The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-07-19
rHE COTTON REPORT LEAh.
From New York Sun.

partment of Agriculture refused
! to believe that there was any
truth in the charges against the
Bureau of Statistics when they
we're first called to his attention.
The system of handling the cot
ton report made manipulation OF
the obtaining of advance infore
nation impossible, it was said,
and the Southern Cotton Grow
ers' Association, which formu-
lated the accusations, was looked
upon as an association bent on
airing an unfounded grievance.
But it turns out that the associa-
tion was right, and the Depart
ment Of Agriculture was shelter
ing an ugly scandal.
Mr.. Wilson unquestionably
feels that he was justified in
placing implicit confidence in
Mr.. Hyde, the chief statistlclan,
and Holmes, the speculative sub
ordinate, was trusted completely:
in spite of the fact that his man
ner of life was extravagantly out
of proportion to his salary. Mr..
Wilson, in fact, can do little else
than trust his subordinates i'm
plicitly. His Department IN
cludes many bureaus that no
|layman could manage or under
Istand. A good man placed at
the head Of one of them will not
stay long if he is treated ike a
scoundrel, and scoundrel, even
though watched closely, will
find opportunity to use his posi-,
ton for his own ends.
I Many persons regard the crop
reporting activities Of the Gov,
ernment as scarcely necessary OF
Legitimate. Were it to retire
from the field, private agencies
!, would take up the work and per
form it satisfactorily. The Gov
ernment entered upon it in re-
sponse to the cry E'Do something
for the farmer" It is safe tc
say the spectators have been
benefited more than the farmers
by the Government reports.
; Wheat would still be wheat and
cotton cotton if there were nc
Bureau of Statistics in Washing
ton, and the farmer is not such a
) fool as some politicians describe
him.
The discovery of this serious
breach of confidence what was
supposed to be a particularly
honest and trustworthy bureau
it may be added, is not exactly a
!, strong argument in favor of IN,
creasing the commercial activl.
ties INDUCED in by the Govern
ment.
GOVERNMENT CROP REPORTS.
From n y. Evening Mail.)
Secretary Wilson made the
same mistake with regard to the
, statistical branch of the Depart
, ment of Agriculture that was
made not so very long ago in the
Postotfice Department. An hon
5 orable man himself, and ignorant
t that any one was doing wrong
in the department, he declared
that everything was open ano
above board, and stoutly main
, tanned that any dishonest leak
! ing of crop statistics, in cotton
: or anything else, was out Of the
: question. 1t looked that way tt
him. But all the time one EN-
ployee, or more, was peddlins
out 20 parties in this city ad
/, vance information concerning
the cotton reports. and getting
= rich out of the business.
The first thing to be done il
/. the case is to find out who tool
and gave the bribes that opened
this leak and kept it open, an(
' punish them ftly. The prison
I bars should close behind all O.
these guilty men, bribers anc
bribed, whoever they are. A
this moment no one knows JUS
how many such there are. The
:'statistician" Holmes, who ha:
been kicked out. did not swing
this corruption all alone. 1t doe:
not appear, however, that j
went any higher in the depart