The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-02
A REFORM Of THE
/. SYSTEM IS URGED
Jordan and Cheatham to
the Association.
HARK BACK TO SCENT
Effort Made TO Divert Attention from
Faults of Bureau to Thieving Pro.
pensities of a Few Men. De-
mands to be Made on
COnQresS.
Congress.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press
Washington, August President
Jordan and Secretary Cheatham of
the Southern Cotton Association, to-
day issued a statement addressed TO
the members of the association, call
ing attention to the recent disclosures
i'm the cotton statistical work in the
Department OF Agriculture, declaring
that efforts are being made 10 divert
attention from he deficiencies" of the
system itself ito the thieving propen-
sites of a few unworthy officials" and
setting forth demands to be made on
Congress to reform conditions:
The statement follows:
ITO the members of the Southern Cot
ton Association:
THE members of the association
have been apprised through the public
press from day TO day of the work
done by the officers of the association
at Washington. AS a result of their
charges the unreliability OF the re-
ports of the Department of Agricul-
ture relating 10 the cotton crop. has
been fully disclosed, and the mal-ad-
ministration OF that department under
its present head had been made evil
dent
Following the exposures. efforts
are now being made to divert public
attention from the main issue, which
is. the imperfections of the depart
ment. toward an attempted prosecu-
ton of anybody who can be found as
4 scapegoat. Their punishment. even
if il is accomplished is OF secondary
importance as compared with the re-
formation OF the system which has
made their performances possible and
the purpose Of this address is to Sc
cure the cooperation of the members
of this association i'm influencing in
every legitimate way a reformation of
the system, and reorganization OF
the department.
The Value of the staple.
'"rhe membership Of this associa-
lion, numbering nearly one million.
includes the roducers OF the most
valuable product OF American agri-
culture The cotton crou OF the
United States. and its by-products is
worth between 5000. GOO. 900 and $780,
000.S40 annually. | furnishes two
thirds of our annual trade balance,
and i'm its production and manufacture
employs many million individuals. No
other product of the United States is
Of greater or Of equal importance.
Practical monopoly OF cotton which
America enjoys. and the narrow bal
ance which has existed for years be-
tween suficiency and scarcity i'm the
worlds cotton supply. render the cot
ton market peculiarly and acutely
susceptible to the reports of the De-
partment OF Agriculture regarding the
condition and prospects of the cotton
crop. Under the present circum-
stances a great duty devolves upon
the members of the association. We
are less concerned with what has been
done by few individuals and the
consequences thereof regrettable as
that may be, than with such reforma-
tiOn of departmental methods as shall
secure for us just and accurate re-
ports in future. Under the system
at present in vogue. and which prom
ises TO be undisturbed unless public
attention shall be aroused To the need
Of reform. the reports issued by the
Department of Agriculture are. I'm
their last analysis simply the indivd-
ual opinion of a few officials of ex-
perience and honor by which the value
OF the cotton crop may be. and has
been, affected as much as S75. 600. 900
in a single day.
No such power should be delegat-
ed To any individual. or statistical
board. except under conditions which
guaratee the most incorruptible. ex-
pert and intellectual opinion. arrived
at by the applica ton of the most
scientific methods and Safe-guarded
by most scientific precautions. 1t IS
therefore, urged on and recommended
to the members of the SOuthTen Cot
ton Association that through their
representatives in Congress and by ev-
cry other means available to them.
they exert their influence and that
of the association towards securing
the immediate reorganization Of the
agrIccultuEaI department, especially
with reference to its reports on the
cotton crop. and that their repre-
sentatives in Congress be requested
specifically TO demand:
list. The esta ablishment in the De-
partment OF Agriculture of bureau,
10 be known as the Cotton Bureau.
charged specially and solely with the
duty OF reporting upon the cotton crop
and all matters concerning that sta
pie
-. The appointment as the head
Of the bureau, at an adequate salary,
of a man whose reputation and ante
cedents shall be beyond reproach. and
whose familiarity with cotton cultiva-
ton shall be an additional guarantee
of his fitness.
"3 An organization OF the bureau so
established upon thoroughly scientific
lines as viii insure no possible bias
i'm favor Of either buyer or seller. or
producer o. manufacturer.
a. The passage of a law that viii
be more specific in its scope. and un-
der which government employees can
be prosecuted for giving away or sell