The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-30
'The Statistical Department., aRd its
COulmI missioner.

a.
lie loss
Gov. RAMSEY may think 50 lnasinuch
as he gives the opinion in gubernatorial
capacity, we are bound to believe he does.
But, we venture to say, thar not another
intelligent man in the State thinks with
him. The volumes already published 10y
Nj. WHEELOCK, when considered as helps
to immigration, arc the ridicule of all prac-
teal men. As mere compilations OF cur
Gus, unimportant statistics, prepared as
the basis of, or to illustrate, pncrlle, in-
consequential theories, they are well
enough.-if the reader is man of ample
leisure, and has dictionaries, encyclopedia
as, and libraries enough within reach 10
refer 20, and aid him in TRANSMITTING the
text, not into sense, bat into plain, COM
prehensihle language. But, if he is not q
man Of leisure, and Is deprived Of such
aids, he might as we'll attempt TO master
Greek at Il first lesson.
The object of this Bureau Of Statistics,
and OF the yearly publications issuing
from it, is to set forth the qualities and
advantages of Minnesota, us Il State to
live in; and the class sought TO be unfit
oncel by such publications is tho produc-
ing cllss--mechanical ana Agricultural
We presume tho members of t,io two
Houses rightiully consider tnemselve, ao
up to the average intelligence OF their con
stitucnts. or OF the common. practical,
working people anywhere, out ofjhe State
as We'll as in it, Nov, before obey votc
on any proposition to continue this Bu-
reau OF Statistics, and especially to re-
tain the service, Of the present Com
missioner, we want them to take the
two volumes published to their rooms,
and look into them. Let Jhcln pcruse, if
they have patience, the speculative por-
tons of these booA:s--whch they will find
to occupy two-thirds Of cach--ard il they
can understand what Mr.. WIIEEIooA is
writing about, or rather, what tangible.
ideas he wants to convey upon The SUB
jects about which he processes to write, We
will admit tlat thcy may be justified in
continuing the Department, with the pres
ent Commissioner at its heal.
As we said, the whole design oi this
Statistical Bureau is TO aid Immigration,
and thus the development OF Minnesota
Its publications arc addressed, or should
be, to the comnon-sen>e, practical, labor
ing masses Of other communities. These
masses 20 be reached, ana tavorab!y intiu-
enced, must be addressed in a common
sense, practical way. They know nothing,
and care nothing, Of the speculative tileo-
ries Of professional statisticians. They want
the plain, substantial facts about the co,n-
try, told i'll plain, practical language. To
all such, it would be As sensible to send Il
volume of Sanscrit as = vo.,Ine o.
WHEEIooK : spcculations.
Imagine hard-working .,own-i.ast
farmer looking into WHEELoCK's book for
the purpose OF learning about Minnesota,
ana whether it viii do to pull up stakes
and come out here to live, The first bit
OF valuable information he receives, is,
that ''rd.Nnesota is; the omphalos Of lie
new. Is Jerusalem Was o. the *. world. :"
He may imagine ti,a; 'onapiaio," is a big
thing" but unless he has got d Greek
dictionary At his side, hell nevcr Know
tie fact 20 Z certainty. Another
bit of valuable information which the
sioNn-T;ast farmer will find, is. ihat
Minnesota is equidistant trom the NO
poles OF the wat5r axis Of tie cou,i
neIt - that it "suins L? upon Itself tho
radii Of al tie conceHtrc circles OF pro-
'iuction and commercial movement, upon
Lanai aad ocean," and that it IS, therefore,
''thc prolest;ned throne Of this great inner
can Empire" 1t is easy 70 conjecture
what the plain, down East farmers con-
!neits would be ON this sort Of stuff. lie
wouldsay, -ifhe was not ciiurcll-lnelnber,
in regular standing, Or if he was, ;nd
there was nobody by" Minnesota may
be a good enough State, for all | know,
Or can find out but if this book is q spe-
cinlen, the people are Il set OF moss high
fllt;tin DIN FOOLS" And, With that iud.c-
ment on Minnesota and It's inlaa bitants.
the old dOwn-East farmer, with character
istic economy, would lay WsIEELooKs bool,
by for use, leaf by leaf, az shaving pa
per, if rot for baser purposes. And the
Judgment of all practical, substantial men.
would endorse the down-East farmers
opinion, and disposition, OF Mr.. WHEE-
LOCKS statistical publications., which de-
rive all their importance, from being pre-
pared and printed at the public expense.
We submit to Members that the State
OF Minnesota has had as big q dose Of
r.