Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-06-07
COTTON REPORT
DECLARED CROOKED
Great Wrong Done to Planters
Of the South.
AN INVESTIGATION is DEMANDED


manding an Investigation by Con.
sress, that Report Was Cooked" to
Show Big Acreage.
Washington, D. c., June 6.--The es-
innate of cotton acreage by the de-
partment Of agriculture has resulted
in a demand that the reports on which
this estimate was based be sent to
congress.
Representative Ellesbee, of South
Carolina; President Harvie Jordan, of
the Southern Cotton association, and
others, will call upon President Roose-
welt Wednesday and urge that he take
a hand in an investigation into the
methods resorted to by the depart
ment.
1t is claimed by Representative Ell
lerbee that the figures given out by
the department are not warranted by
the reports sent to the department.
He asserts that there is nothing in
these reports to warrant the estimate
of increased acreage.
Late Tuesday afternoon he introduc-
ed in the house the following resolu-
ton:
Whereas, the department of agricul
ture on June 4, 1906, made an esti-
mate of the area of land planted in
cotton during the current year; and,
Whereas, it is believed that this
estimated acreage is far in excess of
the area actually planted in cotton,
and is not warranted from the returns
received by the department of agricul
ture from its correspondents.
Resolved, That the secretary of
agriculture be, and is hereby direct
ed to furnish to this house at once the
tabulated sheet showing the estimate
of acreage made by the seven classes
of correspondents, viz; the field
agents, the state agents, the CORE
spondents, the ginners, the special cor
respondents, and the individual farm
ers."
Mr.. Ellerbee asserts that he knows
of his own knowledge, having gotten
1t from a person who saw the reports
received by the department, that there
is nothing in them to warrant an es-
innate of an increased acreage
In speaking of his resolution and
what called it forth, Mr.. Ellerbee said:
81 introduced the resolution because
l have direct and positive information
that the returns received by the de-
partment of agriculture have been ma
south
The department has seven sources
of information from which this esti.
mate is made. 1t has about $4,000
correspondents in the cotton belt, and
it is fair to say that information from
such various sources will, on the aver
age, be more reliable than that from
three or four field agents who may
be influenced by personal considera-
ton, as others have been in the past.
Il charge and can prove that TAX
Ing the most numerous class-about
5000 individuals scattered all over
the belt-their returns show a de-
crease in acreage from last year.
Il further charge that, taking all
sources Of information except the
three travelling agents, the increase
would be immaterial.
Il charge that the department is
unable to show any returns from it's
correspondents justify1ng the absurd
increase which they report in Okla
homa and Indian Territory, and ven
ture the assertion that the increase
reported there is double what the
figures will warrant.
Judging by my own state and the
state Of North Carolina, am sure that
the estimate of the department is In
correct
Il believe in President Roosevelt's
courage and honesty. If he wants
to give the south a square deal, let
him send for these figures and look
at them for himself, and when the
committee Of agriculture Is presented
with the facts they will feel SO out
ragged at this prostitution Of justice
and this evident manipulation Of fig.
ures that there will be no hesitation
in unanimously passing this resof1.
ton. When the truth is known the
world will be staggered at department.
al audacity.
ut was impossible for the south to
increase its acreage materially on ac
count of the scarcity of labor, and be
fore the 1st of next October the world
will realize what a mistake has been
made"