The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-19
A LETTER OF CONFESSION.
Written Under Pressure it Reveals
Details of Alleged FalsiicatiOns
of Government Cotton Re-
norris


The New York Herald contains the
following startling disclosures:
There is now in the hands of the
Secretary of Agriculture letter, the
contents of which have been sworn TO,
sued in the alleged falsifications of the
government cotton report of June Ind
and exposes the entire inner workings
of the scandal declared to have done
almost irreparable injury to the trade.
This letter, written under pressure
brought by those who have been con-
stituted an investigating committee
upon one of the men whose connec-
ton with the affair is a matter of pub
lie knowledge, but whose identity is
withheld for the present. is in the
nature of a refutation of the asser-
ton of Secretary Wilson that the in
cident was practically ended. 1t will
be remembered that the President
failed to share his cabinet members
view. and instead directed him, as
we'll as Attorney General Moody, to
push the examination.
Mr.. Roosevelt has been advised OF
the nature of this communication,
which is regarded in the light of
confession 1t was at the Chief EX-
ecutives request that the plan in prac-
tice was adopted, and all concerned
are awaiting the action of the Depart
ment of Agriculture.
1t is stated in no uncertain terms
that the assertions contained in the
letter are of the sort that admit of
no delay in confirming or disproving
them. They relate in minute detail
the precise manner in which the Of
fetal report was tampered with; who
took part in the operation; to what
extent the fraud was perpetrated, and
l. 41Nr nfCs nf t1l
charges in the letter may be found.
Forwarded to Mr.. Wilson.
This letter was forwarded to Mr..
Wilson last Friday. reaching him, 1T
is thought, on Saturday morning.
Yesterday Richard Cheatham and
Jordan. respectively secretary and
Growers Association, which, with the
active cooperation of several New
York factors, are in charge of the in
vestigation, went to Washington to be
on the ground in the event that Mr..
Wilson gave the matter immedleSe
lattention.
According to the stories generally
credited, Mr.. Wilson and the inves-
tigators are having difficulty inr each
ing a common plane of understand
ing Their opinions as to the best
methods to be pursued differ mate
rally in certain instances, and it is
said that only the personal interven-
ton of the President caused the Sec
retary to take up the case which lie
had practically dropped after only
the surface had been scratched in the
opinion of those chiefly concerned.
Messrs. Cheatham and Jordan will
wait on Mr. Wilson to-day to learn
the position he has assumed regard
ing the letter. If he is determined to
take up the work of investigating the
statements made therein the officials
of the association will remain at the
capital to aid him with the informa-
ton they have gathered. Should the
Secretary disregard the communica-
ton. attested copies will be forthwith
placed in the hands of the President.
and, if he so directs, laid before the
Attorney General.
Case Grows More Serious
In the minds of those most init
mately concerned, the falsification Of
the Washington report is q far more
serious matter than the sale of the
advance information indicated by the
preliminary investigation, in which
Holmes, Haas. Lewis G. Van Ripper
and others played large parts. IL was
with this impression uppermost that
the mapority of the cotton tKade saw
with diSmay the reluctance of Mr..
Wilson's department to pursue the
matter beyond an exposure, by no
means complete, it is added, of the
sale of information and the punish
ment of those concerned with this
phase of the matter.
In spite of the criminality of this
portion of the scandal, the investiga-
tors said yesterday they would have
been more satisfied to have seen it
dropped than to allow the matter Of
the fraudulent statement to go un-
noticed. The increase in the per-
centage of acreage under cultivation,
which the Cotton Growers AsSocia-
ton maintain was deliberately done
i'm the compilation of the report, and
which is made the basis of the letter
sent to Mr.. Wilson, has had most
unfortunate effect upon the general
trade. they insist, from which it will
take some time to recover.
1t is pointed out that the lesser the
percentage of reduction in acreage the
greater will be the total production
and the smaller will be the price in
direct consequence. In the letter It
is. asserted that the reports from the
cotton growing localities, from which
the governments statement is col
lated. will show conclusively that the
Ia per cent of reduction is far less
than the figures should have been.
In other words, the acreage under cul-
tlVatlon is less than the department
hdlcates. and as a natural result the
probable production will be smaller
than forecasted i'm the report of
June End.
immunity To the Writer