The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-22
WAR OF FIGURE MEN
In the Controversy Between the Gen.
sus Office and the Agricultural
Department.
Agricultural Gentlemen Thrust To-
day and lie Grand Powers
Parties.
81. The Journal Bxrsa,s. Rosn, 70. Pei
G1iaan. H0aHS0aafn1a.

From, Tho Journal 1s,srsa,E. Rosn, 20, .Pssa
Building. Wds'sjnnton.
Washington, Nov. 22.-The controversy
between john Hyde, chief statistician of
the department Of agriculture and LIE
Grand Powers, chief statistician: Of the
agricultural division Of the census office,
as to whether the agricultural department
or the census figures on agriculture are
more accurate, has broken out afresh.
This controversy was started by the
New York Journal OF Commerce and has
been raging with more COR less bitterness
who is from Mtnnea pois, has had the bet
ter Of it to- date. ssSE%s5 <E54 r !.
But the agricultural department comes
to the front fo-day with news
paper articles SSaneging y inaccuracy
in the census figures for farm
a lands ot in ma re- reported
accuracies were discovered, by commit
tee of the national board Of trade. to
which the matter was referred for inves-
t1gation, and Mr.. Hyde feels that he has
scored a point. Asked to make q state
ments for T8h e 10 II 1'fn a Fin reply to the
report of the national board of trade
committee, Mr.. Powers said:
The conclusions of the board of trade
committee concerning the work. Of the
census office are presented in eight para
graphs. AS, those numbered two and
three are complimentary to the executive
management of the office, take no time
in referring to them. Those numbered
one, four, five and six are substantially
statements made by myself to the com
mittee concerning the work of the office
The last three Of those paragraphs con-
tain an exhibit Of the sources Of error
Which this office has; to guard against.
= In the seventh paragraph, the commit
tee says that it has not been able to reach
any conclusion concerning the success or
failure Of the office in it's efforts to over
come the sources of error pointed out by
myself and referred to in the conclusions
OF paragraphs, four, five and six.
In other words, they confess that SO
far as the census office is concerned, they
did not press their investigation suffi-
clently to find any answer to the ques-
lions raised In the public mind concerning
the agricultural statistics. They, how
ever, do say in. the conclusion Of para
graph that those questions concerning
the census statistics have arisen largely
from comparison with other statistical re-
ports constructed on more or less seri-
ously faulty lines, some Of which show
results In excess and others are less than
those of the census.
The numbered recommendations of the
committee are four. Those numbered 1
ana 3 embody plans for the office which
l informed the committee were being
formulated for the next census Of agri-
culture when taken. The greater "prepa-
ration OF clerks mentioned in recommen-
datlon is secured by the permanent GEN.
s,ls. as was pointed out by my statements
to the committee
= FolloWlng the four numbered recon-
mendat1ons the committee has made GER
tain general statements which embodv
largely the plans of the office as stated
to them by myself. Based upon those
statements and what they learned con-
corning the census office, they make the
only important recommendation Of the re-
port, the only recomm endation not based
upon statements of myself. But the
recommendation is for an agricultural
census every five years. Such a census
has been requested by the National Live
Stock association and the recommendation
of the committee of the board of trade,
which I deem good, and emphasizes the
conclusion Of all practical men that the
census with all it's faults is the only
method of securing reasonably accurate
agricultural statistics, and that more fire.
quent census reports are the only means
OF 1nsuring fairly accurate annual agri-
cultural statistics" - -~..
w. w. .Jermane