The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-12-15
Extraordinary Precautions Taken
in Preparing the Cotton Report
STATESMEN SHUT IN.
Convincing Demonstr itlon oi the Fast
ness of til. Estimate Room Given
Two Southern Rep, esentatives
Who Wanted to See How
the Work Was DINE.
the Work Was DINE.

A letter from Washington says SEQ
retary Wilson is taking extraordinary
precautions against leaks in the cotton
z report. He has had enough Of SCANDAL
In that connection and Ia determined
that hereafter no leaks shall occur, II
1t takes q corps Of watermen to pre-.
vent it. In making ready for the De-
cemberreport he placed the individual
reports from the various agents
b,x, and then placed over the box
one Of the most trusted Employees In
the department., armed with large
T, ,volver. The faithful guardian Of
the papers remained on duty all night,
and until he was relieved on Monday
morning by the Secretary.
The Secretary himself took the 70
ports from the box AMI delivert d them
to four men appointed to tabulaGe and
make the required estimates. The men
and the precious papers were hurried
to room assigned for them, and the
doors of the room were securely lock
cd, and guarded on the outside by
Two men, who were ordered to permit
no one to onter or leave the room until
the work Of the board was completed
b fore the board entered the room
the telephone connection was severed
60 that no poss be communication
could be had with the outside world.
Ii took five hours to make the II quir.
ed calculations, and the board was
kept In close confinement all that
time.
A good story is being circula ted on
II preventative BnrlesOn, OF Texas,
and Representative Bowie, OF Ala
b&ma, in connection with this last
c,aton report. On Monday they visited
Secretary Wilson, being muoh inter
ested In the c)tt0n matter. Ths Sec
retary politely invited them to remain
= and witness the m 5thod Of tabulatiOn,
and the precautions used to prevent
leak. THE two II representatives. gladly
.isocepted the invitation and were
taken to the tabulation room. After
witnessing the work for some time,
and being deeply imp essed with the
way in which it was done, they
the capitol to take their seats aG the
opening Of the session.
They thanked the Secretary for
what he had done, donned their ov'
coats and prepared to leave, when they
were told that no one could leave
until the work was completed. They
plead and argued, but 1T was all In
vain, so their places In the house re
NAMED vacant for three more weary
hours. They were not permitted even
TO send note explaining their sltua
tion and could not telephone as the
instrument had been disconnected. So
1t was that two distinguished Con-
gressmen from the South were no
present. at the lottery for seats, but
they were willing to swear there was
40 leak in the ID 3cemher oLton re
port.
Representative Lewis, OF Georgia,
has introduced a resolution looking to
,bhe adoption Of some new method for
collecting and tabulating cotton stat
istios. The resolution provides for the
appointment Of committee consist
Ing OF seven members to take the
whole subject into consideration and
evolve q system THAI Will make the
reports as reliable as possible.