Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-21
VALUE OF INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.

All enlightened Governments have recog-
nized the Importance of some system for the
collection and dissemination of correct and
reliable statistics of productive industries.
These statistics, properly collected and CLASH
fed, form the only true means OF determin-
ing the possibilities of countrys advance
ment in the arts and sciences-in civilization
and wealth during times Of peace, and of es-
timating or measuring its resources and
strength when necessary toput it upon war
basis. These statistics are not only critic
rion Of the natural susceptibilities Of eoun-
try, but Of the intelligence and industrial
habits and economical practices of the people
who inhabit such country. Before the dis
covery of America by Europeans the natural
susceptibilities Of the United States were
just as great as they are to-day, but the in
dolent habits Of the aborigines, their entire
want of system and design, or of govern
mental direction and concentration OF
individual labor and effort, rendered
those natural susceptibilities of the
country of little value, either to the &C.
cupants Of the country or to the balance OF
the world So with California before its oc-
eupancy by civilized people in 10i9. Its
natural resources or susceptibilities were just
as great then as they are to-day, but for
want of knowledge of these resources, for
want of system and direction in their dis
covery and development, they were useless to
the people who occupied the country, and to
the rest of the world. The weakness of the
country was made. conspicuous by the ease
with which it was conquered and subdued
when organized effort was brought to bear as
against disorganized Incidence. A horse is
much stronger animal than man, but be-
cause of mans superior intelligence, because
he has a more perfect knowledge of his re-
sources and susceptibilities, he makes the
horse his servant and uses the natural
strength and powers Of the horse for the
advancement of his own interests and
the security of his ends.
The National Government of the United
States has practically recognized the great
value of a specific knowledge of the industrial
resources of the whole country, and of each
part thereof, by providing for having de-
tailed census of the property and the people
of the country collected, classified and tab
ulated once in each ten years. When once
completed and published, this national census
constitutes work of great national value.
1t becomes the recognized and only reliable
standard by which the progress of the people
of the nation in material, political and moral
strength can be measured. The very figures
thus collected and published to the world give
to our country power and influence that it
could obtain in no other way. They stand
behind and enforce respect for our country
and its authenticated representatives at the
capital of every Government on the earth.
They give force and power to our diplomacy
wherever we have occasion to use it, and
they in a great measure supersede the neces-
sity of a large standing army and an
expensive navy. Indeed, these figures being
the measure of the nations progress
in times of peace, become the
measure of her power in case of war, and in
cidentally or indirectly operate as the great
est motive power to push forward all our
material advancements. They fight our bat
ties for us on sea and on land, and thus ena-
bic us to keep our sailors and soldiers at
home and busily engaged at productive labor
in the fields and workshops They encourage
national morality and virtue by securing ua-
ticnal peace. They discourage national vices
by removing the greatest source of a nations
Temptation to evil-war.
Notwithstanding the National Government
gathers the industrial statistics of the whole
country, and publishes them once in ten
wears in good form, and notwithstanding
their great value, as above indicated, still
one of the greatest necessities of California
today is thorough and reliable system of
collecting and publishing the statistics Of her
own industries, either annually once in
two years. We are living in a climate in
many respects different from the climate of
any other State in the Union. We are de-
veloping and following industries but little
known in any other section of the country.
Our agricultural. our horticultural and our
vinicultural products are more varied and
different from those of any other State, and
the modes of culture are not the same as
practiced in any other section of the Union.
From the great disparity Of our products it
follows that our markets are and must re-
main different from the markets of sections
east of the Rocky Mountains. In fact, for
many of our most valuable products-ot
wine of raisins, of figs, of the various kinds
Of citrons and other semi-tropical fruits-we
shall find our best markets in the States of
the Atlantic slope. We are developing in
dustries for the Pacific coast TO sustain a
commerce peculiar to the Pacific coast. We
look across the Pacific Ocean and find as our
neighbors across the waters Asia, Africa and
Australia, and our commercial relations must
necessarily be much closer with these countries
than with the western shores of the Old
World We therefore need, and in order
that we may answer the demands
and sestinies of our natural situa-
ion and surroundings, we must have
local and separate means of gaining informa-
ton in relation to our industries and resources,
and we must have an independent means OF
disseminating this information for our own
benefit. While we, every decade, contribute
to the store OF knowledge necessary for the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and good standing of the
General Government, let Us not forget our
own local interests and our own local knowl-
edge in relation to ourselves. Let US have
system of collection and dissemination of sta
tistics distinct and complete within itself.
The old plan of depending upon the unpaid
services of Assessors in collecting statistics
and reporting them to the Surveyor-General
has proved complete failure. Like all other
work halfway done in this line, the statis-
tics so collected and published have been
greater damage than benefit to US. While
we believe the statistics for each county can