The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-05-11
CROP FIGURING
IS GUESS WORK
According to Opinions Expressed by
Prominent Cotton Man.
DEN0UNCE PRESENT PLAN
Summary Of Proceedings Of the Inter-
national Convention Held in
Washington.

After denouncing the government
crop reports and more particularly
the reports of the department of agri-
culture and passing a. resolution
strongly advocating that the 'statisti-
cal year should run from August /
to August instead of from Septem-
Der to September l, the international
cotton conference adjourned at Wash
ington Wednesday to reassen6bIe next
year should it be deemed advisable
by the various organizations to do
so. 1t was found that the delegates
were not clothed with sufficient au-
thority to effect a permanent organiza-
ton.
When the subject of governmental
crop reports came up, President Mac
Coll spoke in commentator of the
census bureau work, but felt that
some radical changes in the methods
Of the agricultural department should
be made. Numerous delegates strong
ly condemned them. D. A. Tompkins
of North Carolina characterized them
as "a complicated system of guess
ing" while another southern grower
denounced them as "a speculative
football"
Various remedies were suggested,
but as no delegates seemed able to
agree on a satisfactory plan the
whole subject was laid on the table.
President MacCoI expressed the
hope that henceforth there will be
closer bond of union between the
north and south and between Amer
lea and Europe in all that pertains to
cotton growing and manufacturing.
Another topic Of discussion was the
marketing Of the product, which en-
braced the questions of warehousing,
stability Of price and relations be-
tween growers and manufacturers.
A. E. Calvin, president of the Farm
ers' Educational and COOPERATIVE
Union, declared that it long had been
the dream of the cotton grower to
abolish all intermediate agents who
levy toll unnecessarily on the prod
uct on it's. journey from the field to
the factory. The grower, he said, is
the constant and persistent foe OF all
forms and methods Of cotton gamb-
ling.
He declared that the south was so
completely able to supply the world
with cotton that, with a proper under
standing with the manufacturers,
there would be no necessity for con-
Quoting experiments in Africa and
elsewhere. Direct relations between
the growers and manufacturers was
strongly urged
In the discussion which followed
the proposition was laid down by the
spinners and manufacturers that II
the farmers and business interests OF
the south will build warehouses, store
cotton, finance it and put the product
in charge of expert cotton men to
handle it and practically be the me-
dunn of doing the selling, they will
do business on that basis.
/ The report of the committee on bal
ing, ginning and handling Of Amer
lean cotton was received and adopted
unanimously The report recommend
ed the following:
81. That all bales be made Of stan
dard dimensions.
go. That light weight new burlaps
be used for bagging, or If conditions
Justify, that cotton canvas be used.
"3. That 10 ties be used on all bales
with the Egyptian style of buckles
preferred.
a. That all cotton should be
bought AMI sold net weight.
"5. That a committee be appoint
ed whose duty it shall be to have cot
ton baled as above and to submit the
same for practical test 70 consumr
ers."