The Pensacola journal., 1920-01-08
CENTENNIAL FIGHT IN COURT
OF
GINNING DATA
Department of Agriculture Has
Instructed It's Agents to
Determine 1918 Surplus

reau of the department of agriculture,
complying with a request made by
the American Cotton association, has
instructed its agents to obtain from
the ginners the quantity of cotton
from the 1913 crop ginned since Au-
gust 1, 1919 and also the number of
bales from the 1918 crop. of any, in
cluded in the report of cotton ginned
from the crop of 1919.
A statement given out from local
headquarters, of the American Cotton
association. yesterday tells of this
action fo the department. of agricuI-
ture.
In order 20 obtain a correct esti-
mate of eotton ginned of the growing
crop, recanvass of the entire belt
has been made by our association"
says the statement issued here and
in the united judgment of our can
vassing board the estimate as shown
by the government is too high. We
made known our feelings to the de-
partment of agriculture and we have
received a letter stating agents will
be instructed TO secure additional in
formation"
The following letter from the CEN
sus bureau to officials of the Ameri-
can Cotton Association was made
public today: In view of the extra
ordinary interest attached to the pres
ent cotton situation the agents have
been instructed to obtain from the
ginners the quantity of cotton of the
crop 1918 ginned since August and
also the number of bales of this cot
ton, if any which was included by re-
ports of cotton ginned of the crop,
1919. In addition they have been in
structed to ascertain the number OF
bales of repack if any, which count
ed in the returns of cotton ginned
from the crop of 1919. The allot-
ments will obtain this information at
the January 1 canvass, refiners insert
ing the date of the individual card re-
ports inesE from and signed by the
ginners. These returns will be mailed
to the bureau about January 8.
Definite information should be avail
able before the close of January.
Table of Percentage.
In this connection 1 decide to en-
close table from our bulletin. show
ing the percentage of cotton crop
ginned to December 1 for each aron
since 1905 to 1918, inclusive. with the |
of the crops of 1906 and
1907 all of them show a ginning per-
centage in excess of so that for 1915
running as high as Oil per cent of |
course. We are not able to commute /
the percentage of the 1919 crop until |
after the close of the season.
In this connection 1 desire to saw
much of the cotton remaining in the |
west will never be gathered. All of it /
S or very low grade. There is no !
question but from the present grow
ng crop will be produced the smallest
amount of good cotton in proportion |
to the size of the crop ever gathered I
m the past five years The fact is the /
crop has been largely over estimated I
1y the government. This crop opened I
orematurely and was more nearly
gathered and ginned than ever. The
crop of 1916 when GIG per cent has
been ginned
We have just completed a most I
careful research in both the Ameri- /
can and European manufacturing CEN
-ers on supply and demand
No Serious Concern.
from the very best authority we
ind that neither the matter Of ex
change or the size of the present eron
'ives them serious concern. The main
luestions at issue are from whence
VII come the cotton to supply the
pressing demands. From one of the
pest posted authorities of Europe we
eceived the information that the
worlds requirements of cotton from
America, from the growing crop viii
'e more than 100000 bales. The
natter Of exchange and finance does
lot receive the consideration that If
loes in America. The invariabIe replv
Q our questions concerning cotton
vas:
Our experience tells US that we
re FACING a world shortage in cotton.
The demand for manufactured goods
{ enormous profits exceeds ANYTHING
n our experience. We can arrange
ne finances and exchange if America
an furnish the cotton
Labor conditions of the south are
extremely acute. wages not only being
ne highest ever paid but there is a I
-reat shortage.