Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-08-15
FARMERS MAX HEAR
/. EXPERTS SECRETS
REGARDING COTTON
Senator Smith, of South Caro-
lima, Father of Resolution to
Reveal Methods of Ascer-
tanning Crop--Vote Monday


WASHINGTON. d. c.. Aug. IT,
Senator Smith, of South Carolina. to-
day introduced a resolution of vast
Importance to the cotton Industry or
southern states
He proposes to require the score
tary OF agriculture to make public
the methods by which crop conditions
are ascertained and how the experts
arrive at the probable yield OF fieecy
staple for given year. He also pro-
poses that the names and postoffice
addresses of all the experts who fur
nish this information be published.
He plans further to have the depart
the number Of acres that have been
planted in cotton.
The resolution might have passed
the senate today except for Senator
Burton, OF Ohio, who could see no reaA
son for disclosing the identity of men
who furnished the Information on
which the crop reports and estimates
are based. At his suggestion. the res
olution went ovdF until Monday. when
Senator Smith will demand it's con-
sideration. He hopes that IL viii
pass.
FARMERS SHOULD KNOW.
Replying to Senator Burton's ques-
ton as to why the identity of crop
reports should be disclosed, Senator
Smith declared that the people OF the
south have a right to know the men
who give to the world the business
secrets of the cotton farmers.
These unknown men in the employ
of the department OF agriculture gath
er and give out information that ma
terially effects the financial welfare or
the SOUTH said Senator Smith. Il
think we are entitled to know who
they are. and the passage OF my reso-
luton win disclose their identity"
Senator Smith is considering the in
PRODUCTION of still another resolution
with references to cotton, and may pre-
sent it next week. He proposes to re-
quire the publication Of the number
OF bales of cotton in warehouses and
mills, along with the ginners report
of the department. He believes this
would furnish the people generally,
more especially the cotton farmers
and cotton buyers, with genuine In
dex as to the situation.
The ginners' reports are deceiving,
he believes. because they shed no light
upon the amount OF cotton held by
the mills and warehouses, yet they
are supposed to indicate the actual
featuring purposes.
Speaking OF the cotton situation to-
night, Senator Smith. who has made a
life study of the industry in the South,
said he hoped the farmers of the south
would not sell any of this years crop
until they get satisfactory price.
'"The world must have our cotton, and
the world will pay a fair price unless
we flood the market said he. Say
to the farmers of the south through the
Atlanta Journal that they should hold
their cotton for fair price. They will
get It in time. even though the crop
turns out as large as we have been told
ii will be.
THE information I seek by the resolu-
ton introduced today will mean much
to the cotton growers of the south. we
will learn for the first time just how
the department of agriculture arrives at
its estimates as to the probable crop
every year, and we win learn the names
of the men upon whom they base these
estimates"