The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-27
RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES OF
THE TREASURE STATE.
STATISTICS OF MONTANA
Eighth Report Of the Commissioner
Of Agriculture, Labor and
Industry.

NA5AS" Wv VI tAO Jul Vou NJ |
agriculture, labor and industry of the
state of Montana has just been COM
pleted and copies of the volume are
ready for delivery to members Of the
legislature, says the Helena Indepen-
dent. In this report the legislators
will see the most comprehensive book
dealing with the and in
dustries of the state that has ever
been issued. 1t is a work of nearly |
$50 pages, including the returns of
the 1902 election by counties, which
are issued under separate cover. And
within the covers OF the book there
is intelligent presentation of facts
about Montana that must result in
much permanent good to the state.
Particularly striking is the illustra-
tion feature of the book, there being
many halftone illustrations. ranging
in size from double page to quarter
page showing some industry or view
that will interest those who take up
Cl1C UOOh. IL ulSL VI IuC lluoC
tions shows the home of the first
Montana legislature in Bannack and
the next presents a striking contrast
and %eloquently shows the progress
Montana has made, this being a pic
ture of the new state capitol, the
home of the Eighth legislative assem-
bly,.
Statistics dealing with every phase
of life in the state are to be found
in the report. II the reader desires
facts about the mineral productions
of the state it will be found in this
report IF he is looking for facts about
the agricultural interests, the lumber
industry, the oil fields, municipal at
fairs, church statistics-in short, any
thing that is required to make up
a complete handbook of the state
he will find it in this report, in each
instance accompanied by an article in
which the matter under discussion is
presented in a capable name
There is no statistical Office in
the state, this excepted" says Com
missioner J. A. Ferguson in his in
troductory article, land upon scru-
tiny it will appear that the title OF
the bureau implies the widest posi-
BILE scope of statistical activity, with
qualifications that sometimes carry
operations into hooks and corners In
addition to being an Office of research
and original investigation, it's COM
pilations are oftentimes quite as inn
portant. The tables taken from the
advance pages of the twelfth census
are susceptible to a diversity of dis
section and reconstruction that will
weld information which would cost
the state an impossible sum. Their
reproduction herein places very much
that is of sterling value at fingers
ends for reference that would other
wise be lost to nearly all on account
of the extremely limited circulation
of the census reports. If the liberal
quotations from the census seem a
redundance to some, the justification
for their reproduction will be found
in the foregoing view. The commits
sioner begs to assure such that much
study and consideration were given
these before they found their way
into this report
Commissioner Ferguson and Assist
: ant Commissioner Louis P. Benedict
have done their work we'll, and the
result is a volume that reflests credl'
upon the state for which it is issued
The edition of the report is $500
copies. and a large proportion OF these
have already been applied for by per
, sons who have their eyes turned &c
Na,,+oro &c a state for investment Of