The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-11
IN Which Attention is Called to
the Cotton Scandal.
ISSUED TO NUMBERS
OF the Southern Cotton Association lD
Reference to the Recent Dlsclotur-
es of Fraud ir the National Az
rlcuttural Department and
Work Accomplished.
Work Accomplished.

President Jordan and Secretary
Oheatham of the Southern Cotton as.
ISOLATION Tuesday Issued statement
addressed to the members Of the asso
ciation calling attention to the recent
disclosures in the cotton statistical
work In tho department. Of ,agricul-
ture, declaring that efforts are being
made to divert attention from the
deficiencies" of tho system itself TO
worthy officials" and setting forth de-
mands to be made on congress to re-
form conditions. The statement fol-
lows:
ITO the Members of the Southern
Cotton Associations:
THE members of the association
have been apprised through the public
press from day to day Of the work done
by the officers Of the association at
Washington. AS q result Of their
charges the unre)iability Of the reports
Of the department. Of agriculture re-
latinR to the cotton crop has been full,
ly disclosed, and the administra.
tion Of that..department under its pres
emit head had been made evident.
Following these exposures, efforts
are now being made to divert public
attention from the main Issue, which
is, the imperfections Of the depart.
ment, toward an attempted prOsecu-
tion Of anybody who can be found
as a scapegoat. Their punishment,
even II 1T Is accomplished, is of second.
ary Importance as compared with the
reformation of the system which has
made their performances possible, and
the purpose OF this address is to secure
the cooperation Of the members Of this
association in influencing In every
legitimate way q reformation Of the
systenn, and q reorganization Of the
department.:
The ernbership of this associa-
+ tior, Imbering nearly 100000, In,
clldedS the producer OF the most valu-
sssIl lsles nr6du eE pf riCa a agriculture.
4 The cotton Drop OF the United States,
and It's by products Is worth between
$500. 600, 600 and 500, 900, 900 annual
ly. 1t furnishes two. thirds OF our an
nual trace balance, and In It's prOduc-
tion and manufacture employs 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 narrow balance wh,ch
has existed for years between Sufli
cheney aud scarcity In the worlds COT
ton supply, render the cotton market
peculiarly and acutely susceptible to
the reports Of the department. Of ae-
r1culture regarding the condition and
prospects OF the cotton crop
Under the present circumstances a
great duty dcvolves upon the mem bers
OF the association. We are less con
cerncd with what has been done by a
few individuals and the C nsC qlences
thereof, regrettable az that they may
be, than With such retOrma Uion Of de-
partmental methods as shall secure
for us jnst and accurate reports In
future. Under the system at present
In vogue, and which promises to be
undisturbed unless public attention
shall be aroused to the need OF reform,
the reports Issued by the department
OF agriculture are, In their last analy.
sis simply the individual opinion OF a
few officials Of doubtful experience and
honor by which the value Of the cotton
crop may be, and has been, affected as
much as 975, 900, 900 in a single day.
mo such power should be delegat.
ed to any individual, or statistical
board, except under conditions which
guarantee the most ircorruptible ex
pert and Intelligent opinion, arrived
at by the application Ct the most
scientific methods and safeguarded by
the most scientific precautions. 1t is
therefore, urgently recommended tC
the members Of the Southern Cotton
association that through their repre-
Bentatives In congress, and by every
other means available to them, they
exert their influence and that OF tht
association toward securing the i'm
mediate reorganization Of the agricul
tural department., especially with re
ference to its reports on the cottoI
crop, and that their representatives. II
congress be requested specifically Il
demand: O Tnc establishment with
In the department OF agriculture OF {
bureau, to be known as the cott0r
DuYeau, charged specially and solely
with the duty Of :eporting upon tht
cotton crop and all matters concern
ing that staple. (2) the appointment
as the head Of that tureau, at an ade
quate salary, Of a man whose reputa
tiOn and anUecedUnts shall oo bGyOn;
reproach, and whose familiarity Will
cotton cultivation shall be an addi
tI0nal guarantee Of his fitness. (3) Al
org. nization Of the bureau 30 estab
lished upon thoroughly scientific lines
as will insure no possible bias inIfaYo
of either buyer or seller, or produce
or manufactures can be pre- suppose
or asserted (4) The passage OF lay
that will be more specific In It's scope
and under which government employe
can be prosecuted for giving away 0
selling valuable information as ha
been done In the statistical bureau.
we have no doubt Of tho zeal @
the officers Of the depart but
seems to be as misdirocted In thi
crises as 1t was In the antecedent pei
iod. All the powers and lIflucnce G
the department., OF the lawyers an
Of every man OF the government seem
to be devoted to the attempt to drag
net a lot OF irresponsible Bpeculators
That there have been for years leak
In the department. il as well known
the trade as the existence Of the dt
partment Of itself; but these are II
significant as compared with the fur