Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-02-06

Tho recommendation OF the Governor
that Bureau Of stat'stici be esteh
ilshcd. seems 10 meet with favor amoI
many Of the members ~ the Legisln-
ture. 1t H. supported by large por-
ton 81 the business public and others
who zoe the need ~ such a measure.
Hut like all proportions. piriicuariy
thouc which win entail expense. u
meets with opposition from persons
who imagine they are economists They
look more al the cost than ~ the bene-
nis The salary Of q statiaticlon IL
magnlncd In their eyes. while the good
that would result from his lnbofs "
mlnimizcd The appearance Of an oh
jeot H. greatly changed by iookine
through the wrong end u the telescope.
The Dessert News does not approve
N tho multiplication ~ officers In the
government. state. county or munici.
pai But VI desires efficiency In the
public service. ard " ready to support
any movement loohnE 10 the public
hencnt which gives reasonable promise
81 enhancing the public welfare. II IL
afro In favor Of paying fair years
wnros FOR fair years work. and ~
putting into all public positions per-
sons who are fitted by talents and
training to discharge the duties thereof
capably and fully
There ~ NJ present M reliable means
~ obtaining information concerning
the status. progress. resources. I'M
pfoycmcnts ana attractions of this
state. Inquire. are frequently made
by people at distance. a. we'll ~ cit
liens Of Utah. for statistics which can
not he obtained without great trouble
and expense and even then are liable
To be Incorrect. There ought TO be
some person and place where all nccop-
tary data can be supplied when sought
Tor for other than frivolous means. Ev-
ery merchant ana man of business nnds
n necessary 10 take stock Of his goods
and affairs at stated periods, thet he
may know where he l. at" II Il lust
~ essential for the state to do this
~ for nm Individual
A bureau ~ Statistics. or nj least
nm officer authorized and APP
pointed TO correct aud compile sta
ustlcai information In regard TO the In
duHtricr. resources and progress OF the
state. IN recognized In almost every
commonwealth as a public necessity.
Utah IL lacking In this respect. That
lack should be supplied. our popula'
ton needs to be increased by the In
coming Of people who would help 10 In.
crease and develop our material wcalth.
and they would be- attracted by rclia-
bic Information concrrniiH our State
AND ltH numerous Inducements 20 set
tiers uf thu class. Thia addition would
tend 10 lower the rates ~ taxation. our
state and local governments neci be
no greater as 10 the number ~ oiilclals
nri the duties they would have to per-
form n our population was doubled.
The data that would be gathered by n
competent ntntisticlan. we have no
doubt. would be- the means Of drawing
attention To our growing state In such
way ~ to bring In men of enter
prise and means. who would Increase
our prosperity and nj the same time
help to bear the burden " the public
expenses.
Apart from those considerations, tho
great convenience Of havinF pt hand
particulars ct facts and figures which
arc va frequently needed Tor both public
and private purposes. would Of Itself he
worth more than the cost Of engaging
a competent person TO M the post II
atatistlcian. Much time and labor. now
often expended In almost fruitieas cf-
forts To gather necessary particulars
concerning our State and It's several
counties, cities and towns, would b.
saved and the data desired would be-
both available and accurate. The bene.
fta OF this must be obvious 10 all who
reflect upon IT,
We hope our legislators viii consider
this important matter without prciu-
dice aud that they Will not be influenced
hy the clamora Of people who have not
investigated the subject. nor by tho
objections ~ those who imngino that
atingincsa n economy. The cost uf such
u bureau aH N proposed would be- no
small In proportion To- our revenue. that
II would not be- felt by tho ordlnar,
taxpayer. and the resultant benefits
would ~ greatly outweigh the small cx'
| ponzo. that tho cost would cut scarcely
any figure In lcriHintlng upon the mat
ter II the bill now pending IL mol
found objectionable In other rcspcct'
than those which appear On the surface
I