The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-23
FEDERAL REPORTS
ON COTTON 0. X,
SAYSC.B. HOWARD
Declared More AuthOrita-
tive And Unbiased Than
ANY Private Reports
Estate CAPITAL Bureau

MONTGOMERY, Ala. Nov. 22.-rhc
-Alabama Cotton association is being
urged to protest against the twice Il
month report on crop conditions. Let
ters coming to them and personal inter
views with the associations officers are
being used in an effort to obtain such
:. protest, according to statements made
Gy official members Saturday.
Replying to a letter received from
Edward S. Butler, president of the New
Orleans Cotton exchange; c. B. Howard,
general sales manager for the American
Cotton Growers exchange. with which
tiIe Alabama Cotton association is ntti-
lated, declares that the reports of the
government are secured through more
widespread and better sources OF lntor"
nation than those of any private report.
''The influence of the frequent gov
eminent report up the prices proves that
the world accepts it as more authorlta-
lives. more accurate than any other re-
MORT available" said Mr.. Howard.
Without this information, which he de-
cIares is protective, Mr.. Howard believes
that propaganda of large crop would
become widespread, big crop estimates
would flood the country and the price
Of cotton be depressed to point below
actual value,
Through these means fear of large
crop would he created and supply
he forced on the market far in excess OF
the immediate demand.
Mr.. Towards letter says in part:
II have given much thought to the
.pros and cons OF this matter, with the
result that l am strongly in favor OF
frequent government reports.
Everyone is agreed that we should
have all possible information regarding
the progress of the growing crop, and
of the probable yield. There are num-
erous individuals, cotton firms, crop re-
porting bureaus and newspapers, VINO
gather such information and give OUT
reports of the condition and estimates
of Weld. We will have the reports
whether or not hhe government itself
issues them. ;.
"Of course, no investigation OF coildl-
ton or yield can be accurate: but that
Of the government is secured through
more widespread and better sources vi
information. and its conclusions prob
ably more scientifically arrived at thail
any private report. The influence 1t
has unon prices proves that the world
accents it as being more authoritative
md more correct than any other report
issued. Private estimators realize that
they are going to be checked and judged
by the government report, and make
every effort to have their own reports
as correct as possible.
''If there were no government reports
there would soon be condition repprts
and crop estimates issued, purportlng to
represent actual facts as near as could
be gathered; but which would really rep
resent the market bias, or speculative
interests of those issuing or controlling
the report.
We do not expect the impossible, and
do desire all possible unbiased informal
tion-carefully and widely gathered. and
scientifically considered and complied
that can be secured; and desire such
reports frequently, and are strongly op.
tosed to returning to the old system OF
monthly reports, as tremendous changes
in the condition of the crop can take
place in the course of a month, without
tbe cotton trade generally having au-
lucrative information as to the extent
of such change"