The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1905-07-14
Ought Crop Reports to be Dis
continued.


Ought the Government crop reports to
be discontinued? That question is being
asked in many parts of the country-by
cotton and grain producers, by brokers
and SPECTATORS. There is no nccessit J
for hasty judgment on this important mat
ter. Congress will not meet for nearly
five months. While President Roosevelt
might order the discontinuance Of the
re ports pending further investigation of
the Agricultural Department, it is no'
clear that it is his Intention to take any
radical steps, There is talk of an appeal
by the Southern Cotton Association to
Mr.. Roosevelt for drastic inquiry in to
the operations Of the department. The
President may see fit to direct such an
linquiry-he certainly should if the facts
warrant it-but there is no reason to be-
lieve he will summarily put an end to the
work-the discredited work, it now ap-
pears-of one of the bureaus of Secretary
Wilson's department. Congress can do
this, and possibly will. il it is convinced
THAT the Government crop reports have
been perverted to improper uses and that
there is no guarantee they will not be
thus perverted in the future.
Onr esteemed contemporary. the New
York Sun. commenting on the revelations
in the Agricultural Department, states
that "many persons regard the crop re-
porting activities of the Government as
scarcely necessary or Legitimate.
Were the Government to- 1e-
tire from the field private agencies would
take up the work and perform it satisfac
torily. 1t is safe to say that the specula
tors have benefited more than the farmers
by the Governments reports" The New
York Times concludes that 'the Agricul
tural Depa rtment has much to be blamed
for, but it ought to be blamed for nothing
but its faults. If it blunders or leaks
let somebody suffer. II the reports can
be improved, very we'll. Nobody will
disagree about that. But there are two
sides to angry proposals to abolish the
reports" The New York Sun also draws
|
ricultural Department: The discovery of
serious breach of confidence in what
was supposed to be particularly honest
and trustworthy bureau is not exactly an
argument in favor of increasing the com
merci.l activities INDUCED in by the Gov
ernment"
| If it be true, as stated by one OF our
New York contemporaries quoted above,
that "the specuI .tors have benefited more
than the farmers" by the crop reports, the
Government ought to retire at once from
the business of booming speculation in
Agricultural products. The purpose orig
inally was to help the farmer, but if the
latter is not getting a square deal-if
those who profit most are men who have
no interest in promoting the welfare OF
agricultural producers-then the sooner
the crop reports come to an end the bet
ter for the Government and the planters.
Surely the farmers would be justified in
demanding that the Agricultural Depart
ment desist from any course which may
prove detrimental to their interests,
while advantageous to men who find profit
in hammering down the price of farm
products. When tho Cotton Producers
Association met in New Orleans = few
months ago there was under considera-
tion proposition that each State should
collect statistics of its cotton acreage and
yield-and that the statistics thus gather
ed should be promulgated officially. With
the several States which produce cotton
thus informed as to tho facts concerning
the yield for the entire South, the plant
er would know exactly what Importance
to attach to the representations of specu-
lators.
Although final action was not taken on
this proposition, it is known to have the
approval of many planters. Necessarily
there would be as great probability OF
leakage under this system as under the
plan which tho Federal Government has
been following. There may be in the
South men as willing to betray confidence
as there are in Washington in bureau
of the Federal Government. Whatever
| IdIIduS0lucut "ot UC "0OC w COHCCt
statistics-by private concerns, by State
agents or by the Federal Government
there will always be danger of breach of
confidence. The.private concern which
divulged information would be hopelessly
discredited, and for this reason, if for no
more exalted one, it might be expected
to pursue an honorable course.
In Now York and New Orleans yester-
day cotton for October delivery sold for
over II cents pound. In New Orl cans
it is explained. the rise was due to the
belief that the Government crop report
concealed the true condition of affairs
In Washington dispatch Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson is quoted as saying
yesterday that he stood by his statement
of Saturday inculpating certain brokers
in the Secret Service investigation. The
Secretary refuses to withdraw any part
of his statement, alleging that "this is a
quarrel among gamblers brought about
by the dissatisfaction of some of them
in not getting what they thought was due
them" This is a very unedifying con-
dtiOn Of affairs. A great industry like
,r1 oh fn l,o OF ho