The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-08-10
AN ADDRESS TO Tue ASS0CHIL0y
Preslden. Jordan and Secretary
cheathai1 Declare That Efforts Are
Being Made to Divert Attention
From Deficiencies of the Asrieultu.
raj Department System Itself to the
-Thievina Propensities of a Few
Unworthy Officials"

statement addressed to tie members OF
the association, calling attention to the
recent disclosures in the cotton status
tical work in the Department OF Agrl-
culture, declaring that efforts are being
made to divert attention from the do
ficiencies" of the system itself Ito the
tkieving propensities Of few unwor-
thy officials" and setting forth de-
mands to b. rlade on Congress to re-
form conditions. The statement fol-
lows:
ITO the Members OF the Southern Cot
ton Association:
"The members Of the association
have been apprised through the puDnc
press from day to day Of the work done
by the officers Of the association at
Washington. AS q result of their char
ges the unreliability Of the reports OF
the. Department of Agriculture relating
to the cotton crop has been fully dis
closed. and the mal-administration OF
that Department under its present head
had been made evident.
Following these exposures, enorts
are now being made to divert pubic
attention from the main issue, which is
the irperfections Of the Department,
toward an attempted prosecution OF
ANYBODY who can be found as scape-
goat. Their punishment, even II 1t Is
accomplished, is Of secondary impor-
tance as compared With the reforma-
ton of the system which has MADE
their performances possible, and the
purpose OF this address is to secure
the cooperation Of the members OF TINS
association in influencing in every ie-
Ultimate way a reformation OF the sys-
tenn. and q reorganization OF the De-
partment.
"The membership OF this association,
numbering nearly one million, includes
the producers Of the most valuable pro-
duct of American agriculture. The cot
ton crop of the United States, ana its
by-products is worth between $60O,O00,
600 and 100000, 900 annually. 1t FUR
nishes two-thirds Of our annual traoe
balance, and in its production ana
manufacture employs many million IN
diyiduals. No other product OF the
United States is Of greater or eQuai
importance. The practical monopoiy OF
cotton which America enjoys, and tce
narrow balance which has existed for
wears between sufficiency and scarcity
in the worlds cotton supply, render the
cotton market peculiarly and acuteiy
susceptible to the reports OF the De-
partment of Agriculture regarding tne
condition and prospects OF the cotto1
crop. Under the present circumstances
a great duty devolves upon the mem
hers CT the association. We are less
/ concerned with what has been done oy
q few individuals and the consequences
thereof. regrettable as this may De,
than with sucn reformation OF 1epart-
mental methods as shall secure for us
lust and accurate reports in future.
Under the system at present IN
vogue. and which promises to be un-
disturbed unless public attention snail
he aroused to the need OF reform, the
reports issued by the Department OF
Agriculture are, in their last analysis,
simply the individual opinion OF q few
OFFICIALS of doubtful experience and
honor by which the value OF the cotton
crop may be, and has been, affected as
much as S75, 900 900 in single day. NO
such power should be delegated to any
individual, or statistical board, except
under conditions which guarantee the
most incorruptible, expert and inteiii-
GENT opinion, arrived at by the appll-
cation of the most scientific methods
and safeguarded by the most scientinc
precautions. 1t Is, therefore, urgently
recommended to the members OF the
Southern Cotton Association that
through their representatives in Con-
gress. and by every other means avail
able to them, they exert their influence
and that of the association toward Sc
curing the immediate reorganization
of the Agricultural Department, es-
pecially with reference to It's reports
on lie cotton crop, and that their hep,
resentatives in Congress be requested
specifically to demand:
81. The establishment within the De-
partment of Agriculture OF q bureau, 70
be known as the Cotton Bureau, charg-
ed specially and solely with the duty
of reporting upon the cotton crop and
all matters concerning that staple.
"2 The appointment as the head OF
that bureau, at an adequate salary, OF
a man whose reputation and antece-
dents shall be beyond reproach, and
whose familiarity with cotton culttVa-
ton shall be an additional guarantee
of his fitness.
"3. An organization Of the bureau Sc
established upon thoroughly scientific
lines, as will insure no possible bias
in favor of either buyer or seller, OF
producer or manufacturer can be pre-.
supposed or asserted: =,
"a. The passage Of a law that VIII
he more specific in its scope, and under
which government employees can bt
prosecuted for giving away or selling
valuable information, as has been done
in the Statistical Bureau.
I'VE have no doubt Of the zeal OF the
officers OF the Department, but 1t seem:
to be as misdirected in this crisis a
Il was in the antecedent period. Al
the powers and influences Of the De
partment, of the lawyers and OF every
man of the government, seems 70 y
devoted to the attempt to drag-neAl
lot of irresponsible spectators. Tha
there have been for years leaks In thu
Department is as well known to tht
trade as the existence Of the Dpart
ment itself: but these are insigniHcan
as compared with the fundamental mis-
MANAGEMENT. At this time, however
there is a manifest endeayor to diver
attention from the radical errors ant
deficiencies of the Department itself Il