The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-07-19
HOW IT WAS DONE.
Van Riper Exposes the Cotton Manip.
ulators' Rascality.
Makes Sensational Disclosures, and
Shows How Holmes Was I'm
hampered in His Work.

on the condition of the cotton crop,
made q public statement after the
publication OF Secretary Wilson's re-
port Saturday in which he declared
that be had nothing whatever to do
with plans to manipulate the govern
ment cotton report. BE ampifed
Secretary Wilson's report and called
upon the secretary to make public
Mr.. Van Riper's entire statement to
him. Mr.. Van Riper's statement is
as follows:
1t came to my knowledge early in
the year, without solicitation on my
part. that plans were being laid to
infuercs OF manipulate the figures Of
the government reports OF cotton dur
ing the summer months beginning
with June. 1t was planned by cer-
tain interests, including parties in re-
sponsible positions in the bureau Of
statistics, to use influence to have MI.
Hyde sent to Europe so that MI.
Homles would be acting head Of the
tju:eau CT statistics, and in this posi-.
tlon would have free hand to furn-
iSh such reports as wanted.
Il was also cogniZant OF the fact
that said Holmes had previously turn.
ished advance information to certain
brokers from time to time, but when
their plans for changing or manipulat-
ing the cotton report figures were ex-
posed to me, I Immediately consulted
ny attorney regarding the matter,
and upon his advice, listened to their
stories and kept track Of their plans,
in some cases having witnesses un-
known to them, until the June re.
port on acreage and condition on cot
ton came out.
1T was planned, as early as March,
to use every effort they could to Sc
cure figures that would be as bearish
as possible, so as to break the price Of
cotton to q low point where certain
interests could make large profits on
the short side, and then load up and
make an enormous SCOOP on the long
side. 1t was understood that, In some
cases, government agents reports
would be Influenced in that direction,
or even fcticious reports used.
son June 1, I was informed that 1t
was impossible to get the condition
higher than Is per cent. and the
acreage reduction to show q decrease
OF less than 13 per cent, in spite OF
all they had tried to do, but that at
the request of a certain large market
operator, the 60. between was going
back to Washington that night to try
and have the figures stretched a little
further, and to my knowledge said
90 between took the 12.15 train on
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad for
Washington on the night Of June l.,
or rather the morning Of June 2.
son the morning Of June Sd, said
60 between reported that he had sue
ceede6 in arranging to have the con-
dition figures given II OF higher and
the acreage reduction about III per
cent, which would be construed as
oearish and enable them to break the
market. / received this advice before
9 o'clock on June Sd and the public
knows what the figure were when an
rounced at noon.
1.-THE notoriety attached to this
matter is far from agreeable to NE,
and I was personally assured by Sec
retary Wilson that in bringing this
matter to his attention had done the
department. a great service and that
my name would not be mentioned IN
any way. Now that he has seen lit
to publish or to give out for publica-
tion certain letters and documents
that were entrusted to him coltdeu-
italy, I think it only fair to ask him
to give for publication my entire
statement made to him, Of which the
above is a part, but which has been
omitted in newspaper accounts that
have been called to my attention.
From what I know OF their Varl-
Gus conversations and the plans that
were laid months in advance, I be-
lieve that a thorough investigation OF
the bureau Of statistics would show
that the real acreage reduction was
from IS to rs per cent and not LII as
announced OF June Sd. I would sug-
gest, or ask, that further statement
be made OF asked for from the agricul-
tural department. as to what they
found by Investigating the records OF
said bureau. AS long as part OF the
matter has been made public, why
not the whole?
My attorney and others will back
me up in the statement that l had
nothing to do with the plans made by
these parties to manipulate the gov
ernment figures, but merely on legal
advice and in the hope OF doing e great
public service, followed the plan as
outlined and advised by my attorney,
and at the proper time took such
measures as deemed right and just
to the cotton trade and to the agricul-
tural department.. "
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