The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-01-20
FOR COTTON FARMERS RELIEF
Representative Lever Explains His
Bia About Quarterly Statements
as 10 Bales Ginned.

Washington, Jan. 1S.-Representa-
tive Lever has introduced a Joint res
olution in the House designed. as he
says, to be Of great benefit to the
cotton farmer as we'll as the manu-
facturer Of cotton.
The resolution directs the census
bureau to collect and publish, in addi-
ton to the cotton reports now being
made, statistics Of baled cotton in the
United States and summarizing it as
November /, December /, January 1,
and March 1. Explaining the inten-
ton of his resolution, MrELever said,
the census bureau now gathers and
publishes during the selling period.
summary reports as to the amount OF
cotton ginned, and thereby furnishes
information as to the production of
cotton. This gives the manufacturing
and the buying world almost exact
knowledge as to the supply from
which the demand is met. 1t puts
them into full information as to the
amount of cotton which the farmer
has for sale or is likely to have dur
ing the selling period. My resolution
is intended to give the farmer the
same information with respect to the
needs Of the manufacturer for cotton
ton to the manufacturer with refer
ence to the production of cotton.
Aside from the influence of dealing
in futures upon the prices of cotton
the law of supply and demand regu-
lates the price. The system now in
vogue gives the buyer of cotton an
advantage for the reason that it gives
him information as to the supply,
while the seller of cotton and the
producer is put to the disadvantage
of not knowing the demand for cot
ton, and the necessities Of the manu-
facturer. This resolution is designed
to put the buyer and the seller upon
equal footing to the end that the law
Of supply and demand may more in
iiuence the price Of the product.
The census bureau now publishes
two reports, one on March /, and the
other on September 1, as to the stocks
on hand. The reports are available
alike to the buyer and seller, but they
are not full enough to protect and
give equal advantage to the seller
My resolution intends to put the cot
ton world in possession of full infor-
nation as to the supply and demand
during that period when the bulk Of
cotton goes out of the hands of the
farmer. My resolution is necessarily
confined to the amount of cotton on
hand in the United States, but dur
ing the past six months the census
bureau sent its representatives to
Europe with q view of perfecting an
arrangement whereby the amount of
cotton on hand in the various ware
houses and mills of Europe would be
furnished to the census bureau from
time to time upon it's request. 1t is
therefore. now possible for the first
time, if my resolution becomes a law,
30 funish complete statistics, both as
to the production of cotton and as to
the amount of baled cotton held as
stocks in the mills, ware house and
| the like. The cotton farmer has a
just complaint under the present sys-
tenn, that he has not been given an
equal advantage with the buyer Of
cotton, and it is fortunate, through
| the good work of the census bureau
| that we are now in q position to leg
islate along lines which will put both
| the producer and consumer upon the
same footing, as far as publishing of
| statistics go. / regard this resolution
| as of vital importance to the cotton
| business, and shall press it most Wig
| orously. Whatever tends to unhara-
per the action of natural laws must
| tend to bring about more natural
and ideal condition"