The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-30
STATISTICS FOR
TOBACCO TRADE
Plans Under Way for Having Them
Gathered.
BE ACCURATE AND COMPLETE.
Bureau Of Statistics Of the Treasury De-
pa,tGs1t TO Cooperate With the Ma
tional Tobacco Association
in the Matter.
IN the Mates

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The Bureau of Statistics Of the Trea1
ury Department at Washington, u. CIR
an the Tobacco Association of the United
States. recently formed here. viii CO.
operate Ii, giving to the tobacconists, thu
country over. the best trade statistics thai
can be secured. Plans for this Joint opera
ton have not yet been worked: out, but Il
WI. undoubtedly take effect, and that be.
fore very long.
Inis statistical information heretofore
has been of very imperfect and mac.
curite character, this fact being a sourc:
of much discomfort to the wea.ers of the
weed. Especially in Virgin a is this tbs
case Tobacconists declare that where
they start out on a hunt to learn this OF
that concerning the traue. the knowledge
of which would at the time prove valu-
able to them. they hunt, in mos cases, in
vain, Such statistics as are at hand cam
not be relied upon
| FIGURES ARE OF VALUE.
1t Is of great Importance to workers In
| any field TO have available facts and fig
ures concerning their business. which viii
give them an idea of it's status and condi-
tons throughout the country, and thus, it
may be said. is especially true of the to-
bacco trace. Moreover, these statis.ics
should constantly De brought up to date
Hence. when delegates from the various
tobacco markets gathered here short
While ago and evolved national or
ganization 1t was first in the minds OF
! many of them that the newborn asso-
citation should make this dissemination of
statistical information one of it's chief fea-
lures. There had been Il hue and cry from
! several directions for statistics, and es
pecially in Richmond. by the way and
! it was suggested here and in some other
places that the local boards of trade take
up the matter.
| But the association got at the question
] in a much better manner. \ bureau OF
| information was created and put in
charge of me secretary and treasurer of
/ the body. who will be an experienced man.
Any member of the association can en-
| joy the advantages of this bureau upon
the payment of a small annual fee. which
gees TO The support of the secretary, and
| can thus become acquainted, easily and
wen, with the workings of the tobacco
| world.
MIR. AUSTIN WRITES
| Owing to stress of business this bureati
| has not yet been put into practical opera
| ton. but will soon be an established fact.
! 1t was realized that the secretary would
| have considerable difficulty in getting the
! statistics together and would probably
| find it simply impossible to SECURE them
! all. This point. however has been sim
plified very considerably by letter which
| has just been received in this city by Mr..
| 7. NJ. Darlington. president of the -Asso-
| citation. and which explains the first state
ment made above. In it Mr.. O. P. Aus
| tin, chief of the Bureau of Statistics CT
| the Treasury Department of the United
| States, offers to cooperate with the AS
ISOLATION in gathering up the data and it
is believed that the two working together
| will be able to get things down to 4 fine
| point. Mr.. Austin says, in part:
Il should be glad TO cooperate with
| You or your committee on statistics. which
| | understand was provided for at your
/ annual meeting. If a more or less uni
| form system of blank forms could IL
| agreed upon. and the figures of receipts.
deliveries. and stocks on hand be reported
| to this bureau monthly by the principal
markets through the local secretaries.
would have the figures tabulated In this
! office and published regularly in eur
| monthly Summary of Internal Com
merce.''
LIKES THE SCHEME
! In reply to this communication. Mt.
| Darlington yesterday wrote TO MI. aus
| tin that he had not yet been able TO tin,i
time to get at the practical establishment
of the Bureau of Information, but wouhd
! do so very shortly. He thought the CO
operation scheme a good one, and Wouih
let Mr. Austin hear from him further III
regard to the matter
The arrangements between Mr.. Austin
and the Association would be reclpro-
cal one Mr. Austin would furnish the
! Association with all the tobacco statistics
which he could gather, and vice versa.
Thus the two working together could set
at the matter vastly better than either
going separately. The scheme meets WITH
the entire approval of President Carrlps-
ton, who will proceed TO see that IL IS
nut into operation. He believes the ar
raneement to be an admirable one. ana
his belief will be concurred in by all othcf
tobacconists In fact, they would agree
in hai,ing anything which would give
then, tha statistics they. in most cases,
want so badly
PETITION THE LEGISLATURES
In connection with this matter OF sta
tistics it may also he stated that 'hs
Tobacco Association will make an EFFORT
to have the Legislature of Virginia and
oIso that of North Carolina, and one CT
two other States lend a helping nand IN
.ba ca,sa In Kentucky the Commission
~ Agriculture gathers the tobacco sta
tistics and the Association will attempt
10 hive the Legislature in this and tbs
other states referred to inaugurate the
same. or a similar, arrangement
THE CITY HALL COURTS.