The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-12
TAG SALES GENUINE
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT EX-
 PLAINS THE INCREASE.
Fertilizer is Being Bought and Put In- to Ground, Says MT. Adams, Notwithstanding Reports to
 Cotton Growers.


 Chief Clerk Jesse c. Adams, who is in charge in the absence of Commis- sioner R. R. Poole, of the State De- partment of Agriculture and Industries, in spite of the charges made by the farmers of Alabama and members Of the Southern Cotton Association that the bears have caused the purchase of fertilizer tags for non-use, issued a statement yesterday which Is in direct rebuttal of this. He says 1t is his be- lief that not only have there been in- creased sales of fertilizers this year, but the farmers have put 1t into the soil.
 The recent bulletin of the Depart ment which indicated an increase of the sales of fertilizer tags caused no little comment among the planters or the State who have at heart the cause of the Southern Cotton Association, which is endeavoring to carry out the plans of the New Orleans convention of January to reduce cotton acreage this year and the use of commercial fertilizers So much faith in the or ganization has been manifested for the past two months that the announce ment of increased sales of tags, ordi- narily taken to indicate proportionate sales of fertilizers, caused alarm.
 Were the planters of Alabama and Georgia-for increased tag sales were registered in that State, too-going back on their pledges of reducing cot ton acreage and use of fertilizers? Could it be that in the face of the un- precedented campaign for these cur tailments the farmers were recreant to their promises? The leaders of the movement would not believe 1t. The county associations which held meet ings Saturday resolved unanimously to discredit the sales of tags as a genu- inc register of fertilizer sales.
 The associations openly charged that bearish agencies were employed to buy the tags in extravagant quantities In order to create false impressions and counteract the influence of the South ern Cotton Association. Instances were cited of the non-use of the tags, 1t be- ing shown that several loose tags were found in a car and bunch or several tags were tied to a single bag. State Organizer II. Y. Brooke substantiated this in his address before the Mont gomery County Association, referring to shipments to Union Springs and Bowden Springs. He characterized it as dope" saying to the hearers, They are doping you, gentlemen.
 When asked yesterday If such reports had been made to the Department, Chief Clerk Adams replied that his att tention had been called to two cases. He said one case was investigated that of five tags being found loose in car, but 1t was found that in the whole car the number of tags did not exceed the number of bags of fertilizer which were entitled to them. No investiga- tion was made of a report that a clus- ter of tags was tied to a single bag but the belief was expressed by Mir Adams that if this were true he did not believe it was the result of con- spiracy on the part of fertilizer man. ufacturers to create false impressions
 q cannot see any reason" said MT. Adams why the manufacturers Of fertilizers, to whom the tags are is- sued. should want to create false i'm pression either as to the size of a crop or the use of fertilizers. It is common sense that the prosperity of the farm CTS means the prosperity of the fertil- izer people.
 "The fertilizer manufacturers have given liberally to the Southern Cotton Association, since 1t has been organ ized, and have been in sympathy with it's purposes all along. It is of course injurious to the work of the organiZa- tion for false reports to go out indi- eating increased sales of fertilizers. Therefore, why should they foster with one hand and destroy with the other
 Tt is true that the sales of tags this season have been in excess of those last year, for the same length of time but it has not been so striking. They are more than was expected. But that doesn't necessarily indicate that the purposes of the Southern Cotton As sOciation have been defeated for the guano might be going under corn, po- tatoes or some food-crop which is be- ing urged by the organization in sub stitution for cotton.
 "The reports from our men on the road tend to show an increased use Of fertilizers this year. Not only this but from all that we can gather fl seems that the fertilizer Is being put in the soil. Now, some of the tags may be redeemed but I do not look fol any heavy redemptions as most man. ufacturers have bought sparingly.
 State Organizer H. Y. Brooke was al the Capitol yesterday in conference with President W. H. Seymour, of the Alabama Cotton Growers Association arranging for appointments to speak during the next few days. Commis- sioner Poole is still sick at his homo in Faunsdale.