The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-06
SGINNERs

81 stor North Of The Census
lysaa, WHO Expresses Sur
prise aud Concern. He
Warns Growers.
Director OF the Census North in q
letter to Representative Burleson Of
Texas, made public Thursday, takes
notice Of the situation presented by
the cotton statistics given out for
publication Wednesday and expresses
hls surprise and concern at the recent
s alleged movement in the southern
States, apparently approved and
augmented by the cotton growers
themsel yes,n to destroy the census re,
ports by concerted refusal of the GIN
z neIs GO make returns. Director North
asserts that a continuance Of the cot.
ton ginning reports Is impossible With.
out the sympathetic and whole. heart.
/ ed cooperation of the ginners OF the
south. immediately after the receipt
OF the letter. Mr.. Burleson, men,
Der of the house census committee,
and who was the author Of the provi.
sion making appropriation for the
gathering OF cotton statistics, gave
: CUT an interview in which he upholds
the director in the work now being
done by his bureau. The letter is as
follows:
Washington, D. O., Dec. 20, 1904.
of
Representatives, Washington, D. G.
My Dear Sir: 1t seems proper to
invite your attention to certain ano-
malou; conditions which confront the
census office in carrying out the pro.
visions OF section Of the act to estnb-
lish permanent census office, direct.
ing the periodical collection of the
statistics of cotton production through
the agency of the giDners. This
provision was inserted In the law at
your urgent request and that OF other
apthern representatives, on the plea
=.=.z -a.z. ". was necessary for the protec
Cfoh Of The eccoosteef:-f5ffSNduc coos ter 3 against
the spectators and others Interested
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 speculators and agents
OF the Liverpool market, and that
early and trustworthy official informa
tion regarding the size Of the crop
would. protect the grower, disarm the
specuiator and market manipulation
and permit the law OF supply and de-
mand to regulate the prices.
EXPENSIVE INFORMATIoN
Since the law was passed congress
has appropriated and this office has
dlsbursed more than 1925, 600 year
IA the collection and dissemination of
this information. The system has
been gradually perfected until it has
become 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.
l No complaint has been made that
the census reports are not accurate,
indeed for year or two past we have
''seen able to trace the crop SO closely
practically every bale has been
4, led for.
gar; for 1t becomes possible, by
5hparison Of the statistics of one
year with those Of the same date in
I preceding years, to judge the size OF
successive crops with an accuracy
never before known or approximated.
The ginning reports OF the census
Noftico have crowded out the specula-
tive and interested estimates referred
to, and the single object which the
southern representatives had III view,
in urging this legislation, has been
successfully accomplished
In view OF these facts, l have been
surprised and concerned at the pres.
ent 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 ginners
to make the returns upon which they
are based. Thus far the movement
has not seriously affected our work
but IL it continues and spreads, it will
necessarily destroy Its value during
the coming year. 1t appears to have
been suddenly discovered that these
reports, undertaken solely at the de-
mand Of the cotton growers, are high
ly detrimental to his interests. Mr.
,aG BE- Z. Webber, president OF the Mem
phis cotton exchange, Is quoted as de.
claring that the cotton interests of
the south have everything TO lose and
nothing to gain by their continuance;
they put the manufacturing interests
In possession Of information which
works irreparable injury to the
SOUTH" My attention has also been
called to the so called National Cot
ton Ginners' association" the purpose
of which is stated to be to gather
accurate and reliable information ro-
garding the amount Of cotton pro.
duced in advance OF the government
report" It also appears that this
information is to be sent in code; and
the members of the association will