The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-10-08
ON COTTON
BEING QUESTIONED
Association Calls on Congress to In.
yestfgate Figures Of Last Year.


Columbia, Oct. ii. Skottowe Wan
namaker, president OF the American
Cotton association, said last night
that the association would ask for an
investigation by congress of the gov
crnmcnt report on cotton issued
Thursday. This action, he said, would
be taken as a result Of urgent requests
received by the association, not only
from the producers and business in
tercsts In the South, but from other
interests in the various sections, in
Guiding the cotton exchanges. The
requests, he said, had come from va
rious sections Of the country.
"'Thc association has been urged
from every section" said Mr.. Wanna
maker, "to take the necessary steps
to have resolutions passed by congress
providing for an investigation as to
the indicated yield shown by this re-
port The association is now making
a painstaking investigation through
out the entire belt as a result OF these
complaints and will lay the informa-
ton which it obtains before congress-
"rhc government report issued
Thursday gave the condition of cot
ton as 5i.i. The condition Of the crop
on the same day last year was given
at 54.4. The indicated yield for this
year, according to the government re-
port, is 15S pounds lint cotton per
acre. Last cyar, when the condition
was given as being the same as this
Year, the indicated yield was given as
only 1877 pounds. Why the difference?
Regardless Of the fact that the report
shows serious damage from boil wee
vii, boil worms and insects, it gives
the indicated yield as being greater
than last years. The governgcnt re-
port appeared this time in somewhat
changed form, the indicated yield be-
ing given by states. The indicated
211 pounds per acre. We know ahso-
lutcly that this is wrong. A canvass
made by our association shows this
to be an error.
"a canvass made by the association
throughout the belt shows that cot
ton is opening prematurely, that the
bolls are understood. The lint shows
a marked decrease
"In justice to the farmer, the manu-
facturer and the consumer, an investi-
cation should be authorized by con-
gress. We do not charge that the de-
partmcnt Of agriculture would intcn-
tionally ovcrcstimatc the yield We
have not, however, the slightest doubt
| but that an overestimate has been
made. Had the correct indicated yield
been given, based upon the acreage
shown by the department after de-
ducting for abandonment of $40, 900
acres, leaving total acreage Of 1880
900, the highest estimate possible un-
der the existing conditions, with dis
eascd plant, ravagcd by insects, pre-
yield could not have exceeded 9.775,-
600 bales at the outside, exclusive of
lintcrs, even with a very late fros,
with representatives through the
length and breadth Of this entire belt
We are in position to give first hand
information concerning the crop and
base our statement upon actual facts
We shall use every effort in our pow
CT to have this error corrected. and in
the meantime we feel convinced that
if the department itself will make a
rccanvass, it will detect the error in
dicatcd and take necessary steps tC
correct the same.
"We are writing every member OF
congress from the South urging that
they insist upon this investigation
and we call upon cotton producers all
over the South to do likcwisc.'