The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-01-11
SUMTER. S. G.. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY H. 1905.
COTTON REPORTS CRITICISED.
CONGRESSMAN LIvINGsTON's AT
TACK ON STATISTICS.

Department OF Agriculture Not
Charged With Corruption, But
the System OF Estimates Ar
raigned.
Washington, Jan. 6.-The govern
ment's cotton statistics as prepared by
the agricultural department and CEN
sus bureau formed the subject Of an
extended discussion in the house to-
day, in the course of which Represen-
tative Livingston Of Georgia attacked
the reliability Of the government es-
Inmates and charged that the inaccu-
racy of the figures had created a pan
ic in the cotton market. The question
came up on a motion by Mr.. Wads-
worth, chairman Of the committee on
agriculture to lay on the table
the resolution presented by Mr.. Liv-
ingSton several weeks ago, calling on
the secretary Of agriculture for infor-
nation regarding the method of col
lecting cotton statistics. The motion
to lay on the table prevailed, after
Messrs Burleson (Texas), Wadsworth
/ On Y.), Lowering (Mass.), and Sims
(Tenn.), had vigorously defended the
governments estimates.
In criticising the action Of the COM
mittee in ordering the resolution to lie
on the table, Mr.. Livingstone said that
there was nothing in his resolution
which charged dishonesty or falsehool
on the part Of the agricultural depart
ment, but he did insist that there was
dissatisfaction in the south over the
departments report. The press Of the
south, he declared, not only was dis
satisfied, with the cotton estimates Of
the agricultural department, but was
determined, if the estimates were
! made on accurate information and
could not be given much nearer than
two months apart, to demand the abol-
ition Of the statistical division Of the
department.
| Another cause for dissatisfaction,
he said, was that the department esti-
mated the acreage of cotton last year
more than a million acres too much
and corrected the estimate in octiber.
"The department" he said, that could
Isnake a mistake Of one million acres
in the production of cotton in the
| south in one season seems to me ought
to give the country the information
upon which such information was
based" The inaccuracy of the census
and agricultural figures, he declared,
had produced a panic at most unex-
pected time What the cotton produc-
ers wanted. he said. was first. accura-
cy next frequency, and then ability.
Had the agricultural department made
its report in November, he said, in
stead Of waiting from October to De-
cember Sd, the producer and spinner
would have been better prepared for
it's reception.
| That dissatisfaction, he asserted,
had only been intesiied by the gin
ming report Of the census bureau COM
pared with the report of the agricul-
tural department. # the agricultural
department was right the gin report
was million and a half bales too
| much If the census report was right
| it was million and half bales too
low. He referred to a question put to
him by Secretary Wilson, "Are you
net an enemy of the agricultural de-
| part1nent?" and said with emphasis,
] that instead Of being its enemy he
had assisted its creation. Mr.. Living
stone said the way to defend the de-
| partment was to smother information
in an executive session Of the COM
naittee.
Mr.. Wadsworth vigorously asserted
that the object was solely to keep con-
fdential information which if it had
gotten out would have affected the
market.
Mr.. Livingstone, after further crit
icising the accuracy Of the government
cotton reports, declared that it was
the duty of the house to suggest re-
| vision of the sources Of information as
| we'll as to adopt his resolution.
Mr.. Wadsworth said the committee
based it's report on the methods en-
| ployed by the department in the gath
ering of statistics and upon the results
obtained. He defended Secretary
| Wilson and said the secretary did
not attempt to conceal anything.