Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1905-08-02
Nothing to Compare With
Dept. MiSmanagement
SAY COTTON GROWERS
A Charge that the Activity Against
the "Lsaksrs" is Intended TO Di-
vert Attention fGOm the Inc efiCiency
of the Statistical System.

Washington. Aug. President Jor-
dan and Secretary Cheatham of the
Southern Cotton association today is
sued a statement addressed to the
members, calling attention to the recent
disclosures in the cotton statistical
work in the department of agriculture
and declaring that efforts are being
made to divert attention from the de
ficiencies" of the system itself ito the
thieving propensities of few unworthy
officials" and setting forth the demands
to be made on congress to reform con-
ditions.
The statement is in part as follows:
The members of the association have
been apprfsed through the public press
from day to day OF the work done by
officers of the association at Washing
ton. AS a result of their charges the
unreliability of the representatives of
the department of agriculture relating
to the cotton crop has been fully dis
closed and the inefficiency of the ad-
ministratiOn of that department under
its present head has been made evil
dent.
Following these exposures. efforts
are now being made to divert public
attention from the May issue, whose
imperfections the department is trying
to conceal by prosecutions against all
who can be found as scapegoats. Their
punishment, even if it is accomplished,
is Of secondary Importance as COM
pared with reformation of the system
which has made their performances
possible, and the purpose of this ad-
dress is to secure the Cooperation of
the members of this association for
influencing in every legitimate way the
reformation CT the system and a re-
organization of the department
Under the system at present in
vogue, and which promises to be un-
disturbed unless public attention shall
be aroused to the need of reform. re-
ports issued by the department Of ag-
ricuIture are, in their last analysis,
simply the individual opinion of a few
officials of doubtful experience and
honor, by which the value of the cotton
crop mav be and has been affected as
much as $4,000, 900 in a single day.
NO such power should be delegated
to any individual o. statistical board,
except under conditions which guaran-
tee the most incorruptible expert and
intelligent opinion, arrived at by an
application of the most scientific meth
DDS and safeguarded by the most sci
entific precautions. 1t is therefore ur-
StIIllg ICtOiiiiitHN-A ~ IIlc lntliIDtIS OL
the Southern Cotton association that
through their representatives in con-
gress and by every other means avail
able they exert their influence and that
of the association toward securing an
immediate reorganization of the agri-
cultural department, especially with
reference to its reports on the cotton
crop.
1--WE have no doubt of the zeal of the
officers of the department, but it seems
to be as misdirected in this crisis as
It was in the antecedent period. All
the power and influence of the depart
ment, of the lawyers and of every man
of the government seem to be devoted
to an attempt to dragnet a lot of ire
sponsible spectators. That there has
been for years leaks in the department
is as well known to the trade as the
existence of the department itself. but
these are insignificant as compared with
the fundamental mismanagement. At
this time. however, there is manifest
endeavor to divert attention from the