60 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



tion of warrants in the last two years, from nine thousand seven hun- 

 dred and fift3^-six dollars donated to the societ}^ hj' the citizens of Sacra- 

 mento during the same time, we have the sum of four thousand one 

 hundred and sixty-seven dollars and eighty-six cents, the amount the 

 society has foUen short of sustaining itself during that period ; or in 

 other words, the amount of assistance it has received and used for the 

 payment of premiums and current exj^enses, other than the liquidation 

 of old indebtedness. 



, STATISTICS. 



The value of correct and reliable statistics, carefully collected and clas- 

 sified in such a manner as to show at one view the variety, amount, and 

 value of the productions, and the capacity or resources of a State, are 

 universally acknowledged and acted upon by enlightened and far seeing 

 business men and legislators in all countries. They are the inducements 

 and guides to internal improvements, and they direct the course of migra- 

 tion, and the movement and investment of capital throughout the world. 

 A State possessed of abundant natural resources, without a well digested 

 and eflFective sj'stem for the collection and distribution of such informa- 

 tion, both at home and abroad, is like a ship at sea laden with a valuable 

 cargo, and endeavoring to find a port in which that cargo can be advan- 

 tageously disposed of, but without a bill of lading aboard, and not even 

 possessing a chart by which to determine the location of that port, or a 

 compass or rudder Avith which to guide the vessel into it, if its location 

 were known. We are sorry to say that such even is the condition of our 

 own State. From the want of a well defined policy and enlightened action 

 on the part of those Avho have heretofore had the poAver to inculcate a 

 true and proper knowledge and appreciation of our resources and advan- 

 tages, not only has capital ceased to seek investment and immigration a 

 home among us, but the former is continually being withdraAvn to other 

 fields, and Ave have already furnished a large portion of the people to 

 settle and build up one State and a number of Territories, none of Avhich 

 possess the advantages for the remunerative and permanent investment 

 of capital or profitable application of labor in agriculture, in mining, in 

 manufactures or commerce, to be found within our borders. 



Dee])ly impressed Avith the importance to the welfare of our State of 

 some authoritative and compulsor}^ mode of collecting such statistics, 

 and of charging that department to Avhom people both at home and 

 abroad are Avont to look for such information, Avith the duty of gather- 

 ing, classifying, and distributing them, the Board petitioned the last 

 Legislature for the passage of a huv making it the dut}- of Count}' and 

 District Assessors to collect and return to their Secretary such as they 

 deemed of most importance, to be by him classified and arranged, and 

 published in the annual transactions of the society, and distributed for 

 general information Avherever they Avould probably do the most good. 

 The then unfavorable condition of the State finances, and the disturbed 

 condition of the country, resulting from the rebellion, in a number of the 

 States, had an influence, no doubt, against its passage. The improved 

 condition of the State Treasury, and the fortunate suppression of the 

 rebellion, induces the Board to ho])e that some Act having so desirable 

 an object in view, will become a law during the p-esent session. 



