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Show THAT STATISTICAL AGENCY. t No Secrecy Possiblo Ahout 'It, and There Is No Reason for Foolishness. Fool-ishness. ' Yesterday morning the Herald had a mild censallon in regard to tho statistical statis-tical agenoy of tho United States Department Depart-ment of Agriculture, now held by William Wil-liam Nelson of Tho Tribune. Tho story was to tho ciTect that It was a profound secret, but thiil Col. Tollock had found It out, and was after tho Job, which pays the munificent salary of $400 n year, or ilOO a quarter. There can bo no possiblo secret about this matter. Tho statistical agent semis out all over tho State an average of a hundred letters a month, to corrospond-cnto corrospond-cnto In every county, enclosing blanks on which the correspondents ln tho various va-rious localities vnter tho condition of tho crops, of live stock, tho yield of grains and of other products ln tholr season, sea-son, and relatod Information. This tho ugent tabulates nnd averages, making a teport for the wholo State and forwards by mall nnd by cipher to the department at Washington, Thcro Is only one secret about the whol9 matter, and that Is. tho department requires that tho Information thua collected must not be given out by tho agent or tho correspondents; tho department de-partment gives It all out Itself, when tho returns aro ln for tho whole country. Now, as to tho occupancy of tho position. posi-tion. When Gen. Rusk was appointed Secretary of Agriculture, this agency hero was established, h: offering It to Mr. NelHon. an old friend. When Mr. Cleveland became President, tho position posi-tion was given to Mr. Guy C. Wilson of Sanpelo county. When Mr. McKlnloy was elected, tho place was again conferred con-ferred upon Mr. Kelson, who has hold It since. That Is all thoro Is to tho matter- thcro Is nothing to hldo, nothing hidden. Tho correspondence has been general throughout tho State, and constant. con-stant. Hundreds of people necessarily know all about It; but that tho existence exist-ence of the position should bo unknown to tho placo-aecklng politicians Is tho Htirprlso of tho tlmo, and bespeaks a certain cer-tain rawncBS that Ib not crcdltablo to thuir astuteness. |