The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-11

nlpuiate the government cotton report
lie amplifed Secretary Wilson's re-
port, and called upon the secretary To
make public Mr.. vanRiper's entire
| statement to him.
Mr. NanRiper's statement is as fol-
lows:
1T came to my knowledge early in
III eyear. without solicitation on my
part, that plans were being laid to- in
Huence or manipulate the figures Of the
government reports on cotton during
the summer months. beginning with
June. 1t was planned by certain in
terests, including parties in responsible
POSITIONS in the bureau of statistics, to
use influence to have Mr.. Hyde sent to
Europe so that Mr.. Holmes would be
the acting head of the bureau of statis-
tics, and in this position would have a
free hand to furnish such reports as
wanted
L was also cogniZant of the fact
that said Holmes had previously fur
nished advance information to certain
brokers' from time to time, but when
plans for changing Or manipulating
the cotton report figures were exposed
to me, L Immediately consulted my at
torney regarding the matter, and upon
his advice, listened to their stories and
kept back Of their plans, in some cases
having witnesses unknown to them, un-
til the June report of acreage and con-
dltlon of cotton came out
1T was planned as early as March
to use every effort they could to secure
figures that would be as bearish as
possible, so as to break the price of
cotton to a low point where certain
interests could make large profits on
the short side, and then load up and
make an enormous scoop on the long
side. 1t was understood that, in some
cases, government agents reports
would be Influenced in that direction,
or even fictitious reports used.
ION June 1st l was Informed that
it was impossible to get the condition
higher than rs per cent, and the acre
age reduction to show a decrease Of
less than 13 per cent. in spite of all
they had tried to do. but that at the
request of a certain large market Op-
orator, the SO-between was going back
to Washington that night to try and
have the figures stretched a little fur
ther, and to my knowledge said gO-be-
tween took the 1915 train on the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad for Wash
ington on the night of June 1st, or
rather the morning Of June ODD.
con the morning of June 3rd said
go-between reported that he had sue
ceeded in arranging to have the cOndi-
ton figures given Il or higher, and the
acreage reduction about II 1-2. pre-
cent, which would be construed as
bearish and enable them to break the
market. 1 received this advice before
6 O'clock on June 3rd and the public
knows what the figures were when an
nOunced at noon.
1.-THE notoriety attached to this mat
|ter II ar asreesas4e ey~<and-l-
was personally assured by Secretary
Wilson that in bringing this matter to
his attention / had done the depart
ment great service and that my name
would not be mentioned in any way.
Now that he has seen fit to publish or
to give out for publication certain let
ters and documents that were entrust-
ed to him confidentially, l think it
only fair to ask him to give for pub
l1catiOn my entire statement made TO
him. of which the above is part, but
which has been omitted in newspaper
accounts that have been called to my
attention.
From what know of their various
conversations and the plans that were
laid months in advance, | believe that
q thorough investigation Of the bureau
of statistics would show that the real
acreage reduction was from Is to 70
per cent, and not II 1-2, as announced
on June 3rd l would suggest, or ask,
that a further statement be made or
asked for from the agricultural depart
n,ent us to what they found by inve5-
tigating the records of said bureau. AS
long as part Of the matter has been
made public, why not the whole?
My attorney and others will back
me up in the statement that l had
| nothing to do with the plans made b.
these parties to manipulate the govern
| ment figures, but merely on legal ad-
vice and in the hope of doing great
public service, followed the plan as
outlined and advised by my attorney,
| and at the proper time took such meas
Cres as l deemed right and just to the
| cotton trade and to the agricultural de-
partment''