into competition with a
cotton ginners association which pro-
poses to gather the same data ''for prf-
yte information only" Moreover it
cannot continue to promulgate statistics
of the quantity Of cotton ginned to GER
tain dates after it has reason to believe
that these reports are no longer correct,
IL consequence Of a concerted boycott
by the ginners. Otherwise it would be
guilty of the identical evil of misrepre-
sentation it's reports were established to
prevent. The census bureau has no in
tereSt in the matter whatever, beyond
the discharge of its duty as established
by law, and the maintenance of its rep
utation for the compilation and publi-
cation of accurate statistics.
1 have, therefore, decided to notify
you in this manner and through you
the cotton growers of the south, that
the continuance of the movement which
they have begun will necessarily result
in the discontinuance of the cotton gin
ming reports of the census office, for
without the hearty and general coop
Grafton of the ginnerS, those reports
would become valueless and their COM
pilation an objectionable waste of pub
lie money The situation would then
revert to what it was five years ago.
but after the private and interested es-
Inmates controlling the market price
have again for a few years been too
high, as they undoubtedly will be, and
the repeated losses of the cotton grow
ers in consequence, have again convinc-
ed them that the change they demanded
in 1901 was a wise one, it will be far
nd ho irnnnSSih1a fy
induce congress to re-establish a sys-
tenn which the cotton growers set up
once before only to tear it down when it
chanced that a knowledge of the facts
was to their disadvantage.
I deem it my duty to acquaint you
with the probable course of the census
Office in order that you may take any
steps which may seem to you desirable
matter.
Very respectfully,
S. N. d. NORTH,
Director.
Upon receipt of the letter Mr.. Bur-
lesion gave out the following state
ment:
Believing that it was to the interest
of the producer of cotton to eliminate
as far rs possible the speculative ele-
ment from entering into or effecting the
market price of his product l caused to
be embodied in the act making the CEN
sus bureau permanent, the original item
providing for satisfies of cotton ginned
during the current year and the result
of the census bureaus labors in carry
ing into effect this provision has ma
tarialIy aided in ACCOMPLISHING this end
The result has not influenced change
of opinion on my part.
IF I may be pardoned a personal al
lusion, a grower of cotton myself, haV-
ing frequently experienced the damage
occasioned by the high estimates and
cocksure assertions put forward by
| those acting for spectators and cotton
gamblers, felt the necessity of some
would be as accurate as possible. This
| would be as accurte as possible. This