The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-08

Upon these high class volunteer re-
pOrters we depend at al seasons for
information regarding conditions.
yields and values. Whenever we wish
to learn about growing crops, for in
stance. we prepare blanks with suit
able questions, the answers by report
erS affording the information desired
The responses to these inquiries are
carefully sifted, absurdfties and nal
pable exaggerations eliminated. and
the consensus of the statements made
are, when clarified, taken to represent
the situation with reference fo 1Vha+ #
ever crop or crops may be reported on.
for the state and by counties. At the
very earliest possible moment the in
formation thus obtained is given to
the public through the neWsDaDers
in the form of painstakingly preDared
concise press bulletins and, whether
for veal or woe, they unerringIy re-
fleet conditions existing on the date
of reporting.
growing crops appear at the time; not
how they are going to appear at a fu-
ture time, nor what their yield is until
they have actually yielded and the ma
tured product is in the hands of it's
growers.
Information Is Reliable.
It is not within the bounds of human
ACCOMPLISHMENT to forecast the acts of
COD. but from time to time we give to
the world reliable information as to ex-
isting conditions Of growing crops, and
from this anyone but the secretary of
the Kansas board of agriculture is at
liberty to figure to bushel and his own
satisfaction Just what yields will be-
and tell it to the world. When the best
of guessers shoot wide of the mark as
| they all do with more or less frequency,
| it serves only to make them appear ri
diculous. and If in such instances there
is any effect it is only to mislead and
| destroy confidence. Guessing may do
for individuals but not for an official
/ or a branch of government whose aim
! is and should be to serve all interests
alike with absolute fairness and integ-
rity.
When. however. crops are harvested
then the boards reporters-the men who
grow the crops-teH of the actual
Yields and the average home values, and
/ November each year, to make up the
1 permanent records.
! We do not issue reports or bulletins
on the growing crops or crop conditions
on set or particular dates as IS done by
the United States department of agri-
culture, but only at such times as there
| is something of special interest or some
! change in the general situation. The
| final compilations of acreages, yields
and values of crops and the numbers
| and values of live stock are printed ir
detail in a December quarterly repori
! each year and also Incorporated in the
bound biennial reports
| In all this work we have few funda-
| mental principles which I term my re
ligion. Among these is that the radical
the boomer, the bull. on the one hand ol
the torpid-livered pessimist, the bear
1 on the other. shall not run away with
| or queer a report. It is all the tim'
assumed that the eleven jurors whi
agree are nearest sane, and their yer
dict prevails.
We never guess. prognosticate o
prophesy. We make no predictions o
| what is going to be, but record what is
Facts and not fancies, diagnosis an,
not prognosis are the basis of Kansas
agricultural statistics.