Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-09
THE STATISTICAL SOCIETY.
4.
Interesting Papers Read and Dis
cussed at Last Nights Meeting.

The regular monthly meeting OF the Ma
tional Statistical Society. held last evening
IN the board of trade rooms. Glover build
ing. was OF unusual interest. The first
speaker was Judge William Lawrence of
Ohio, vice president Of the association. His
subject was how to employ statistics in as
pertaining the economic policies adapted
to nations. and free trade and protection In
the abstract and in the concrete.
Judge Lawrence maintained that the pol
icy Of free trade or protection must depend
on conditions which differ in different ma
tons, for a system adapted to one nation
may not be suited to another He reviewed
some Of the conclusions of Mr.. Worthing-
ton c. Ford, chief Of the bureau of statis-
tics, Treasury Department on wool and
wooden manufactures for the purpose Of
showing them to be erroneous. A number
of statistics were cited by the speaker to
illustrate the operation OF the Walker tariff
of 1S46 on manufactures, commerce. gold
exports and reviewing the financial panic
Of 1887. According to Judge Lawrence the
oretical political policies cannot be relied
on unless supported by statistics of their
operation considered in the light Of exist
ina conditions. Msasrs. F. H. Wines and
Joseph Nimmo. jr., later discussed the
Public Financial Reports.
A paper on public financial reports was
next read by Mr.. j. X. Upton, special agent
| that within the last four years he had On
cially examined the financial reports OF
every foreign nation Of any Importance
and many of the reports of their cities and
other local governments. He had also ex-
amined and compiled the reports Of our
national government for the last decade.
and also those of the state governments for
the same period. as we'll as all the county,
municipal and school reports for 1890 Is
sued In the United States mum bering bouts.
OO0. Mr.. Upton regretted to say that with the
exception OF the financial report issued by
| the Secretary Of the Treasury and that OF
the kingdom Of Greece. there was not enc
In the entire number from which the read
er could ascertain without more or less in
vestigation whether on the whole. the re-
ceipts for the period in question were equal
to the expenditures.
THE speaker showed the chaos into which
municipal accounts have fallen and low lit
tie Is known about them, yet their revenue
exceeded that OF the general government
With great care and labor these reports
have been sifted and analysed and In the
near future will be published, together with
the state and county transactions. the total
showing that. Notwithstanding the interest
taken in the tariff. tho receipts from that
source are not one-fourth of the entire reve-
nues of an the governments In the United
States the taxes levied on real and personal
property being of themselves double the
amount received from customs.
Mr.. Upton expressed the hope that some
sctStiHe Will De deVefOped TO DrfNB more
fully to notice the fact that the local re-
ceipts and expenditures are Of far more
importance than those of the general gov
eminent. general discussion py the
members followed.
On the Consular Service.
Major Charles H. Hill, national secretary.
then talked on the consular service of the
United States. its uses, abuses and reform
In relation to industries and commerce.
He divided his argument into three heads
review Of the past and present provisions
and conditions of the service and its uses
comparison Of our own consular service
with that of othe- nations and by en-
deavorins to find an improved system and
by what legislative action We may remedy
existing evil, and perfect the service for
the development of home industry and for
elgl commerce.
Mr.. Hill closed his address with an an.
peal to Congress for the creation Of a con-
bular tribunal to supervise this most i'm
portant national and international service
and urged that the corps be made perman-
ent in It's appointments long as the
efficiency of the consul continued, and tina I
such appointments be taken out Of polIt-
icar Jurisdiction entirely. department of
commerce was also urged and the identif-
cation Of the consul and our commerce as
one and inseparable was very happily
proven.
Before adjournment resolution to pre-
sent copies of the addresses to the COM
mittee on foreign affairs of the Senate and
House of Representatives was passed. At
the next monthly meeting, on June r. pa
pers will be read by John Tracey on Char
tiles Of the United States compared with
those OF other countrles; Jos. Ntmno, jr.,
on Statistics Of internal commerce" and
Prof. H.. King, on Tariff reform based
upon statistical data"