The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-01-09
VOLUMES AND PRICES AGAIN.

The season of statistics is with us
again, with a flood of figures repres-
enting the activities and achievements
of the year just past; many of them
so vast as to stagger comprehension.
At the same time there recurs to the
mind-entirely without offense-an
old time proverb and its latergloss:
Figures don't lie; Blu. liars do figure.
Let US omit the Short and ugly word,
and saw that it is possible and is un-
fortunately common for figures which
are quite correct to be used by per-
sons whose intentions are quite cor
rect in a way which will produce an
impression which is entirely incor-
rect.
The annual report of the department
of agriculture provides an apt exam
pie. We are told that while farmers
of some other countries get more
from an acre than do Americans, TAX
ing both acreage and yield into ac-
count the American farmer produces
two or three times as much as they A
more accurate impression would be
produced by saying that in spite of the
fact that European farmers get two or
three times as much from an acre as
he, by planting vastly greater area
| tudu tHCy tHc american is enaDleQ 10
secure a greater harvest.
Still more misleading is the state
ment that, as result of this extern
farmers war work, the American crop
production in 1919 was three times as
great as the average in the five years
proceeding the war 1t is quite true,
no doubt, that the harvest of 1919
was worth $l5,837 100000, while the
average in the fiveyears before the
war was only $5,S20O 900. But it
is quite untrue that there was any
commensurate increase of. cultivated
area, of acreage yield, of work done
on the land, or of actual production
OF crops. That enormous increase, of
nearly 200 per cent, was not increase
in volume Of production, but chiefly
in market prices.
A refreshing contrast to this mis-
leading method of statement appears
IN a report OF the state board of ag-
riculture of Kansas. 1t tells that the
last years production of crops ano
live stock reached a valuation of ST.
0S7,OOO,OOO, for the first time in his
torv surprising the billion dollar
mark, but, it Immediately and frank
ly adds, hugh prices rather than un-
precedented yields were responsible
for the showing, That is exactly cor
rect, and it is to be wished that the
excellent example of the Kansas stat.
istician might be widelx followed.
The matter is of practical import
ance to the national welfare, since
it is always mischievous to have ex-
aggerated estimates of our resources,
products and wealth prevail. This
ounty has in the past suffered much
from 'big-headedness" induced by pre-
cisely such extravagant representa-
tons of its material greatness. 1t has
been led to wastefulness and profig-
acy in the disposition of its resources,
regarding them as inexhaustable 1t
is well to appreciate the greatness of
this country, but it is not we'll to i'm
agine it to be far greater than it is.
1t is we'll to have statistics showing
the increase in value of our products:
but it would be UNNECESSARILY better
in every case to have by their side 9TH
er figures showing to what extent, if
any, that increase is due to increase in
volume, and to what extent it arises
from a mere initiation of market pri-
ceS,-Harvey's Weekly.