The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-03-31

Formerly q. Logan Payne Co.
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
The Census of Distribution
The coming census Of the United States will be the
most comprehensive statistical compilation ever UNDER
taken In this or any other country. It will necessitate
the employment of over $4,000 people to canvass the
dwellings, farms, shops, factories, stores. and other estab-
lisfments for which data must be obtained. It will cover
population. agriculture, irrigation. drainage. manufac-
lures, mines, unemployment, and distribution.
The original purpose Of the census when it was initiated
30 years ago was simply to ascertain the population Of
the several states as q basis for the apportionment OF
representatives; and the taking Of q census decenniaHy
for this purpose is required by the constitution OF the
United States.
But this, which is still the most important or funda-
mental political purpose Of the census. has been almost
forgotten or lost sight Of in the mass Of detail now col
lected in response to the growing demand and increasing
need for statistical information.
The earliest censuses were confined to the one SUBJ
aect Of population. Censuses Of manufactures were taken
IN 1910 and 1920: and statistics Of agriculture. manu-
3actures, and mining have been collected in every decen-
census since and including that Of 1910 A census
q manufactures is now taken every two years. and a
census Of agriculture every five years.
Despite the general interest in statistics concerning
che various major activities of the nation. no nationwide
census has ever been taken In the field of distribution
while some figures concerning certain phases of distribu-
zion have been gathered by governmental and private
agencies from time to time, such attempts have been
sporadic and fell short of presenting q picture even OF a
single phase Of distribution in its entirety. Yet most
every one will concede that this is an era in which the
problems of distribution have far exceeded In their Sc
robustness and completely the problems arising out Of
production.
Even as late as the early years Of the twentieth GEN.
fury, the major problem facing business men was that Of
securing enough goods to satisfy a growing demand on
~ nork ~ tho ops,,uno The iuoportoNf nn,ncfioO WAS
how to make two blades Of grass grow in the place of one.
In other words. 1t was q problem of production and
production efficiency. Nowadays. and ertainly this has
been true since about 1918. the question is, not how to
produce additional goods to satisfy q growing and in
satable demand, but it is a matter of how to dispose Of
O. distribute the third blade of grass.
The country is so tremendously large in territory: manu-
featuring Is SO highly localized: and the standards of liv-
M are 30 much higher than in many other lands. that a
lyost md exceedingly complex machinery necessarily came
amto existence to bridge the Overwhelming gap between
tproducer and consumer. This distribution machinery
~ now grown 50 complex and has SO many ramifica-
23GGg that few individuals indeed have any real concep-
~ Of what it actually is, Of what elements it is COM
Dooed. and how it functions. let alone any true knowl-
o1oe concerning the merits asd deficiencies Of any OF
~ numerous agencies Of which it is composed.
u s for these and many other reasons that the bust
3Deg men OF the country, including our manufacturers
Anud bankers, have felt for some time that in order to
eo91y On oOueSC1c commerce Win B reasonable degree
~ efficiency it is just as necessary to have some statis-
ttics concerning domestic distribution as it has been In
f&he handling Of the export and import business. The
eeng1S Of distribution comes to the merchants and manu-
hacturers Is . response to their own desires and wishes.
md # b up to everybody to help make it rs valuable.
Hka6ttcal and useful as we all with it to be.
xne census Ct distribution will supply the nation with
1aTc facts concerning its distribution mechanism. 1t
]Mnl I'll the greatest need which exists to date in our
anoUjedge Of the national economic life. While we have
Known for some time just how many farmers there are.
hoW many miners we have and how many ~foresters. and
Nnat NJ Of item are producing: while we have known
I3oK many years just how many manufacturers of each
7ciam there are In the United States, where they are. what
Ehe9 are making, and how much value they add by their
mnnufacturing processes: we have no accurate knowl-
b1Do concerning the activities In trade. We can make
N41y the toughest Of guesses regarding even a such simple
EMn - the number Of wholesale and retail establish
$1,000 and the total volume Of business done. to say
m~41ang Of any comprehensive information regarding It.
y whole matter pertaining to distribution, its extent,
MlAe-up. functions. etc. Is largely one Of pure conjec-