The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-11
TTON'S ESTIMATE RE
NAMED TO PRAY.


suspicion that there was a leak" in
the Agricultural Department that was
operating to the detriment of the cot
ton farmers. The farmers have been
suspicious and now and then some
Southern Congressman has voiced the
suspicion and demanded an investiga-
ton, but nothing has come of the mat
ter. The reason is now apparent. The
farmers had no organization to syste-
matically carry on the investigation
and follow every clue. The high char
acter of Secretary Wilson permitted
no suggestion that he would counte-
nance dishonest figures or misleading
estimates, and the world has given lit
tie attention to the complaints of cot
ton growers and cotton merchants.
The great crop of 1904 and the low
prices showed the farmers that they
must effect an organization in which
they would have the active help and
cooperation Of the Southern bankers,
merchants and all others interested In
cotton. The Southern Cotton Assoc1a-
ton was the result 1t reaches every
cotton growing township in the South,
and it has labored zealously to secure
a twenty-five per cent reduction or
the cotton acreage. By large eXpendl-
ture and diligent efforts that associa-
ton obtained diPect from their repre-
sentatives figures of the acreage, and
announced that there had been a re-
duction Of a fraction over eighteen
per cent. in the cotton acreage. II
the public had accepted that estimate,
the price of the cotton now in the
hands Of the farmers would put hun
dreds of thousands of additional dol
lars in the hands of the farmers. BY
the same token, the exporters and
manufacturers would be compelled to
pay that many more hundreds Of
thousands of dollars for their supply
of cotton for manufacturing.
The people who buy cotton depend
upon the government report, and ex-
perience has shown that the market is
largely governed by it. Therefore the
incentive to doctor" that report is
very great. 1t is worth millions of
dollars. The whole South was incredu-
lous when the government report came
out and assured the world that the re-
duction in cotton acreage was only
eleven per cent. Every Southern man
knew the reduction was larger than
that in his own section, and many
who had never before doubted the
honesty of the government report had
their suspicious of both it's competency
and its honesty aroused. But, if there
had been no Southern Cotton Associa-
ton. and no capable and courageous
Secretary Richard Cheatham the price
of cotton would have drop
ped, and the farmers been
robbed without redress. But
faithful and expert secretary of a
compact organization did not stop
with expressing distrust of, the govern
ment estimate. He declared it was in
correct, and went to Washington to
demand in the name of the farmers
of dozen States to be shown the
methods by which the estimate of an
eleven per cent. reduction had been
obtained. The Secretary of Agricui-
ture made light of his suspicious ana
treated his demands with Indifference.
He soon found that Richard Cheat
ham, acting for the Southern Cotton
Association, was a determined and
resolute man, not to be denied a hear
ing. Mr.. Cheatham went to Washing
ton with no idle tale of Woe" He
went armed with the evidence, and
when he forced a hearing, the officials
found that Mr.. Cheatham was hot
after the man who had been dOctoring
the reports AS first blood, Edwin S.
Holmes. assistant statistician of the
Division of Statistics. has been sus-
pended, and we are told it was upon
his request, but the Washington Post
adds: 1T is known, however. that
whether or not Mr.. Holmes had made
such request he would have been "e-
lieved from duty for the present at
least The matter is of such i'm
pcrtance that we give here the full
statement in yesterdays Washington
Post:
Edwin S. Holmes, assistant statis-
tician of the Division of Statistics. De-
partment of Agriculture, was yester-
day suspended from duty by Secre-
tary Wilson, pending an investigation
of the charges of Richard Cheatham,
secretary of the Southern Cotton
Growers Association. relative to
leaks in connection with government
reports. Mr. Holmes announced that
ne was suspended at his own request
This was not denied by Secretary Will
son. 1t is known, however. that
whether or not Mr.. Holmes had made
such a request he would have been
relieved from duty, for the present at
least.
"OfficiaLs of the department. among
them Secretary Wilson, were at first
inclined to minimize the Importance
of the Cheatham charges. They ex-
planned the system that was used IN
the preparation and publication of the
cotton reports, and contended that 1t
was impossible for any official to
commit irregularities. The system
was designed to prevent irregularities
of any kind, they said, and as no one
in advance of the executive meetings.
when the figures were totaled, knew
what the results would be. secretary
~, L.