The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-04


Washington. August 1.-President
Jordan and Secretary Chatham. Of
the Southern Cotton Association today
issued a statement addressed To the
members of the association. calling at
tention to the recent disclosures in the
cotton statistical work in the depart
ment OF agriculture. declaring that
efforts are being mad to divert atten-
ton from the deficiencies of the
system itself Ito the thievinG
sites of a few unworthy officials and
setting forth demands to be made on
Congress to reform conditions:
The statement follows
ITO the Members of the Southern Cot
ton Association.
The members of the association
have been appriscd through h pub
lie press rom day to day of the work
done b. the officers of the association
at Washington. As a result Of their
charges the unreliability of the reports
AZ the dep3rtment of agriculture re-
AeGng-tO the cotton r has been full
- disclosed. and the mal-administra-
of tfat department under it's pres
ent head had been made evident. Fol
lowing these exposures. effects are
now being made to divert public at
tpnti0n from The main issue. which is.
the impcrfections of the department.
toward ar attempted prosecution of
anybody who can be found as Il scaDe-
goat Their punishment ever if It is
accomplished. is secondary Importance
as compared with the or
the system which has a their per-
formances possible. and the purpose
of his address is to secure the Coop
Grafton of the members of this aSSo-
Nciation in influencing i'll every legiti-
Aehate way a reformation of the sys-
hem. and q decentralization of the de-
~fpaTtment.
The membership OF this associa-
tiCn numbering nearly n million,
includes the producers of the most
valuable product OF American agricul-
ture. The cotton crop of the United
States. and it's by-DroduCts. is worth
between 5000, OO0. 900 and $780, 900 900
annually. It furnishes tWo-thirds OF
ou1 annual trade alance. and in its
production and manufacture enlDloys
many million individuals No other
product Of the United States Is of
greater or of equal Importance. The
practical monopoly of cotton which
America enjoys and the marrow bal
aEce which has existed for years be-
tween suf!iciency and scarcity in the
worlds cotton supply. render the cot
ton market peculiarly and acutely sus-
CeptibIe to the report Of the depart
ment of agriculture regarding the con-
dlrion and prospects of OIL Gotten
crop. Under the present circum-
stances. a great duty devolVes upen
the embe of the association we
arc less concerned with what has beer
Done by a few individuals and the con
sequences thereof. regrettabfe as that
may be. than with such reformation of
departmental methods as SHALL secure
for us lust and accurate reports in fu-
lure. Under the system at present
in vogue and which promises to be I'M
disturbed unless public attention shall
be aroused to the need of reform. the
reports issued by the department of
Aaericulture are. in their last analysis
Tsimply the individual opinion eff Il few
officials of doubtful experience and
honor by which the value of the cot
ton crop MAY be. and has been. at
1ectcd as much is $75 100000 in a
single a
INC such power should be delegated
to any Individual. Or statistical board.
except under conditions which guar
antee the most i~ncorruptibFe. expert
and intel igent opinion. arrived at by
the anplicaticn of the most
methods and safe guarded by mos
scientific precautions. It is therefore
urged and recommended to the mem
Ecrs of the Southern Cotton Associa-
ton that through their representa-
tiVes in C3nCress. and by every other
means available to- them. hex exert
their influence and that of the associa
ton toward occurring the immediate
reorganization of the agricultural de-
partmcnt. especially with reference to
it's reports On the cotton crop. and
that their representatives in Can0rGCS
be requested specifically to demand:
cd. The establishment within the
department of agriculture of a bu-
eau to he known as the Cotton Blu
reau. charged specially and solely with
the duty Of reporting upon tho cotton
crop and all matters concerning that
staple.
'(2). Nhe appointment as thu head
of that bureau. at an adequate salary
of a man whose reputation and ante
ceJents shall be beyond reDroach. and
whose Familiarity with cotton cult
walton snail he an additional guarau-
tee of his fitness.
"(3). An organization of the bureau
SO established uT'on thoroughly sci"n-
t:fc lines. as will insure no possihia
bias iii favor of either buyer nr seller
or producer or manufactures % h.
pre-supposed or asserted.
A~"(4}. The passage OF q law that viii
wrsnore specific in its scene and under
yNZ.sch government employees can he
prosecuted for giving away or SELLING
valuable information as has been lone
in the statistical bureau.
have no doubt Of the zeal OF
the officers of the department nut II
seems to be as misdirected in this CRISIS
at is was in the a~ntecedent period
AL power and influence OF the d.
parfment- of the awvors and of every