The sun., 1893-05-07
A Misleading and Mlschicvcus Official
Publications

| or the many mischievous and misleading
publications sent out by the Department OF
| Agriculture. probably the most mischevous
as well rs the most pretentious is one
launched by tho Hon. JERRY RUsK. the re-
firing Secretary. entitled Production and
Distribution OF the Principal Agricultural
Products OF the World" This publication an
nounces itself as u collaboration OF official
statistics OF all the countries in the world
so far as obtainnble by the most diligent
research. relating to the production and
distribution OF the principal products
of agriculture" 1t was entered upon. we
are told. for the purpose of relieving the
confusion among agricultural and CONNER
ciRl writer's on these points"
This WIS Il laudabe undertaking. and
ought to have resulted in work
Of permanent value: but an exami-
nation. no matter how cursory. re-
suits only in disappointment to the seeker
after exact and trustworthy information In
relation to tho one subject that interests all
alike, namely. tho present and prospective
supplies of food as related to the consum-
ing populations.
Ifit was the intention of Secretary RUsK
that the book should be what it purports to
be. then the instruments to whom he in.
trusted its execution have betrayed his
confidence and played all sorts Of tricks
upon his credulity. We find his statisti-
clans. from the very outset. belittling tho
requirements OF the food-importiug coun-
tries and exaggcrating the surplus. both
actual and potential. OF the exporting
ones: yet even in this there seems TO have
been neither mothod nor purpose other
than a desire to mislead. coupled with on
utter and hopeless inability to make either
IN exact or a correct statement Moreover.
the s.aie device is resorted to Of estimating
the worlds needs, OF wheat. for instance. as
that is all we have the space to deal with.
BY basing present requirements upon the
average aggregate consumption Of periods
of years that vary with the different coun-
tries dealt with. the one governing factor
In all such calculations-an ever-increasing
consuming element-being wholly ignored:
and the incorporated tables purporting to
show the wants of the world being based. II
on anything. upon the theory that present
requirements are shown by the mean OF
the consumption Of the last ten years.
Nowhere in this official book is an attempt
made to prove what Is the present per capita
supply OF each country. and the present
population. and to base thereon a definite
computation OF current needs, and those
likely to obtain in the immediate future.
The men charged with the undertak-
Ing which resulted in this compilation
OF crude and slovenly tables. seem to be en-
tirely devoid OF any conception OF tho fact
that tho requirements OF the bread-con-
suming world increase from day to day,
with as much certainty and regularity as
move the hands OF u chronometer. The
data 80 badly handled. might. in the hands
OF competent men. furnish this desirable in
formation regarding nearly all Of the more
populous countries; but so faulty Is the ar
rangemcnt of Gen. RUsK's book 30 unsciep-
tific the grouping Of data. that it is all sub
stantially useless to the busy man. Thus
1t adds to the very confusion which 1t WAS
intended to remedy.
The one evident purpose OF Governor
RUsK's compilers seems to have been to
show that the supplies, upon tho ten-year
average basis. are quite equal to the re-
quirements. or little in excess To prove
this. a atabulation is made purporting to show
the annual average imports required by the
principal importing countries. and the ex-
porting power OF those growing surplus
OF wheat. This very delusive table assumes
the following form:
Iapovtisg Net im Joyts Exporting Vet erpoyn
oounfrfe. bushs's. eau.Tfs bush,i.
Belgium 1910. .o59 Aust. Hungary. b.s48 800
France ...... 81. 7.526 407 Bulgaria. $500 900
Germany ..,.... 1s.7673i9 RoumAniA 1O.2oog7g
Greece. S0757y0 Russia. ....... S3,l10oll
Italy ........... 1881. 23+ Servia 2,236gI2
Norway and India. 80,y46,S4o
Sweden n... Icon 862I United States. S3.843, s8&
Netherlands S6gl. $50 Argentina ...... 8747 733
poy,ugal S52 Cgnad