Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-01-12
CROP STATISTICS

COM. GlLeREATh TELLS or THE
!! IMPORTANCE TO HIS WORK or
{ THIS INFORMATION AND HOW
4 DIFFICULT It's TO SECURE
RELIABLE FIGURES.
In his annual report to the COVER
nor Commissioner Gilbreath, of the
department OF agriculture and labor,
lays especial emphasis upon his in
ability to obtain accurate crop statis-
tics, which under the present law are
furnished by the assessors. This in.
ability is due to the refusal of the
farmers in many cases to supply the
data requested by the assessors,
through the fact that farmers have
been led to believe that the giving
out; of correct data would work them
an injury in the price of their grain.
Mr.. Gilbreath calls attention to the
fact that this is positive injury to
the several counties, since the reports
of their crop production are in many
cases wrong, but there is no means
of getting at the correct data. This
portion of Mr.. Gilbreath's report is
especially interesting, and is accom-.
panied with letters from a number Of
auditors, showing their inability to
get proper data from the assessors,
and stating that much of the data is
inaccurate and unreliable. OF this
phase of the case Mr.. Gilbreath says:
much care has been exercised in
an effort to obtain accuracy in sta
tistics, but the results are not entire
ly satisfactory. 1t is, however, the
best that can be accomplished under
the present system of gathering them.
The assessors are required by law
to carefully finish up their books be-
fore returning them to the county
auditors. These latter auditors seldom
have time to 60 over the assessors
work just when their books are turn
ed in, and as a result discrepancies
frequently creep into the county audi
tors reports to this Office. In many
instances considerable correspondence
has been exchanged with auditors of
various counties with view to as
pertaining the cause Of irregularities
and they invariably have attributed
the source of all discrepancies to the
assessors, who have failed to turn in
sufficient and accurate data. Assess
ors assert in many instances that
these Inaccuracies are due to the
farmers unwillingness to supply suf-
flcient information.
Farmers, apparently have eonceiv-
ed the idea that giving a full and
complete statement to the assessors
Of all grain and stock raised by them
will have a depressing effect upon
the market and tend to lessen the
price of what they have to sell. They
overlook the fact that this tendency
to minimize the volume of their
products or failure to render a just
and true account of what they
actually produce, and the ef-
feet of reducing the price of
their lands, retards immigration and
initiates against the states growth
and prosperity. The mere concealment
of the facts from the assessor can
have no effect upon the market as
the grain and stock statistics publish
ed by this department are at least
one and half years late and there
fore could have no bearing, what
ever, upon the selling price of these
commodities.
IF these statistics are valuable,
and no doubt they are, to those seek
ing new homes, they should be &C.
curate and reliable The commission
men of the great centers, large grain
dealers and manipulators, as we'll as
the owners of packing houses and
exporters, through their paid agents,
who are located in almost every city,
town and hamlet, to gather and COL
lect the prospective as we'll as the
actual production of the different
kinds of products produced on the
farm, have knowledge of the annual
yield in this state. They come very
near absolutely knowing what every
farmer will raise and the probable
amount he will sell on the market.
1t is not this class of men who send
to this department for information
as to the amount of the different
kinds of grain produced in each coun-
ty and the aggregate of the entire
state. for they already have it a year
in advance Of this department. But it
is those who live In other states who
are dissatisfied with their environ.
ments, discontinued with exorbitant
rentals and who wish to secure homes
and improve their financial conditions