The Port Gibson reveille., 1906-01-25

ING report emphasizes t1e Aaci
that The figures thus reached are not
the result Of a mathematical compu-
a.ion, but reached by the exercise
Of argument. "
Field Agents
The report says that great stress
has been laid in the past on the num-
Der Of important sources from which
the bureau Of statistics has obtained
lis information. In the judgement Of
the committee It does not add author
ity to the estimates Of the crop by
bureau to state that information has
been sought from $1,000 different per-
sons. The information principally re-
lied on is contained in reports of trav-
cling field agents and state agents. If
these two sources of information
ac~ee little attention Is paid to diver
gent opinions on the part Of other
correspondents.
The report says that in every in
stance except in the case Of three cot
ton reports in the last sTx years the
bureau Of Statistics estimates have
been underestimates- In the case of
cotton, although the bureau Of statis-
ties has under estimated the crop in
every instance, if judged by Its re-
ports expressed in the number of bales
nevertheless If the bales are reduced
to pounds Of lint cotton it appears
that out of the six late reports on cot
ton yield the bureau of statistics has
over estimated the crop in three cases
and underestimated in three cases.
The report makes various sugges-
tions looking to improvement Of the
service. 1t suggests that in the case
Of cotton the per centage figure Of
condition be converted into bales of
indicated weight by a well known com
mereial formula. 1t recommends the
transfer Of the determination Of the
cotton acreage planted from the bu-
reau Of statistics to the bureau Of Cen
sus. A large diminuition Of the num-
Der Of correspondents Of the bureau
is also recommended. The commission
urges that no further returns on cot
ton be asked for from township cor
respondents, individual farmers and
ginners, and that the money thus saw
ed be utilized in improving the state
organizations.
State Agents Salaries.
The state agents salaries should
be increased, and they should be al
lowed travelling expenses, 50 as to Sc
lect their correspondents by personal
contact instead of by a system Of let
ters and distribution. The state
agents should be inspected BY an in
spector from the Washington office,
30 that the method Of doing the work
can be carefully observed. The num-
Der Of travelling field agents Of the
department should be sufficient to cov-
er every part Of their territory each
month. An important recommends
ton of the report is that the Bureau
Of Statistics in the case of cotton con-
fines its work to its monthly reports
expressing the condition of the grow
ing season. Not only should the acre
ace planted be determined by the Cen
sus Bureau By a process Of enumera-
ton, but the ginning statistics Of the
census should be tie only government
reports on yield Of cotton. The Bu-
reau Of Statistics now puts out Its
report on cotton yield about the 3rd
Of December. By December 20, the
ginning statistics cover 80 per cent Of
the crop, and a more accurate esti-
mate of the total crop can be made
from these figures than from the es-
Inmates Of the bureau.
Discussing the ginning statistics Of
the Census Bureau, the report says
that the early reports Of ginning COW
er so small a proportion Of the crop
as to be without value. II recommends
that no ginning report be issued be-
fore the middle Of October, when the
amount of the crop ginned is between
40 and so per cent. The expense saw
ed by abandoning the earlier ginning
reports will go far toward meeting the
expense involved in the determination
Of the cotton acreage planted.