The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-07
MORE MANIPULATION IN COTTON
REPORTS?

not be doctored but most people be-
lieve that the latest report is as un-
fair to the cotton farmer as the ma
npulated returns that secured the
discharge of Holmes and Hyde. The
truth about these reports is that be-
fore they will be of real value the
Department must adopt a radically
different plan that will make manipu-
lation practically impossible. The
most important change will be to give
out the reports from each county as
they are received so that the public can
make its own estimates. If reporter
in any county gives out a false re-
port, his figures will at once be made
public and we'll informed men in that
fact that each report was to be made
public at once would make it difficult
for reporters to send in dishonest re-
ports in the interest of the speculative
world.
Suppose we had in this country
General Election Board to which re-
turns from the election in each county
were sent on the night of the election,
and, suppose, instead of giving out
the returns as they came in, this
Board would lock them UP and let no
body see them, and merely give out
the result by States. What an oppor-
tunity that would give for the Return
ing Board in the Republic to make
millions by manipulating the returns
as the State Returning Board did in
1876 when they stole the presidency
and were paid for their manipulation.
And yet the present plan gives the
same opportunity to the Board in the
Agricultural Department at Washing
ton every year i'm the matter OF crop
estimates The exposures of Holmes
and HYDE. who doubtless made big
money by manipulating the returns.
shows that the country is at the mercy
Of tho mon who receive .!:a fe;u;.ii5
and add them W. Just so long as the
returns are held until tabulated, just
so long will there be suspicion az to
the reports. There is but one way 10
guarantee on honest report, and that
is to give out the reports from the
various counties just as soon as they
come i'm just as election returns arc
given out from the precincts ana
counties on an election night
Within the last week we have had
a report on the cotton crop from tn
Federal Government department.
The Agricultural Department report
indicates the condition Of cotton this
year at seventy-one and traction.
against seventy-five at the same time
last year. a difference of less than
four points, which is proof of its own
absurdity.
The Census Bureau, the day before
the report of the Agricultural De-
partment came out, reported that ny
actual count 100000 bales less had
been ginned this season than he same
date last year. Instead Of the less
than four per cent. estimate by the
Agricultural Department the Census
report makes deduction OF the GIN
ming of 81 per cent ginned less than
last year. The farmers have had fiv,
rains or storms, to gather their crop
and have it ginned. This is one of the
years when there was no equinoctial
storm anywhere--a thing that has
rarely happened before.
The price has been above ten cents
all the time and that has been a slim
illus to the early ginning and early
marketing of the crop. And yet tn"
Census Report. made by men paid 20
count the bales ginned at TIE gins,
shows thirty-four per cent. less than
one year ago II that report is true
and it represents the opinion of most
well-informcd men-the cotton crop is
about one-third off-how can the
Agricultural Department report that
the condition this year is less than
-four per cent. off from last year? 1t
was accepted when il was first pub
lished, and cotton went down, but it
is contradicted by the opinion of
nearly every cotton dealer I'm America,
every newspaper printed in the cotton
country. tho testimony OF State ASri-
cultural Departments ard farmers
from Virginia to Texas. and by the
Census Reports from the gins.
The Hyde-Holmes exposure was
made when the Secretary OF Agricul-
ture declared that 1T Is impossible for
any mistake TO be made. The men
who have millions bet on the cotton
crop have no scruples against getting
new government agents to manipulate
the reports. There may be no dis
..,s5jfioS;y about tnis latest report, but
IL looks as rotten as any statement
made by Holmes or Hyde, and the
public that knows real cotton condit-
ions puts no confidence in it,
NN,rLn. IADnyERS OK NONE.