Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1915-01-28
Crop Reports Bar Speculation.

Crop Reports Bar Speculation.
To prevent the circulation of false
| reports for speculative purposes is
one of the great objects of the Gov
| eminent crop estimates. according to
a circular just issued by the depart
| ment for the information of its 150,-
600 volunteer crop reporters. With
out such system 1t would be prac-
| tically impossible for anyone. except
at great expense, to form an accur-
ate estimate OF crop prospects. Farm
ers would suffer most from such con
ditions because they are neither so
well organized as other lines of bust
ness nor in a position to take advan-
tage OF market fluctuations. Manu-
facturers and railroads, however, are
also vitality interested in obtaining Il
disinterested forecast of conditions In
all parts of the country in order that
they may avoid waste in the distribu-
ton of articles and cars. THE earlier
the information regarding the pro-
bable production OF the great agri-
cultural commodities can be publish
ed" says the circular. the more
l'safely and economically can the bus
mess OF the country be managed from
year to year"
The Importance of these estimates
is also indicated by the precautions
taken to prevent the securing OF ad-
vance information OF their contents.
The local conditions prevailing In any
individual county can OF course be
ascertained by anyone willing TO take
the trouble; IL is not. however. local
conditions but the general average
throughout the country which regu-
lates prices. and this average can
only be determined by those who
have access to all. or at least a great
part. of the reports from the $500
counties of agricultural importance
in the United States In consequence
these reports are most jealousy
guarded. They come each month to
Washington in specially prepared
envelopes. and are delivered to the
Secretary OF Agriculture in sealed
|
by the Secretary OF Assistant Secre-
tary. These two are also the only
persons who know the combination
OF the safe in which the reports. still
sealed. are deposited until the morn
ing of the day on which the govern
ment's monthly crop report is ssued
They are then delivered to the Chief
of the Bureau of Crop Estimates to
be tabulated and the condition fig
ure" for each state determined In
the case of crops in which there Is
much speculation. such as cotton.
corn. and wheat. this work is done
by men who do not know to what
states the figures with which they
deal relate.
The results of this impersonal
arithmetical process are turned over
to the crop reporting board. compos-
ed OF five or six members. who. with
the exception of their chairman, the
chief of the bureau. the assistant
chief OF bureau, and a statistical sci
enlist, change each month While
the board Is In session no one is al
lowed to enter or leave the room. or
even the bureau, and all telephones
are disconnected. When the report
is in its final form copies are deliv-
cred simultaneously to all applicants
for transmission by telegraph and
telephone to all parts OF the country.
Additional copies are mailed later
and finally the report is published in
the Agricultural Outlook, OF which
an edition OF 225.OOO copies is dis
tributed monthly