Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-09-13

the crop reports furnished by Uncle
Sam Is built of the agricultural opin-
Ions Of great number of unpaid men.
There are at least 10000 township cor
respondents. all of them farmers of
sufficient Intelligence to fill out blank
forms provided by the government.
These forms ask for information con-
corning the area of land under cult.
walton In different crops, amount OF
rainfall, etc. The men and women who
send In these reports are satisfied to
receive as a reward for their labor Il
rev packages of seed In the spring
and some of the publications of the
department for winter reading. The
next body Of official news gatherers
consists of the county correspondents.
There are 1900 of these, each of whom
has three assistants, making total
force of county correspondents of
$500. The department has list of
over 100000 other farmers who are
called upon twice n year for specific
facts which enter into the general fore
cast Of crops just prior to harvesting
time.
The paid force. those who receive
some portion of the 100000 set aside
by the government for the purpose of
maintaining the bureau, is small, but
capable. 1t embraces the State agents
and the field men. The State statisti-
cal agents, one for every State, accord
Ing to the plan, are paid from $500 to
$500 year for about weeks work in
each month. They are kept posted by
the county correspondents, but they
are mex dependent entirely on their Re.
ports. They are allowed the greatest
possible latitude in the exercise Of
their own judgment and are men of
standing and character in their various
communities. The field men receive ST
a day and expenses. Literally con-
strued, their duties consist in moving
about In their own districts during the
growing season and gathering infor-
nation from any source accessible to
them. They interview not only farm
ers and planters, but get information
from implement dealers, merchants.
bankers. stock growers, etc. They are
given the fullest possible opportunity
to form their Judgment from the com
ments of men on both sides of the CROP
question.
Every precaution Is taken to prevent
leaks. The sheets sent in by the coun-
ty and township. correspondents are
distributed to the Office force by the
chief of the division. In the apportion.
ment of the work great care is taken
to keep the section reports separated
widely, SO that no clerk is permitted to
deal with figures for single crop COW
ering wide area. Extra precaution Is
taken to detect collision, and every
night before work is over the records
are all collected and locked in a great
safe. The reports of the State agents
and the field men are put In this safe
also and kept there under unbroken
seals until stated time.
The issuing OF n completed report is
quite a ceremonial affair. On the event
full morning of the day on which 1t is
to appear the Secretary of Agriculture
or his assistant goes over to the office
of the chief statlsticlan to witness the
opening of the envelopes. The door of
the office is locked, and no one is per
mitted to enter until the compilation
Is completed. The clerks keep to their
tasks until the final results are reach
ed. After repeated verflcation a trust
ed employe is called into the room and