Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-09-26
WASHINGTON.
Under Estimates of Crop Areas by
State Bureaus Commissioner Lo-
rings Crookedness.

department OF Agriculture, refers III
his September report to the statistics
of agricultural production issued by a
number of the State governments,
pointing out that as a general rule
they underestimate the areas under
the different crops. Their estimates
of the rate of yield are usually about
correct, but the areas beingunderstat-
ed, it follows, as matter of course,
that the same is true of the gross pro-
duct. This inaccuracy he attributes
to the fact that the statement of areas
is taken from the assessors returns.
AS these are obtained through ma
chinery connected with taxation, the
suspicion is probably created "that
the taxes may be in some portion to
the area and bushels reported" and
it is only natural under such circum-
stances that many of the farmers
should be careful to make them too
low rather than too high. This is
particularly liable to be the case with
foreigners, many of whom, as Mr..
Dodge remarks, "have not outgrown
the sentiment of antagonism to the
eXtOrtions Of home government"
though, as he also remarks, "there are
some natives whose appreciation of
satellites is tinctured with similar
suspicious" There are some States,
however, in which the disposition to
"boom" the productiveness of the
soil appears to lead to exaggeration,
and statistics are presented in regard
to California wheat, showing that,
taking into account the reports for
series ofyears, and making the largest
allowance possible for home consum-
ption, the result still falls millions of
bushels short of the figures at which
the whet production of the State is
placed by the statisticians of the San
Francisco press.
The announcement that the Comp
troller had directed that suit be COM
menced against eX-Commissioner of
Agriculture Loring to recover the sum
of $50, 900, illegally expended by that
gentlemen for worthless sorghum and
other seeds has renewed public in
terest upon the subject. 1t will be re-
membered that at the time of the re-
port of the result of the investigation
of the accounts of the Department,
Mr.. Loring asked for time to prepare
a written statement, claiming that he
would be able to satisfactorily explain
the seeming discrepancies" 1t now
appears that the willy doctor has not
been idle during the time thus Sc
cured, and it is reported that his pro-
perty in this District has been trans
ferred to other parties. AS his extern
sive dairying interests in Massachu-
sets are held in the name of his
daughter, it is probable that some
difficulty will be experienced by the
Government in collecting a judgment
exceeding the amount of his official
bond, which is ten thousand dollars.
The investigation of the affairs OF
the Geological Survey Bureau, now
in progress, develops the fact that a
number of scientific men have been
carried upon the rolls for years, dur.
ing which time they have been serv.
ing as professors in colleges. Theii
reply to inquiries as to their duties
has been that they "were engaged or
scientific researches, the nature o.
which could not be understood by or
binary people," Unless they car
show that they have performed ser
vices which can be understood by or
binary people, it is probably tina
their names will be dropped from thu
pay rolls.
AS the time for the fall elections il
the States draws near, the clerks il
the department, especially the repub
licans, are debating whether to g
home and vote, as usual, and in tn,
event of their going, as to the pro
bable effects upon their official stand
ing. When leaves of absence ar
asked for about election time, the rea
sons for selecting that particular tim,
will be rigidly inquired into.
1t would seem that the present AID
ministration is not so low as peopl
in general suppose. A review of tn
changes made in the Various Govern
ment offices shows that about 1850
of the $4,000 offices have beel
changed since the 4th of March
Should this rate continue during tn
four years of President Cleveland
administration, about 1000 change
will have been effected.
PerhaDS the most significant owl