The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-05-06
STANDS ON RECORD
What SENATOR Smith has AC.
CONPLISRED FOR FARMERS
SUMMARY OF BIS ACTS

The Farmers Of This State Should
Study Well His Record Before Re-
firing Him-Stands Flatfooted
Tpon Record in His Claim for Re
election.
Below is given an account Of the
things which Senator Smith has done
for the farmers since he has been in
the Senate. He is in heariest accord
with the administration and is fav-
orably regarded by his colleagues in
the Senate:
Investigation Of Cotton Pool.
On April 90, 1910, Senator Smith
introduced the following resolution
in the Senate, which was adopted:
"Resolved, That the attorney gen
eral be, and he is hereby directed to
INQUIRE fully as to the names of the
party or parties or corportiols that
sold the cotton alleged 70 have been
bought by pool of purchasers who
are now under investigation by the
Department of Justice, and at what
price these parties sold this cotton,
and whether or not they owned the
cotton at the time of the sale there
of, and the price of spot cotton in
the South on the date Of making Of
these contracts, or the sale of these
contracts, and to report the same at
the earliest possible moment to the
Senate"
The history of this case is we'll re-
membered The government instl-
tuted a suit against Messrs. Browne,
Hayne, Patten, and others, who were
alleged to have entered into a pool
to put up the price of cotton. Sena-
tor Smiths complaint was that the
government was using its power to
!. break the pool, and thereby depress
the price of cotton, while it had never
taken any steps to prosecute parties
engaged in efforts to lower the price
Of cotton. In other words, ne con-
tended that the government was en-
deavoring to use it's power in the in
terest of the spectators and against
the interesct of the farmers. 1t is
noticeable that since Senator Smith
directed public attention to the mat
ter, and criticised the governments
policy so severely, there has not been
single systematic effort on the part
of the spectators to depress the price
of cotton, as had been the case al
most every year before he entered
the Senate.
Cotton Statistics for Farmers.
On December II, 1911, Senator
Smith introduced the following icint
resolution:
Resolved, That the Director Of
the Census Bureau be, ard he is here
by, authorized an ddirected to collect
and public in connection with the gin
ners' report of cotton production
provided in section 9 Of an Act
of Congress, entitled An act to pro-
vide for permanent census Office,
approved March s, 1902, statistics
of the number Of bales of cotton con-
sumed in manufacturing, regardless
of their character, the number of
bales owned by such manufacturers,
and the number of bales exported.
Th statistics shall be collected and
published in the same manner, and
under the same rules and regulations,
as the ginner's rports are collected
and published, except that the sta
tistics herein provided for shall be
collected and published monthly, and
during the month when the Census
Bureau publishes ginners' reports.
The statistics herein provided for
shall be published at the same time
and in the same manner that the
monthly ginners' reports are publish
ed
The resolution passed the Senate
and went to the House, where it was
incorporated in the Agricultural Ap-
preparation bill of that year, and it is
now the law Of the land.
The object, of course. was to fur
nish the farmers statistics as to the
amount of cotton in sight, so that
they might judge as to the adVisa-
bility Of holding cotton or selling.
Before this law was enacted the gov
ernment had been collecting statis-
tics on only one side of the market.
The manufacturers and dealers had
been benefited by it, but there had
been no effort to collect and dissem-
! mate information as to the amount
of cotton on hand, etc. Senator
Smith believed that the facts on both
sides Of the market should be given
equal publicity, and he secured the
necessary legislation.
More Accurate Reports Upon Cotton.
In July, 1911, the Department OF
Agriculture issued a preliminary
statement as to the condition Of the
cotton crop In the opinion of Sen
ator Smith this statement or esti-
mate was contrary to law.
Senator Smith Immediately attack
ed the departments estimate, and on
August y, 1911, offered the follow
ing resolution:
"Resolved, That the Secretary OF
Agriculture be, and is hereby in
structed to furnish the Senate detail
ed information as to the methods
employed in obtaining report on
the condition Of the growing cotton
crop, the persons employed in obtain
ing such information, their names
and post Office addresses by states;