The herald., 1893-11-27
PROF. RILEY CALLED DOWN.

Frank McCoppin Has . Go at the
Entomoioxist.
This Professor Riley, the entomologist,
who is apparently pet OF the depart
msnt OF agriculture, to the cost of the
fruit interests OF Southern California
together with that other persona non
grata, Prof. Coquillett, are rapidly ac-
quiring great reputation for having
their statements regarding the bug con-
troversy fiatly contradicted.
In recent issue of the HERALD the
able editor OF the California Cultivator
gave Prof. Coquillett the contradiction
direct and now In Saturdays Examiner
Frank McCoppin gives the daughty
Prof. Riley a straight jib that leaves
him In ring parlance in ''groggy"
condition.
Mr.. McCoppin's statement is as fol-
lows:
To the Editor OF the Examiner:
SIR-In the article in this mornings
Examiner headed Bugs Make Lots OF
Trouble" there is letter of September
20, 1893, from Professor Riley to Cover
nor Markham touching some matter in
controversy between him and the state
board OF horticulture, in which the pro-
lessor says: ''He (Elwood Cooper,
president OF the state board of horti.
culture) has, am informed, used every
influence aside from direct appeal to
Secretary Morton, having induced Mr..
McCoppin to also make similar efforts
with the president and with Secretary
Gresham" These efforts, Professor
Riley says, were made to have him re.
moved from his Office as United States
entomoligist. The professors statement,
in go far as it relates to me, is a baseless
fabrication. l never, in any way, shape
or manner, mentioned his name to
the president or to Secretary Gresham,
nor to any other member OF the cab
met or Government official what
soever. When in Washington last March
l handed to Secretary Morton, whom
had never seen until that moment, an
envelope which contained several of the
Professor's contributions to the Pacific
Rural Press upon the subject of the
Australian ladybug and ita introduction
into California, together with my re.
joindars thereto, because they misrepre-
sented me. But did not mention the
professors name to the secretary. I
merely remarked that the envelope con-
tanned matter which it might repay him
to read in moments OF leisure; that it
would, thought, give him an insight
into the working Of one Of the divisions
of his department which might be use-
full to him.
This is all that transpired between the
secretary and myself (the interview did
not last to exceed minute), but in
handing him the package referred to |
took care that it contained all that the
professor had said for himself and ia his
own behalf.
These are all old matters and they
should not be dragged forth to vex peo
pie at this late day. 1t is now five years
since the Australian bug was discovered
and introduced, and as its work was
done long ago, the eubiect ought to be
dropped, The professor, however, will
not let 20 Of it, and unless some means
can be found whereby he can be sup
pressed, 1t will not down.
Because the state department would
not allow him to ,nutilate my report as
commissioner by injecting matter that
did not belong there. when it was being
printed in Washington, he, not daring
to attack that department, has pursued
me with malevolepce un unparalleled and
far beyond anything in my experience
in that line. This is all the more extra
ordinary as coming from man that l
have never seen-a man whose aspira.
tions in the field of science l was in
strumental in vitalizing and making
possible when all other sources had
failed him. You can make this very
plain by publishing as q postscript to
this note the accom- panying paper from
last Saturdays Rural Press.
FRANK McCopPIN.
San francisco, November 81, 1898.