The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-29
The State Bureau of Statistics.
Communicated

The Legislature, 1t is understood, will con-
slider bill which contempla ties the abolition
of the State Bureau of Statistics. If there
are those who favor such measure their
theory must be that the time has arrived
when the people of Indiana are ready for q
policy OF retrogression. Manifestly they are
mistaken. Persons at all observant remark
that the times are pre-eminently dis
tinguished by desire, which pervades all
cla sses of society, for thorough and acc urate
Information relating to the practical bust.
ness affairs of life. The tendency is to give
special prominence to facts; and funda
mental facts, those upon which great under
takings are built, and upon which they
depend for success, must be had il within
reach OF patient and intelligent investIga-
ton. 1t is assumed that the government of
the State will be progressive and prosperous
in proper ton as the people and their repre-
sentatives are familiar with well authentica-
ted Information relating to the esources OF
the commonwealth and their development,
and any reasonable expenditu re- of money
to obtain such information bears irrefutsbe
evidence that the people are determined to
maintain position abreast of the van of the
army of progress. Intelligent people recog-
nlze that there can be little or no progress
when only limited information is
obtainable touching important interests
Indlana's great interest is agriculture. The
question, therefore, of special importance is:
Shall the people be placed in possession of
all the statistics ralating to agriculture? It
IS barely possible that here and there an in
dividual can be found so little in sympathy
with the spirit OF the age, so far in the rear
CT the advanced guard of our civilization, as
TO pronounce against agricultural statistics
and assume that reliable information relating
to forest, field and farm, soils and their prep.
sration, crops and their products, focks and
nerds, etc., ls not worth what 1t costs, or is
dear at any price. 1t will not be surprising
If such persons favor the abolition of the
Bureau of Statistics. Ii these preferences
should prevsil they would be entitled to
large share of the credit of arresting the up
ward and onward strides of the State to
coveted prominence and renown; and as
other States pass her on the way, these adj
vocates of ignorance could, with great pro-
priety, exclsim: eve prefer ignorance and
inertness to thrift and advancement, and
shall therefore insist that the welfare Of
the State will be greatly promoted by dis
continuing all statistical information in the
future" When these advocates of a retro
grade policy are told that the last
prepared statistical report informs the
people that IN 1884 IL $50. 126 acres were
sown in wheat, corn, oats. barley, rye, aud
buckWheat, producing 154 022 828 bushels of
grain, they regard the figures with indiffer-
ence and assign them no importance. When
the State statistician informs them that in
1884 the State owned :, 293, S47 head of do
nestle animals they are quite incapable of
attaching any importance TO such informa.
ton, and insist that such matters may be
referred TO guess work which requires no ex-
penditure of money. When confronted
with tables showing money collected and
expended, the valuation of property, ETC.,
they are bold in their maintenance
of their inert policy, and are not
ashamed to declare that such intorma-
ton is not of character which
they esteem valuable, and the statistics are
greatly overestimated. IL to enlighten the
understanding the sta tistician informs
them tnRt the States manufacturing enter
prises in variOus ways involve money con-
siderations 10 the amount or more than $780,
600 600, they treat such things as the N crest
triaes. and refer to the time when the State
got along veil enough without such Stats
teal Knowlege oil its wealth and progress.
Indiana is Justly proud OF her advanced DO.
siiion ID the sistsrhoOd OF States and her
representative men at home and abroad
never tire os the theme when pointing out
the resources OF the State and the progressive
spirit which distinguishes her citizens
In agriculture, education manufactures
transportation, intelligent legislation, etc,
Indiana has record luminous with ali
things of good report. At tbs supreme juno.
ture it is most unfortunate that any move
should be made striking at the very root of
progress in tue abridgsment OF statistical IN
formation, without which people and rep
resentatives would be reduced to the deplor-
able condition of the blind leading the
blind. 1t has been favorite proposition
of Republicans that Democrats are blum
dering class, the foes of intelligence and un-
appIeciative of its benefits; and should the
present Legislature, which is overghelm-
ingly Democratic, ineugurate a policy of
striking down any OF the sources Of lnfOrma-
ton regarded of the highest value in
other States, | confess il would
be a blunder Of such unseemly pro-
portion as would unfavorably impress
intelligent people everywhere. l am not
inclined to the opinion that the Democratic
majority in the Legislature will place the
party and the State in such an unenyisble
position. We prefer TO believe that instead
Of abolishing the Bureau Of Statistics it will
devise ways and means for making it of still
greater service TO the State. DENocRAT.
January %.