The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-07-18
THE VICTORY OF THE COTTON FARMERS.


The farmers have won great victory, and it is
- he hoped that they have learned lesson az
- the value of organization which will prove Of
moro value to them in the long run than are the
o,,rorarv financial profits of this victory itself
W. have only begun to fight. But already Other
1,s.rs have more respect for the cotton growers
and already the cotton farmer himself feels more
seIf-rcspect. because of what he and his fellows
have accomplished.
President Jordan shows his wisdom b. advising
farmers not to try to force artifcially high
rrice, for cotton. Twelve cents or over as he
;n+nrates is sure to demoralize trade curtai man
,,focturing. encourage foreign competition, and
bopeft nobody but the speculator. There are good
profits in cotton growing at ten cents a POUND
and if the pendulum is forced much beyond this
figure. it Will inevitably swing backward in cor
responding degree.
But the work of the Southern Cotton Associa-
tion in bringing about a reduction in acreage is
eclipscd Just now by its sensational achievements
in the National Department of Agriculture at
Washington. We might as well confess that when
Secretary Cheatham challenged the accuracy of
the acreage figures given out by the Department
June 1st we thought it a case of "fools rushing
in where angels fear to tread" We did not think
it possible that there could be any fraud in
branch of the work so carefully watched and we
expected to see Mr.. Cheatham eat his words But
he didn't. He went to Washington and also to
New York. He went, too, at good time. "When
thieves fall out, honest men get their Dues" has
long been said :; and the thieves had fallen out
when Cheatham reached Gotham. He improved
his opportunity, gathered "inside information"
and went before the incredulous Secretary Wilson
with the proofs of Holiness treachery and ras-
cality. And Wilson's Investigations confirmed the
proofs
The situation is just this: Edwin S. Holmes
has been for ten years or more Associate Stats
tlcian of the Department of Agriculture, John
Hyde being Chief. In 1903 Hyde was away eight
months, leaving Holmes completely in charge; and
since that time, too, all the reports have been
accessible to Holmes as to Hyde.
The report of the investigation shows that for
some time East, more than a year, Holmes has
been IN partnership with L. @. Van Riper, Theo-
dore Price and others of the New York Exchange,
one Haas acting as go-between. Holmes would
get information from one to three days in advance
and instruct the spectators to sell or buy the
case may be. 1t is alleged that he manipulated re-
ports to suit his fellow conspirators, making them
more 6earlSh than appeared to be warranted by the
ngures Holmes got part of his pay under the
gulse OF a transaction in mining stock, Van Ripper
paying him at one time $4,000 for stock that was
not supposed to have any value at all. Van Riper
says that the reports of Holmes were very
curate
an RIDer further testified that he met Haas
al a the Hotel Naldrof and was told by him that
Ile reFort for June, 1905. would be Is per cent
m On condition. and 1917 or 13 per cent on acre
aye aye which was as bearish as they could make it;
would have an interview, and wanted to see Van
I4TpeF alter he saw Price: that in about an hour
ai4S - as called on him and said that at the request
~ ~ Iflce ne was going to Washington to see if