The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-06
COTTON REPORT ATTACKED.
THE RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY
DEBATED IN THE HOUSE.
MIR. Livingston OF Georgia Charges the
Agricultural Department With False
hood and 7naccurscy--lts Methods
Defended by MIR. Burleson or Texas.

hood and 7nacourscy--lts Methods
Defended by MIR. Burleson OF Texas
WASHINGTON. Jan Sin the House to-
day Mr.. Wadsworth (Rep.. y. ". Chairman
of the Committee on Agriculture. reported
with a recommendation that 1t lie on the
table, the resolution offered by Mr. Lv-
ingston Dem. Gao regarding cotton re-
ports "a follows.
whereas. there ia great dissatisfaction
and want OF confidence in tho Teports on
cotton acreage and production by the De-
partment Of Agriculture especially in the
last report made on Dec. g. 1904, therefore.
be II
Rssoirsd That the Secretary OF Agricult-
ure Is hereby requested to forward to the
House OF Representatives all data, in de-
tail. upon which SAID last report was made
and published. said report 10 cover all
sources and Kinds of Information upon which
said report was based.
Opposing the report, Mr.. Livingston said
that when the resolution Was introduced
be had not charged and had not intended 10
charge falsehood against the officers OF the
Department of Agriculture, nor that its esti-
mate Of IL 800 900 bales Of cotton for the last
year was inaccurate. But be now pro-
posed 10 charge both these things against
the Department
In support Of the charges Mr.. Living ston
quoted from papers published in the terri
tory from Virginia 10 Texas and from the
action Of commercial bodies and Of con-
ventions OF representatives Of the cotton
interests Tn. crop estimate Of the De-
partment as compared with those Of various
exchan gra, he said was about 900 900
bales in excess Of the actual product, and
last year the Departments estimate of area
cultivated was in excess OF the total by
nearly 600 900 acree.
Mr. Livin gston said the South wanted 20
know who made reports to the Department
and what they reported. II the Bureau OF
Statistics was not competent 70 secure
accurate information upon which 10 base its
estimates the people Of the South believed
that IL should be abolished He believed
that confidence in the work Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture could only be secured
by publicity of its methods.
Mr.. Burleson Dem. Tex said the dis
satisfaction alleged 10 exist by Mr.. Liv
inEston was felt by spectators who found
Themselves on the long side Of the cotton
market No producer Of cotton. satisfied
10 receive the legitimate value Of his crop,
as fixed by the law Of supply and demand,
and who sold his crop IA It was gathered. he
asserted, could now be found 10 complain.
He said the work of the Census Bureau
and the Department Of Agriculture was
Of inestimable benefit 10 the cotton pro-
Queer. The Departments machinery for
gathering statistics, he assured the House,
was as nearly perfect as It was possible for
human product 10 he.
Mr. Lowering (Rep., MaSe), n cotton
spinner and ginner, gave II as his opinion
that the cotton crop. estimated by the De-
partment Of Agriculture at over u ZOO 600
bales. would prove to be nearer IL OO0. 600
bales. the largest the world had ever known,
and that the price would probably 60 lower
than the world had ever known. The
present trouble he said was due 10 the
speculative orgy of last year and yet.
taking the two crops together. the cotton
producer had made so per cent per annum.
What other business paid so well?
Mr. Lowering, in conclusion, exhibited a
card Of samples OF imitation silk made en-
tirely Of cotton.
1T costs e5 cents a pound and IS per cent.
ad valorem 10 import the goods. he said
ITO manufacture them in this country costs
81. 5oa pound because s4a pound Ia paid 10
the Government in the form Of tax on the
alcohol used in making IT, II the tax on
alcohol used in manufacture or the arts were
repealed there would be opened up great
field for the use Of cotton
After further discussion by Meesrs Sims
Dem. Tenn, Bartlett and Livin gston
Deems. Ga. } and Scott (Rep.. KanD, the reso-
luton was laid upon the table-s0 70 II.