The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-01-15
SCORED
SECRETARY
WILSON

Washington, Jan. 15.-If the report OF
the Keep commission on its inquiry into
the operations OF the crop-reporting Sec
ton of the department OF agriculture is
submitted to President Roosevelt in the
form i'm which il was first prepared, a
controversy might be sprung that will
give the administration a great deal OF
trouble.
IL was asserted yesterday OF excellent
authority that the commission, or a ma
jority Of the members OF that body, had
come to conclusions that amounted to u
severe arraignment of Secretary Wilson's
conduct OF tho statistical work Of the de-
partment
1t is understood that the report is being
revised. and that ii may be mlder doc
ument than Chairman Keep has expected
to put into the hands of the president.
Some people here say that the admins
tration would not be at all disappointed "
Secretary Wilson retired from the cabinet
and that the report of the Keep commits
sion may bring about such result
Doubt is expressed i'm well-informed cir
cles. however, that the president desires
TO part with Secretary Wilson. who IS
popular with the farmers, and who has
strong support OF Senator Allison.
The Keep commission was directed by
the president TO make thorough investi-
cation Of the crop-reporting section. divi-
sion OF statistics in the department.,
charges Of incompetency against the per-
sonnel ond OF defects i'm the system hav-
Ing been made.
The cotton conspiracy scandals discredi-
ted the department reports 10 great ex-
tent and It was finally decided to have
the Keep commission look into the mat
ter
IN INTEREST OF FARMERS
The commission was engaged in the in
I uuiry several weeks The actual work OF
| research. IL Is understood was completed
Just before the Christmas holidays and
| since then the commission has been busy
preparing it's report for submission to the
president.
The majority opinion OF the commission
| Is said 10 he that unless the system OF
| collecting and handling crop reports can
! be improved the government should con-
( fine Itself 10 making reports on the pro-
| duction OF cotton. discontinuing those on
the cereals. hay. livestock and other pro-
ducts OF the farm
The commission Is understood to have
discovered that with the exception OF cot
ton. the crop estimates have invariably
been Inaccurate. and that MS a general
rule thCN nave brfu n'NNcu Aiom lV 10 -
per cent. below actual cor-ltions. In the
interest OF one class the farmers.
No information can be obtained as 90
just when the report vii 80 90 the pres
dont
10 is held by those who are opposed %
government crop reporting that with the
exception Of cotton and possibly wheat.
accurate estimates OF farm products are
impossible
Those who believe that tho government
should continue Co make crops reports
contend that the system has come 10 bc
n necessity. that N crop reporting Is aboi-
ishcd BY the government 10 will b. taken
up by private enterprise or the differcut
Industries or trades. and that under sucn
circumstances manipulation would follow
that would undoubtedly be to the disad-
vantage OF the farmer.
All OF these statements have been
threshed out before the Keep commission.
The commission will meet some time this
week and an effort will be made TO reach
an agreement