The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-16
FRAUD FOUND.
Charged That Government Re-
ports Were Doctored.
70 BE INVESTIGATED.
Secretary Wilson Says the Charges Are
Ridiculous. Secretary cheatham,
of the Southern Cotton Associ-
alton, Says He Has Docu.
mentary Evidence.

alton, Says He Has Docu.
mentary Evidence.
A dispatch from New York to thu
Atlanta Journal says Richard Cheat
ham, Of Atlanta, SECRETARY Of the
Southern Cotton Growers association
who is in this city, has declared hi.
intention OF calling President Rrose
vslt's attention to what he considers
gross irregularities in both the pre-.
paration and the publication OF the
government cotton report issued last
Friday week.
Mr.. Cheatham will make no charge
OF bribery or any other crime, but his
intention Is to ask for rigid investi.
CATION, and that the resignation OF
one OF the Important employees In the
statistical bureau Of the department.
OF agriculture be demanded.
1t is understood that he charges
some one in the department. with
having manipulated the figures and
given them in advance OF publication
TO certain brokers for use in depress-
ing the cotton market.
The Southern Cotton Growers as
sociation Is an organization of planters
and southern brokers'. whose object 1t
Is to regulate, SO far as p ssible, the
acreage Of cotton and 70 p otcct the
planters and other southern interests
from manipulation Of the market
tending to deprcss the price OF the
staple. Officers Of the association,
declare they have as many experts as
the department. Of agriculture, aud
make every effort to secure the most
trustworthy information regarding
the crop condition. For several mont hs
the statistics gathered by the associa.
tfon have been at variance with those
emanatirg from Washington, and tie
officers Of the association together
with brokers and cotton merchants In
this City have conducted secret In
vestigatiOn in the hope of ascertain.
ing the reasons for the discrepancy.
a prominent broker, liz is now zSas;
+ ,iIas . I'm D, ~
tant OF documentary evidence In the
case. From employees Of the depart-
ment Of agriculture, he says. some OF
whom are in the habit of making
frtq qnent visits to this city, he learned
that advance information in regard t.
the reports could be secured He fol.
loved up this Inquiry, inquifing
whf ther or not the repurt has not
oeen changed and alleges he was sue
cessful in this endeavor, also receiving
letters from at least one of the prom
inent firms of cotton brokers' in this
city had SUCH on understanding with
at least one otliGer.
Mr. Chatham was notified Of the
all6g, d discoveries by telegraph and
mad" a hurried trip to this c:ty.
After many hours spent in con 5ulta
tion, he jouSnpyed to Washing on,
remained q few hours and returned tC
New York. saving he desired sigma
lures to a doCument in his pos es
sion. 1T is said Mr.. Cheatham will
2harge that The figures OF the bureau
Of statistics have been manipulated
in the Interests Oi q c,rtain oeatiSll
cement IN The market here, ard r.ds
charge Will irclude net only the fur.
II shining Cf advance Information
pertaining To the government figures
but also falls tication of these figures
In the case OF the report issued last
Friday be will charge that plans were
laid manth in advance.
WHO THE OFFICER IS.
Edward 5. Holmes, Jr., is the name
OF the government otlicial hat Will bt
reported to President Roosevelt, b,
Richard Chatham, s. cretary Of the
S uthern Cotton Growers Association
Secretary Cheatham it Is atated or
excellent authority, will tell Prcsi
dent Roosevelt that not only was
advance information concerning the
& ivernment report on cotton acreage
and condition given out to bear oper
ators In New York, but that the
tl2ures OF the report we're delibeyatel,
manipulated 50 as to favor the marke1
operations OF the prominent pscula
tive interest involved, by influencing
a lower market valuation for cottor
Ihan Is warranted by the actual con
dltiun OF the growing crop.
1t is further charged that plan.
: we're laid practically month In ad
vance to secure in this instance {
bearish reporG, and that the Ctficia
accused, proti5ing by the advantage!
or his position, perfected arrange
ments by which such result might bt
obtained. Secretary Cheatham hs!
In his possession, IL is said, numerou
signed documents showing conclusive
ly that the figures Of the governmen
bureau on the cotton acreage ana con
: dtion have been manipulated in tht
interests OF certain bearish intercs
IN the market.
SAYS CHARGES ARE RIDICULOUS.
A dispatch from Washington saw
Secretary Wilson, at the conc.u,ion O
the cabinet meeting said his attention
bad been called to the charges of th,
southern Cotton association that ther
had been leak" in the informatlo,
, gathered by the agricultural depart
, ment in regard to the cotton crop. FL,
/ characterized the charges as ridlcu
| iOas. 1t was possible, he said, tia
, somebody connected with the depart
; ment had been pretending to hAy
knowledge OF the cotton figures de
t partment, but as a matter Of fact /
was practically impossible for anybod
to obtain advance information Of an
value.
The reports from the variou
states In the cotton belt," said b
and those fro'u the field agents O
the department are received by tn
i 8tatiStICian under seal and nlaced In