The San Francisco call., 1905-08-02
WILSON SCORED
BY COTTON MEN
Accused of Utilizing Escape
goats" to Divert Atten-
( tion From Himself
CHANGE is DEMANDED
Associations President Saws
Evils Cannot Be Remedied
Under Present Regime

WASHINGTON, Aug. President
Jordan and Secretary Cheatham of the
Southern Cotton Association to-day is
sued a statement addressed to the
members Of the association, calling at
tention to recent disclosures In the cot
ton statistical work in the Department
of Agriculture, declaring that efforts
were being made to divert attention
from the deficiencies" of the system
itself Ito the thieving propensities of
few unworthy. officials" and setting
forth demands to be made on Congress
to reform conditions. The statement
says:
The members of the association have been
apprised through the public press from day 10
day of The work done by the officers OF the as
sociatton at Washington. AS a. result OF their
charges. the unreliabiiity of the reports OF the
Department of Agriculture relating to the cot.
ton crop has been fully disclosed and the NAL
administration OF that department under its
present head had been maue evident.
Following these exposures efforts are now
being made to divert public attention from
the main Issue, which is the imperfections OF
cution OF anybody who be found as a
scapegoat. Their punishment even II 1t Is ac-
complished is of secondary importance as COM
pared with the reformation OF the system
which has made their performances possible
and the purpose of this address is to secure the
cooperation OF the members of this association
in influencing in every legitimate way q
reformation OF the eystem and reorganization
of the department.
The membership of this association, num-
bering nearly million includes the pro-
ducers of the most valuable product of Ameri
can agriculture. The cotton crop OF the United
States and its by-products is worth between
5000. 000 900 and 500 000 600 annually. 1t fur
nishes two thirds of. cur annual trade balance
and in its production and manufacture employs
many million individuals. No other product
OF the United States is or greater or of equal
importance.
The practical monopoly of cotton which
America enjoys and the narrow balance which
has existed for years between suffciency and
scarcity In the worlds cotton supply render
the cotton market peculiarly and acutely sus-
ceptible to the reports or the Department of
Asrlculture resarHlhB lhe conuitioh 'aho pros
poets of the cotton crop. Under the present
circumstances a great duty devolves upon the
members of the association. We less
cerned with what has been done by a few indi-
vitluals and the consequences thereof, remark
able they may be, than with such reforma-
ton of departmental methods as shall secure
for us just and accurate reports in future. In
the system at present in vogue. and which
promises to be undisturbed unless public at
tention shall be aroused to need OF refornf, the
reports. issued by the Department of Agricul-
ture are, in their last analysis, simply the in
dividual opinion Of few orncials of doubtful
experience and honor by which the value OF
the cotton crop may be and has been affected
much as $75, 600 600 in single day
No such power should be delegated to any
individual or statistical board except under
conditions which guarantee the most incorrupt.
---O~~
DDS and safeguarded by the most scientific pre-
cautions. 1t is. therefore. urgently recon-
mended to the members OF the Southern Cot.
ton Association that, through their representa-
tives in Congress and by every other meane
available to them. they exert their Influence
and that of the association toward securing the
immediate reorganization of the Agricultural
Department, especially with reference to its
reports on the cotton report and that their
representatives in Congress be requested spe-
officially to demand:
/. The establishment within the Department
Acrr{O lfrYrn Of hfrr tn ha a g
Cotton Bureau charged solely With the duty
Of reporting on the cotton crop and all matters
concerning that staple. 90.
2. The appointment the head of that bu-N
reau at an adequate salary of a man whose
reputation and antecedents snail be beyond re
proach and whose familiarity with cotton cul-
tivation shall be- additional guarantee OF his
fitness.
g. An organization OF the bureau so sestab!
lished upon thoroughly scientific lines as VIII
insure no possible bias In favor Of either buyers
or seller or producer or manufacturer
T. The passage OF law that will be more
scientific in its scope and under which Govern
ment employees can be prosecuted for giving
away or selling valuable Information, as has
been done in the statistical bureau.