The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-12-15
Extraordinary Precautions Taken
in Preparing the Cotton Report
STATESMEN SHUT IN.
Convincing Demonstr alton Of the Fast.
ness of tn. Estimate Room Given
Two Southern representatives
Who Wanted TO See How
The Work WaS Din q
the Work Was DINE.

A letter from Washington says SEQ
rotary Wilson is taking extraordinary
precautions against leaks in the cotton
Z report. He has had enough Of scandal
in that connection, and is determined
that hereafter no leaks shall occur, II
1t takes a corps Of watermeD to pre-.
vent it. La making ready for the De-
cembsrreport he placed the individual
reports from tho various agents
throughout the country in an iron
bix, and Their placed over the box
one Of the most trusted employee s In
the department., armed with a large
r. volver. The faithful guardian OF
the papers remained or duty all night,
and until lie was relieved on Monday
morning by the Secretary.
The Secretary himself took the re
ports from the box AMI delivertd them
TO four mon appointed to tabulate and
make the required estimates. The men
n the precious papers we're hurried
to a room assigned for them, and the
doors OF the room were securely lock
cd, and guarded on the outside by
two men, who were ordered to permit
no one to enter or leave the room until
the work Of the board was completed
B fore the board entered the room
the telephone connection was severed
&c that no posS be communication
could be had with the outside world .
ID took five hours to make the RI quir-
ed calculations, and the board was
kept in close confinement all that
time.
A good story is being circulated on
r preventative Bnrleson, Of Texas,
and Representative Bowie, OF Ala
b&ma, In connection with this last
coaton report. On Monday they visited
Secretary Wilson, being much inter
estcd in the c)tton matter. Tho Sec
rotary politely invited them to remain
and witness the m jthOd Of Ia bulation,
and the precautions used to prevent a
leak. The two representatives gladly
isoGepted the invitation and were
taken to the tabulatlon room. ArIer
witnessing the work for some time,
and being deeply imp :essed with the
way in which 1t was done, they
thought 1t was time for them to 90 to
the capitol to take their seats at the
opening Of the session.
They thanked the Secretary for
what he had done, donned their ov,
coats and prepared to leave, when the
were told that no one could leave
until the work vas completed. Tney
plead and argued, but 1T was all In
vain, SO their places in the house re
mained vacant for three more weary
hours. They were not permitted even
10 send a note expls inipg their situa
ton and could not telephone as the
instrument had been disconnected. So
1t was that two distinguished ON
gressmen from the South were no;
present at the lottery for seats, but
they were willing to swear there was
40 leak in the ID ;cemher oJton re
port.
Representative Lewis, OF Georgia,
has introduced a resolution looking to
ibhe adoption Of some new method for
collecting and calculating cotton stat
istios. The resolution provides for the
appointment Of 3 committee consist
Ing OF seven members to take the
whole subject into consideration and
evolve a system that VIII make the
reports as reliable as possible.