The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-02-03
MEANS SQUARE DEAL
FOR THE FARMER AND SHOULD
BEsPASSED.
A Measure That Will Enable Farm
ers to Tell in Advance Probable
Demand for Cotton.

Demand for Cotton.
A special from Washington to The
| News and Courier says the prospect
| Of favorable consideration Of Con-
| gresham Levers joint resolution,
authorizing the director of the cen
sus to publish additional statistics
as to the amount Of baled cotton on
hand on September /, November /,
December l, January l, and March
/. Is very bright. The resolution
is of great importance to the entire
cotton trade, but especially to the
cotton grower In that 1t gives tho
latter full Information "a to the prob
able demand during tho course OF
the season for his product, and there
by enables him to put his cotton on
the market in a more Intelligent
manner.
The census committee, to which
this resolution was referred, gave
Mr.. Lever a hearing yesterday, at
which time the director Of the cen
sus, Mr.. North, and Mr.. Roper, who
Is in charge Of the Issuing OF the
ginners' report, appeared with Mr..
Lever in support Of his resolution.
1t is the opinion that these gentle
men made a most favorable impress
sion upon the committee, and that
the committee in a short time will
report the resolution favorable to
the House. In support Of this res
olution, Mr.. Lever said among other
things:
1.-THE committee is aware, OF
course, that the census bureau Is
collecting statistics from time to time
showing the amount Of cotton pro-
duced, the amount of cotton grown,
and at the same time the statistical
bureau Of the department of asri-
culture issues a general report on
the first Of December, estimating
The amount of cotton that has beer
raised during that year, so that the
government Is furnishing to the cot
ton world at this time figures as to
the amount of cotton produced, but
ia giving only partial statistics as to
the amount Of cotton needed from
time to time by the manufacturing
world.
The cotton farmers throughout
The South, in my observation, com
plain about this system. They are
willing to have the amount Of cot
ton ginned from time to time, pub
lished as is now being done by the
census bureau, they are willing te
have the government estimate on
the amount of cotton that has been
produced during the year, but they
contend, and I think with justice
hat if you are to furnish to the man
ufacturer, the buyer and consuming
world, the amount OF cotton pro-
duced, it is no more than right, no
more than just, that you should al
the same time, furnish to them, the
selling world, the producing world
the necessities Of the buying world
az is indicated by tho stock on hand
in the various warehouses n the
like, and this resolution undertakes
% furnish a complete statistical pic
ture, both as to the amount pro-
iuced and the amount needed to
meet the demand of the mills.
We can illustrate this in a homely
way perhaps by putting two parties
opposite to each other on either side
Of a table in a game of seven up
The cards are dealt and each Is care
full that he c~opceals his hand"
The government steps in and says to
one, in this case the cotton producer,
the cotton farmer, LAY your hand on
the table face up" The manufacture
er sees his hand and plays his cards
accordingly, and, Of course, the
farmer gets the worst Of the game.
This resolution intends to lay both
hands on the table face up, 30 that
each player will have a square deal.
The cotton farmer Is entitled TO this
consideration.
This eliminates to some extent the
feature of speculation, and gambling
in cotton, in my judgment, and gives
both parties, the buyer and seller,
a square, fair deal at the hands Of
the government, SO far as statistics
for cotton 60, and that is the only
purpose of the resolution. will
say in this connection before l close,
that for the first time in the history
Of the government we have reached
l point where congress can legislate
along these lines. Hitherto we have
not been able to get these statistics
Of cotton on hand in the various
counties, and the warehouses of the
world so as to present a complete
picture, but through the good work
Of the census bureau during the past
year, an arrangement, l understand,
has been made with the foreign con-
sumers OF cotton by which they will
furnish to the census bureau their
holdings from time to time as re-
quested by the bureau, so that now
we are in a position through this
resolution to collect the figures from
the United States, and at the same
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