Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-20


state. or even one section of the country,
but in every part of the United States.
But while all important, the reports
on wheat and cotton are probably await
the cotton report is even more important
than wheat.
To the casual visitor the bureau of
statistics, which complies all these fig
ureS, seems srnall-aln1ost too small in
fact. for its Brobdingnagian task Once it
had an entire building to itself, but this
gave ii more space than it required. Con-
Sequently II was moved to the second
floor of the old brick home of the Agri-
cultural Department proper. There at
the mead OF the stairs Is long suite of
rooms, connecting with one another, and
occupied by perhaps 100 clerks, most of
them well past middle age, and all for
ever busy with seemingly interminable
lists of figures. AT the end of the suite
is a closed door. over which is a sign
bearing the simple announcement. THE
Statistician''-an inside within close
touch of his clerks, but hidden safely
away from troublesome visitors sits the
head of the bureau
Victor III. Olmsted is the name of the
bureaus chief. He is huge of stature.
kindly OF face. and looks about as far
removed from the general mental con-
ccpti0n of the statistical scientist as
could be imagined. Neither does his con-
VeTsation indicate the scientist. His abil-
lty has been formally recognized by two
great foreign governments, and a little
more than year ago, when he was in
Rome as a special representative of Uncle
Sam at the International Institute of
Agriculture, he gave statistical advice
and counsel to no less a person than the
King of Italy-and he rendered it in a
personal interview-an honor sought by
many. but gained by few.
And for all that the bureau seems
puny. 1t is, in reality, huge and far
reaching. In fact, it is one of the largest,
if not actually the largest in the en-
tire government. Its arms extend to
all parts of the country, not only
through the more dense,y populated
parts, but through the woods into sec
tions far removed from railroads. to
huge plantations covering miles of
domain, and 10 tiny farms comprising
only few scanty and ill-nourished
acres In the central offices of the
bureau here only Il scant 100 men and
women are emplOyed-but in addition
- these the bureau has a working force
Of more than 10000
Some of these 10000 receive regular
monthly salaries. There is, for in
VINO may have several subordinate
agents under him-and there are also
a ver1table horde of special agents sent
out from "headquarters' to keep a gem
erai eye on things A huge majority
OF the employees of the bureau. however
are tabulated as voluntary correspond
ents- These contribute their services
without the slightest hope of financial
recompense. The sole pay they receive
from the Sovernment--if pay it NAV he
called-is in farm literature run off at
the presses of the federal printing Of
hces. and perhaps an extra liberal al
lowance OF free flower and garden seeds
That is all they set-yet apparently
they are contented. Most of them in
deed. find recompense enough in their
title. and the fact that they are work
ing for Uncle Sam Practically ALI OF
them are active farmers, and their work
is expert. OF necessity it must he So
for otherwise the reports of the hure,n
would lose in accuracy-and accuracy is
essential.
The work of the men of the bureau of
statistics Is combination of reporting
on actual conditions joined to prophecy
which must he based on absolute knowI.
edge of conditions and their effects for
years back. A correspondent with a dis
trict comprising seven small farms for
example. will look over the crops and
form mental estimate as to the prob
able yield In making this estimate he
must hearken back to all the Yields of
those Particular farms for the past ten