The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-08-22
WANTS TRUTH
Senator Smith Declares Cotton Estimates
Are Erroneous.
HE ISSUES STATEMENT

Presents statement from Principal
Cotton Growing States, Refuting
Departments Claim as to Proba.
bilhy of Record Breaking Crop.
Previous Protest Unheeded.
Ser ator E. D. Smith, of South Car
olina, Friday spoke at length In the
Senate in behalf Of a resolution
which he introduced, requesting the
Secretary of Agriculture, II feasible,
to issue a preliminary report upon
the condition of the cotton crop, and
c make the same public at the first
possible moment.
Senator Smith contends that it Is
only fair to the Southern cotton far
mers that the department issue a
statement of the condition of the crop
now in order to atone in some degree
for the damage done the farmer by
the advance estimate on June 25. In
this connection, the Senator read
teIegrams from the agricultural de-
partment of the various States tend
ing to prove that the Federal depart
ment's advance guess was heavily eX-
cessive.
Senator Simmons, Of North Caro-
linz supported Senator Smith by
calling attention to the fact that the
federal departments pessim1stic
guesses as to the corn crop in the
cotton states where corn is subject
to very much the same influences as
the cotton crop.
Senator Burton, of Ohio, a corn
growing State, endeavored to break
the force of the Suoth Carolinian's
argument, but with no success, and
also did Senator Burnham, Of New
Hampshire, a leading cotton mill
State.
Senator Smith agreed to referring
his resolution to the Senate commit
tee on agriculture, If Senator Burn
ham. the chairman would promise tc
call the committee together at once
to consider it. The chairman promis'
ed, and the committee voted to sub
NIT the matter to the Secretary Of
Agriculture, asking him to report
before the meeting Of the Senate
Saturday, whether or not the request
made in Senator Smiths resolution
Is feasible.
Chairman Burnham and Senator
Smith went to see Secretary Wilson
and communicated to him the com
mittee's wish and the Secretary
promised to "talk with the boys Wnt
make up the departments figures
and let the Senate know. In the
event of an unfavorable answer from
the Secretary Of Agriculture, tn'
South Carolina Senator announces
his intention to push his resolution
with all his might.
Sen. Hepburn who was in the cnai
when Senator Smith was speaking
asked the latter If his resolution wal
offered as a substitute for the pre-
yious resolution, asking information
as to the methods employed by tn
department of agriculture in makinl
advance estimates. Senator Smltl
replied emphatically it was not ant
that he would press both resolution
separately.
Senator Smith said cotton droppe'
$40 a. bale on the strength OF tn
Governments report Of 3,0oo'coo
bale increase in this years crop.
"This estimate was made Jun
o." he declared, "before part Of tn
crop was out of the ground"
He said he protested to Secretar
}son and was Informed the Secre
tarv did not know the prelimlnar,
renort had been issued and that l
would not occur again. But on Aug
ust Q, Senator Smith, added, anothe
glowing preliminary report was IS
sued. =,
"I should hate to draw, in tn
Senate of the United States Sena
TOR Smith said, 1.-The conclusions tina
T might feel might be drawn iron
this remarkable report of the agri
cultural department. Either the com
missioners Of all the cotton States
men right on the ground and tamil
lar with conditions, are utterly mis-
taken or else the agricultural depart
ment is wrong in its deductions tina
there will be a record crop thl
year" -,
On account of his belief that tn
cotton growers Of the South nav
been heavy losers by the guessworI
advance crop estimates Of the de
partment of agriculture, Senate
Smith issued the following state
ment intended to offset these enor
nous estimates as far as possible.
On July 3 the agricultural depart
nent isued it's monthly crop repor
giving the condition of the growin
cotton crop as SS.2 per cent OF nor
NAL, as compared with so per cent a
the average condition on June z
during the past ten years. The mum
ber of acres to be harvested was esti
mated at 34,000,OOO.
The following language as report
on Inv the press was used as deduc
tion from these two facts:
The condition indicates proDa
hle Weld Of 20S.S pounds per acre