242 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



what is desirable in practice, and also of finding 

 out what are the needs of the private owner, and 

 what the state should do to further his interests. 

 The state of Minnesota has, for more than a 

 quarter of a century, supported the efforts of such 

 an association with considerable satisfaction by 

 yearly appropriations. The countenancing of such 

 private endeavor in educational directions is cer- 

 tainly good state policy. 



A more direct and far-reaching influence upon 

 private activity, still of an educational character, 

 is properly exercised by the state in securing and 

 publishing statistical information. Statistics, intel- 

 ligently gathered and presented, form the necessary 

 basis for a safe judgment of existing conditions and 

 past progress of development, and also for forecast- 

 ing the future tendencies of development and pos- 

 sibly directing its progress ; they give clews, and 

 are guides, not only for rational legislation, but also 

 for rational conduct of private business. While 

 self-interest may be quite efficient for the sake of 

 private business use to ascertain conditions of 

 supply and demand in daily, weekly, or monthly 

 business, for the sake of the prosperous develop- 

 ment of the community at large and of giving 

 general direction to private endeavor, it is desirable 

 that a state institution ascertam periodically the 

 condition of a whole industry and its relation to 

 other industries. 



Such ascertainment is done with satisfaction 



