The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-09
Has Seen Work Going on for
 Months
WRONG FIGURES GIVEN OUT
Asks for Further Investigation By the Department, Which Will Show That Incorrect Figures
 Were Published.

vance information of the cotton crop, made a public statement after the publica- tion of Secretary Wilson's report today, in which he declared that he had nothing whatever to do with plans to manipulate the government cotton report. He ampli- fled Secretary Wilson's report and called upon the secretary to make public MT. Van Riper's entire statement to him. MT. Van Riper's statement is as follows:
 Tt came to my knowledge early in the year. without solicitation on my part, that plans were being laid to influence or manipulate the figures of the government reports on cotton during the three months beginning with June It was planned by certain interests, including parties in re- sponsible positions in the bureau of sta tistics, to use information, to have MT. Hyde sent to Europe so that MT. Holmes would be the acting head of the bureau of statistics. In this position he would have a free hand to furnish such reports as wanted.
 Kept Track of Plans.
 'I was also cognizant of the fact that said Holmes had previously furnished ad- | time to time, but when their plans for | changing or manipulating the cotton re- port figures were exposed to me, I immed- lately consulted my attorney regarding l the matter, and upon his advance advice 1 listened to their stories and kept track of their plans, in some cases having wit nesses unknown to them, until the June l report on acreage and condition on cot | ton came out
 l Tt was planned, as early as March, to use every effort they could to secure fig | ures, that would be as bearish as possible, so as to break the price of cotton to the low point, waere certain interests l could make large profits on the short side and then load up and make an en- ormous coup on the long side. It was un- | derstood that in some cases, government | agents reports would be influenced in that direction, or even fictitious reports | used.
 Arranged to Change Figures.
 "On June 1 l was informed that it was impossible to get the condition higher than 75 per cent, and the acreage reduc- tion 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 cer-
 
 tween was going back to Washington that night to try and have the figures stretch | ed n little further, and to my Knowledge | said go-between took the 1915 train on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad for Washington on the night of June 1, or rather the morning train of June ?.
 'On the morning or June 3, said go- between reported that he had succeeded in arranging to have the condition fig ures given at T or higher. and the acre. age reduction about 11Ia per cent which l would be construed as bearsh and en- able them to break the market I re- ceived this advice before 9 o'clock on June g. and the public knows what the | figures were when announced at noon.
 "The notoriety attached to this matter is far from agreeable to me and I was I personally assured by Secretary Wilson that in bringing this matter to his at- tenton I had done the government a great service and that my name would not be mentioned in any way. NOW that he has seen fit to publish or cause to give out for publication certain letters or documents that were entrusted to him confidentially, I think it only fair to ask him to give for publication my entire statement, made to him of which the above is part, but which has been omit ted in newspaper accounts that have been called to my attention.
 Asks for Further Investigation. From what I know of their various conversations, and the plans that were laid months in advance, I believe that a thorough investigation of the bureau of statistics would show that the real acre. age reduction was from IS to 25 per cent, and not Il, as announced on June B. | would suggest or ask, that further statement be made or asked for from the agricultural department as to what they found by Investigating the records of said bureau.
 "As long as part of the matter has been ] made public why not the whole?
 My attorneys and others will back me up in the statement that I had nothing to do with the plans made by these par ties to manipulate the government figures, but merely on legal advice, and in the hope of doing a great public service, fol- lowed the plan as outlined, advised by my attorney, and at the proper time took such measures as I deemed right and just to the cotton trade and to the agricultural department"