discussion so popular and genial. And their 

 wisest leaders, neither few nor unappreciated, 

 have long been teaching a similar doctrine, 

 which has never been impeached by any, and 

 yet has been left by each to his neighbor to 

 practice until a very recent date. May these 

 wise counsels hereafter receive practical as well 

 as theoretical assent. 



STATISTICS OP THE CENTENNIAL. 



A statistical view of this great exhibition ie 

 fullof suggestion and encouragement to farmers, 

 directly in the wonderful progress unfolded in 

 the variety and perfection of labor saving ag- 

 ricultural machinery, and indirectly in the 

 marvelous advance in other branches of indus- 

 trial art, which furnish the home markets that 

 make the farmer's prices in part and his profits 

 in still larger proportion. The machines that 

 did the work of a million farmers absent in the 

 field of war, were not ia existence ten years 

 before, and the past ten years have been equal- 

 ly prolific in the multiplication and perfecting 

 of implements of agriculture, until they have 

 overflowed our own markets and flowed forth 

 by cargoes to fill the markets of Europe, South 

 America, Africa even, and the islands of the 

 world's great ocean. Fifteen years ago this Cen- 

 tennial display of American manufactures would 

 have been impossible, the fine woolens, the car- 

 pets, the cutlery, the glass and porcelain wares, 

 having been mainly the creation of this propiti- 

 ous period of large demand and stable legisla- 

 tion. The benefit of this development to ag- 

 riculture and the national welfare and credit, 

 has been incalculable, a development that has 

 given steady work and high wages to all indus- 

 trial labor, and whiqh put away for full five 

 years the day of panic and monetary depression, 

 which was the legitimate result of over-impor- 

 tation and reckless speculation. It has enriched 

 the country by hundreds of millions, and has 

 been the natural ally of agriculture, as unpro- 

 ductive speculative occupation has been its 

 enemy and bane. 



Before closing this brief line of remark, I 

 would suggest as a preliminary to improve 

 ments in the collection of agricultural data cer- 

 tain 



STATISTICAL DESIDERATA 



For the perfection of statistical investiga- 

 tion, greater accuracy and higher utility in the 

 results, there are many pressing requirements, 

 among which the following are prominent : 



1. A higher popular appreciation of the utility 

 of statistics, a habit of more careful obser- 

 vation and accurate report. 



2. Earnest inculcation by the press of the im- 

 portance of systematic records of fact, and 

 greater precision and conscientiousness in re- 

 porting them for publication. 



3. In industrial associations, greater patience 

 and persistence in statistical effort, and more 

 cure In avoiding erroneous judgments and im- 



pulsive utterances, so naturally resulting from 

 bias of self-interest. 



4. In state legislation, a wise and uniform pro- 

 vision for the best attainable system of statis- 

 tical collection. 



6. In national legislation, higher appreciation 

 of the great necessity and economy of early 

 and accurate information concerning produc- 

 tion and distribution, and a wiser and more 

 liberal provision for the perfection of statistical 

 methods. 



There is yet a small portion of the rural popu- 

 lation refusing, through ignorance and preju- 

 dice, to reveal the extent of their productions. 

 In reporting original data there is frequently a 

 hasty jumping at conclusions and carelessness 

 of statement prejudicial to accuracy, requir- 

 ing a cultivation of patience and the exercise of 

 mature judgment. The organization of State 

 Bureaus of agricultural statistics cannot be de- 

 manded too strenuously, or persistently, and 

 the delegates of this Congress are urged not to 

 cease individual efforts to this end in every 

 state hitherto recreant to its interests and duty 

 in this regard. Scarcely more than half a dozen 

 states are now attempting systematic and regu- 

 lar work. In the South there is but one, Geor- 

 gia, that has made a good beginning ; and she is 

 appropriating for the collection of agricultural 

 statistics a sum as large as the present Congress 

 of United States has provided for a similar 

 purpose for thirty-eight States and ten Terri- 

 tories. 



And here let me urge a vital point. See that 

 you elect to Congress fewer lawyers and more 

 representatives of great industries. Elect men 

 intelligent in practical affairs, wise in measures 

 tending to develop the resources of the coun- 

 try, well indoctrinated in political economy, and 

 as representatives more interested in the pub- 

 lic welfare than in their own. 



The failures of the past in legislation for 

 statistical investigation have been lamentable. 

 Every man of intelligence knew the absolute 

 necessity for a radically amended law for taking 

 the Census of 1870. Much time was spent in 

 maturing a bill, and Gen. Garfleld and others in 

 Congress were efficient in urging it, but the 

 time of its discussion was mainly spent upon 

 purely political features, such as the basis of 

 Congressional representation, and it was aban- 

 doned, and the old and imperfect law was re- 

 enacted with slight alteration. Without recount- 

 ing in detail the failures, allow me to express re- 

 gret for the meagre dole to agricultural sta- 

 tistics by the present Congress. For collecting 

 statistics in forty-eight States and Territories, 

 for clerical work in recording and compiling the 

 same in the home office, for records of domes- 

 tic boards of trade and of agriculture, for 

 transcripts and translations of foreign "official 

 reports and records of industrial organizations, 

 for statistical statements and even special inves- 

 tigations for committees and members of both 



