The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-09
CHEATHAMS CHARGES ARE SUBSTAEkIAIED;
 ASSOCIATE STATISTICIAN HOLMES FIRED

to him. Mir. Van Riper's statement is as follows:
 Tt came to my knowledge early in the year, without solicitation on my part. that plans were being laid to in- fuence or manipulate the figures of the Government reports on cotton during three months beginning with June. It was planed by certai interests, in cluding parties in responsible positions in the Bureau of Statistics. to use in- fiuence to have Mr. Hyde sent to Flu rope so that Mir. Holmes would be the acting head of the Bureau of Statistics and in this position would have free hand to furnish such reports as were wanted.
 q was also cogniEant of the fact that said Holmes had previously fur nished advance information to certain brokers from time to time. but when their plans for changing or manipu- lating the cotton report figures were exposed to me. immediately consult ed my 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 report on acreage anu SchNAs'oh O~
 came out
 Ut was planned. as early as March to use every effort they could to se- cure figures that would be as bearisn as possible, so as to break the price of cotton to the low point, where certain interests could make large profts on the short side and then load up and make an enormous coup on the long side. It was unct rstood that in some cases Government agents reports would be influences in that direction or even fictitious reports would be used.
 The Go-Between.
 "On June I was informed that it was impossible to get the condition higher than 75 per cent, and the acre age reduction to show a decrease Of less than 13 per cent, in spite of all they had tried to do, but that at the re- quest of a certain large market oper- ator, the go-between was going back to Washington that night to try and have the figures stretched a little fur ther, and to my knowledge said go- between took the 1915 train on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for Wash fin gton on the night of June 1, or rath- CT the morning train of Juno 2.
 "On the morning of June 3. said go- between reported that he had succeed , ed in arranging to have the condition figures given at v or higher, and the ! acreage reduction about II l-2 per cent, which would be construed as pearish and enable them to break the market. I received this advice be- | fore o'clock on June 3, and the pub lie knows what the figures were when announced at noon.
 "The notoriety attached to this mat | ter Is far from Agreeable to me, and was personally assured by Secretary Wilson that in bringing this matter 70 his attention I had done the depart ment a great service and that my name would not be mentioned in any way. Now that he has seen fit to pub ilsh or to give out for publication cer- tain letH,rs and documents that were entrusted to him oonfdentially. l think 1t 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 Tn newspaper accounts that nave been called to my attention.
 From what l know of their various conversations and the plan that was laid months in advance. I believe that a thorough investigation of the Blu reau of Statistics would show that the | real acreage reduction was IS to 25 per cent and not Il 1-2, as announced June B. would suggest. or ask, that a further statement be made or asked from the Agricultural 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 had noth- ing to do with the plans made by these parties 10 manipulate the Government figures, but herely on legal advice and in the hope of doing a 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 Agricultural Depart ment." ..= . 's-