Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-02
A BITTER FIGHT
To Be Waged by the
Southern Cotton Men
On Sec. Wilson and the De-
partment Of Agriculture.
Appeal for Cotton Bureau and Righting Of
Wrongs Is Sent Out.


Jordan and Secretary Cleatham Of the
Southern Cotton Association, today, is
sued the following statement:
ITO the members OF the Southern
Cotton Association:
The members of the association
have been appraised through thee pub
lie press from day to day of tho work
done by the officers Of the association
| at Washington. AS Il result of their
charges. the unreliable of the re-
ports of the department Of agriculture
| relating to the cotton crop has been
| fully disclosed and maladnistration OF
that department under its present head
has been made evident.
| Following these exposures efforts
| ore now being made to divert public
| attention from the main issue, which
| Is the impcrfectionS of the department,
toward an attempted prosecution of
anybody who can be found as a scape-
goat. Their punishment, even if it is
| accomplished, is of secondary I'M
portance as compared with the reform
alton of the system which has made
| their performances possible, and the
purpose Of this address j.; TO secure the
| cooperation Of the members of this
| association IN influencing in every
| legitimate way a reformation of the
system and a reorganization of the
department.
THE membership OF this association,
numbering nearly 100000, includes
the producers of the most valuable
product of American agriculture. The
cotton crop Of the United States and
nv iS hcfu
100000 and 500 100000 annually. 1t
furnishes two-Ihirds Of our annual
trade balance and i'll its production and
manufacture employs many million in
divtduals No other product of the
| United States is of greater or of equal
importance. The practical monopoly
of cotton which America enjoys and
the narrow balance which has existed
for years between sufficiency and
scarcity in the worlds cotton supply
render the cotton market peculiarly
and acutely susceptible to the reports
of the department of agriculture re-
gardilg the conditions and prospects of
the cotton crop.
Under the present circumstances. a
great duty devolveS upon the members
Of the association. We are less con-
:. IL
few individuals and the consequences
| thereof. regrettablc as they may be,
than with such reformation of depart
mental methods as shall secure for us
just and accurate reports i'll future.
Under the system at present in vogue
and which promises to be undisturbed
unless public attention shall be arous-
ed to the need of reform. the reports
1
are in their last analysis, simply the
individual opinion of a few officials of
doubtful experience and honor by
which the value Of the cotton crop may
be, and has been affected as much as
$15.000,0G0 In a single day.
"No such power should be delegated
to any individual or statistical board,
except under conditions which guaran-
tee the most incorruptible. expert and
intelligent opinion. arrived at by the
application Of the most scientific
methods aud safe guarded by the most
scientific precautions. 1t is therefore
urgently recommended to the members
of the Southern Cotton Association
that through their representatives in
Congress and by every other means
available to them, they exert their in
| iIu'itt ana IildL OF inc ASSOCIATION To-
ward securing tie Immediate re-organ-
ization Of the agricultural department
especially with reference to it's reports
en- the cotton crop and that their rep
resentatives in Congress be requested
specifically to demand.
| II The establishment within the de
partm"nt of agriculture of a bureau to
be known as Cotton Bureau charged
specially and solely with the duty Of
reporting upon the cotton crop and all
matters concerning that staple.
2 The appointment as the mead Of
that bureau, at an adequate salary of a
| man whose reputation and interests
shall be beyond reproach and whose
| familiarity with cotton cultivation shall
be an additional guarantee of his fit
| ness.
| An organization Of the bureau so cs-
ItabltShed upon such thoroughly scientific
lines as will insure no possible bias in ia
vor of either buyer. or seller. or producer
or manufacturer, can be presupposcd or
asserted
| '4-The passage Of n law that will be
| more specific in it's scope and under which
government employees can be prosecuted
for giving AWAY or selling valuable infor-
| bureau.
We have no doubt of the zeal of the
officers of the department. but it seems to
be as misdrected in the crisis as it was
in the anteCedent process All the now
ers and Influence of the department, of the
lawyers and of every man of the govern
ment. seems to he devoted to the attempt
to dragnet a lot of irresponsible sreci-
11tors. That there have been for years
'leaks' In the department is as well known |
10 the trade as the existence Of the de-
partment itself. but these arc nsignif- |
cant as compared with the Fundamental |
n1isnanagement At this time, however. |
there IL manifest endeavOr to divert
attention from the radical errors and de-
ficicncics of the department itself to tho
thieving propenSitieS OF Il few unworthy
officials. Let us not he misled by any
such instructed energy. Let us reform
at the top and not on the side. 1rat us |
root out the offenders, cleanse the per
sonnet. change the methods and renovate
the department from root to branch Then |
the cause of cotton and good government
will alike be served in Rooseveltian fash
ion.