BULLETIN OF TIIE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 251 



ence was a great aid, but I have obtained even better results from col- 

 lege men upon matters relating to their colleges and from specialists 

 concerning their specialties. I therefore feel free to protest against 

 the careless and inefficient work of this sort so often done by both 

 juiblic and private enterprise. Patience and perseverance in wise 

 methods may not be all the qualifications that are necessary for good 

 statistical work, but these are indispensable. Some of the suggestions 

 to be made for success in collecting material are the following : 



I. Make the questions very clear, concise, and as few as possible. 

 (Better send twice than totally break down by too long requests.) 



II. If but one class of persons can be addressed from each of whom 

 an answer is especially desirable, send to all a first issue, to all who do 

 not answer in 100 days a second issue, and to all who do not answer in 

 100 days more a third issue. 



III. If more than one class of persons can give the facts, address all 

 of each class, and after about seventy -five days address the delinquents 

 a second time. 



IV. Do not vary the matter sent the second time. Let it be an ex- 

 act duplicate, and be sent just exactly as if it had not been previously 

 issued. 



V. Leave blank lines between the questions, so that no other paper 

 is needed for reply, and if it can be put on a postal furnish it, more for 

 the sake of uniformity even than for inducing people to reply. 



VI. Always inclose an addressed envelope or postal for reply, and 

 provide that there be no expense to the respondent for postage. 



VII. Remember that more or less of your circulars will be misdi- 

 rected, lost in transit, fall into wrong hands, arrive during the absence 

 or sickness of your correspondents, be crowded aside for later answer, 

 or to get some needed information, and then inadvertently overlooked, 

 and so, do not loose faith in human nature, but rather rejoice that amid 

 so many contingencies you can get the material at all. 



Statistics are frequently laughed at, usually pushed aside as " dry n 

 and sometimes analyzed to the serious discomfort of the author. At 

 other times they are extolled and made the basis of the most important 

 action. I am quite sure that these various treatments are usually just. 

 Accurate and truthful statistics are very scarce, and, when found, very 

 valuable. Figures often do misrepresent terribly, notwithstanding the 

 charitable maxim that " figures never tell lies." 



Whoever has prepared statistics or tested them knows that the great 

 and fruitful cause of bad statistics is in bad methods of collecting the 

 data. The methods are not revealed on the face of the results, and 

 hence the insidiousness of this cause. Mailing circulars does not con- 

 stitute the most effective method, but if rightly managed it is cheapest. 

 It is especially economical in government bureaus where postage costs 

 nothing. The most effective method is by personal visitation of skilled 

 agents. This, from its expense, is usually out of reach of private insti- 



