National Republican., 1876-06-14
STATISTICAL CONGRESS,

Among the many benefits which may be
expected to result from the international
Exp osition now in progress in Philadel-
phia not the least Important will be the
increased knowledge of our country and
its resources which 1t will be instrumental
in disseminating.
The commissioners of various foreign
countries at the Exposition are employing
their time in collecting information on q
variety of topics connected with the in.
dustry, trade and agricultural resources of
this country. Thus the chief of the Aus
trian commission is preparing statistics of
our foreign trade for a series of years past,
and the Commissioner for the Portuguese
Agricultural and Colonial Exhibition,
Professor Jayne Batalha Refs, is collect
ing information on agriculture and
sylvaculture in the United States, with
the extent Of our forests and of the inroads
being made upon them by the agricultur-
ist and the lumberman. Another distin-
guished foreigner. Mr.. c. Skalkouski, one
Of the Russian commissioners, is making a
study of Our mineral resources, especially
the precious metals, and seeking to &C.
quaint himself with our mining laws In
pursuit of these objects he called, few
days ago, on DR.. Young, Chief OF the Bu-
reau of Statistics, whose acquaintance he
had made at the International Congress of
Statistics, of which they were both mem
bers, in 1872, when the eighth session Of
this body was held at St. Petersburg. DR..
Young gave him such information as he
could, aud supplied him with letters to
number Of gentlemen prominently identi-
fed with our mining interests. Mr.
Skalkouski is mining engineer and secre-
hry of the Russian "Society for the En-
couragement of Industry and Commerce."
and as he proposes to visit the mining
regions of the West and make a personal
Investigation of the subject confded to his
care, his report will undoubtedly be
document of great interest," and will do
much to extend among foreign capitalists
a knowledge of our undeveloped mineral
resources.
These facts illustrate the value, not only
of great indus trial eKpositions like the one
INV plOBlCcSJ Dub dlbO VI tdIlOuS OlucE
international assemblages, in which the
leading representatives of trade, industry,
art, science, literature, or politics are
brought together and made acquainted.
Among the most useful Of such assemblages
have been the meetings of the International
College of Statistics, which have been es-
pecially efficient in giving direction to
statistical inquiry in the different countries
represented therein, and in bringing their
leading statisticians and political econo-
mists, as well as prominent men in other
spheres of activity, into friendly communi-
cation with each other. The next session
Of this congress will be held at Buda,
Pesth, Hungary, commencing on the 29th
of August next, and continuing until Sep
tember z, after which few days will be
devoted to trip down the Danube and
other excursions. Opportunity will thus
be afforded for observing the natural fea-
lures, material resources, and industrial
methods of a region comparatively unfa-
miliar to American travellers, but interest
ing TO US from the fact that it is one of our
most important competitors in the exporta-
tion of agricultural products.
We understand that no appropriation
has yet been made for sending official del
egstes to this session of the congress, and
as it would be matter for sincere regret
if our country should be without repre-
sentative in this body, we hope the subject
will receive prompt attention. Statistics
form the very foundation of social science,
andit would be little to our credit il. in
matter SO intimately affecting the welfare
of society, we should allow ourselves to
fall behind the other enlightened nations
of Christendom.