, 1870-06-06

y taken steps toward the establishment of
more complete and uniform system of
commercial statistics, md the need therefor
il widely recognized Mr.. Walker, Of the
New York Produce Exchange, has recently
contributed a paper on the subject, in which
ho urges the more accurate and full COM
pilation Of such statistics at all the leading
points Of receipt and distribution, and the
earliest publication of results on tho part
Of the government He says:
-Seasonahle government statistical fnforms-
don, accurately compiled, would, In great meas
nIe, nEeye9t 5a,lnous speculation ln advanee Of the
you'd keep the business men OF the country dnan-
tially sound Such information would also be OF
Ing t1ade, The insurance and mone1sry interests
OF the country, a Nel1 II to the government
itsell that requires to raise 30 much money by
q 1t Ia within the province OF the National Board
Of Trade TO urge npon the Agriculture. Depakt-
mens Of the United States the impenous necessity
oi correctness tn its reports, and proDptness In
their publication" 80
The movement Of MI the leading AZ
hcles Of produce is chronicled with tolera-
BILE accuracy by the Chicago Board of
Trade, the reports including statements Of
the amounts recsived along the leading
avenues Of transportation, and tho desig-
mated destination Of all shipments Of
Produce. IF the records were kept with
equn1 fufneSs at other points, it would be
Al sasy task to gather an approximate
knowledge Of the movement Of the lending
products at any given time - accurate
snough for most practical purposes. But
this IL not done, and, therefore, the infor-
nation possible to be obtained in reference
to the magnitude Of the movement OF the
crops is often very unsatisfactory. It Is
not seldom the case that the
most widely diverse opinions ore formed
with reference to tho supply of any par
ticular article, from peruaal of the same
sets of figures For instance, ne can note
tho movement of corn through Chicago with
considerable e1actitude, but we have really
no available means for ascertGning the
quantities which leave the State OF Illinois,
or pass through it by other avenues OF
transportation And the difficulty Of keep
ing track of the cereal movement will in
crease yearly with the extension of railroad
facilities for carrying grain through in bulk
in locked cars, unless change be wrought
IN the present loose way OF reporting, OF
making no reports at all
The great trouble has always been with
the railroads. Many OF them do not re-
port at al, except several months after the
end Of their official year, when the informa-
ton has lost all value except for purposes
of nfter comparison. The railroads enter
ing Chicago all make report to our Board of
Trade, but the figures are too often fur
nished by clerks who seem to take no inter-
est in even approximate truth, and the mat
ter has sometimes been reduced to guesa
For instance, the number Of car loads of
grain arriving ovsr certain road is noted
from the proof book, and the number of
bushels in the whole is jumped at by loose
average, which may be 100 bushels per oar
away from the truth.
Under the system Of registration and in
spection adopted by cur Board of Trade,
this evil will receive check, as the cor
rected figures can be kept posted within
few days Of the time when the guesses are
published. But these guesses, being the
first to appear, are the figures which arc
te1egraphed to other points, and accepted
as the true returns. Furthermore, in other
cities, where there is no such commerrial
check upon clerical looseness, the Hstatis-
tics" can scarcely be depended upon with
in 10 per cent Of their nominal amounts;
and, in many places, they are not obtaina-
ble at all
It is very desirable that the produce and
other commercial statistics of the United
States should be improved, and We hope to /
see tho movement receive the hearty en-
dorsement Of the commercial community.
and the hearty cooperation of all concerned
IN transporting produce or merchandise
toward market. Our railroad companies
will subse1ve their own interests, not less
than those Of the entire community by
lending helping hand.