Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-05-12
CONCLUSIONS Of.
UNCLE SAM FROM.
THE FUTURES ACT

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 12.-The
conclusions Of the U. S. department Of
agriculture on the disputes referred
to it under the terms of the cotton
futures act are reported in Service and
Regulatory Announcements No. 8 of
the Office of Markets and Rural Or
ganization, which the department has
just published. The statement covers
all the disputes from March 16, 1915,
to November 80, 1915. During this time
1908 were handled, involving a total
of 65,S23 bales. Seven, involving 1873
bales, were dismissed without deter
mination.
Of the number of bales passed upon,
{ 283, or 9.6 per cent, were found un-
deliverable Two thousand and sixty
were rejected because of grade only,
2,7O2 because of length of staple only,
end 1,122 because of both grade and
length of staple. Two hundred and
thirteen were rejected for quality only
and the remainder for quality and
other causes combined By far the
greatest number of disputes arose on
account of grade and length of staple
combined, disputes for this cause
amounting to 5O,778 bales out of a to-
tel of 65,446.
In hearing the disputes, the report
shows that, on an average, five days
elapsed between the filing of the first
papers, in disputes in which there
were no delays chargeabIe to the par
ties, and the mailing of the memo
randa of conclusions. On the other
hand, the average time that elapsed
between the filing of the first papers,
in disputes in which there were de-
lays chargeable to the parties, and
the mailing of the memoranda of con-
c(usions was 10 days. In the last nam
ed class delays caused by one or both
Of the parties in the dispute caused an
average delay of 7 days, which might
have been avoided. The most frequent
causes of these delays were as follows:
Papers made out improperly, 1872.
Erorrs in tag numbers, 1871
Delay in receipt of samples, A.
Missing samples, So.
Necessity for new samples, 1S.
Adjustment of replacement charges,
SO.
The report also shows that aisn.4- gh
there was an unusually large number
of disputes in May, when ga were re-
ferred to the department involving Il
total of 35,SS2 bales, the settlement of
these disputes was not unduly pro-
tracted.
1t is stated that it does not seem
lvisable to adopt the suggestion that
the department establish branch Of
fee at New York to determine disputes
under the cotton futures act. These
disputes, it is said, are determined un-
der existing conditions with as little
loss of time as could be expected at
anv place. The establishment of a
branch office would involve the en-
pioyment of a sufficient number OF
employees to cope with the maximum
amount of business, and would mean,
therefore, that during slack seasons
there would be comparatively little for
the examiners to do. In Washington
, t'ley are employed at such times in
ether work.
In regard to the costs assessed for
passing upon disputes, the report
states that they aggregated $23,114.70,
of which $17S5426 was assessed
against the complainants and the re.
mainder against the respondents.
The statement also discusses the ef-
fects of the provision in the law max
irg cotton less than rs of an inch ia
length of staple unbelievable. When
the law was enacted this provision
gave rise to some apprehension. 1t is
shown, however, that of the bales Of