The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-03
He Refused to Quit When Asked by
Morton, So the President Chopped
on His Oncial Head.
MORE MONEY THAN NEEDED
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT CON-
QUOTED WITH ECONOMY.
Many Republicans "Fired' and Their
Salaries saved-Civil-Service Rules
for Pension Agencies.

WASHINGTON, July IA call was made
on June 10 for Professor Harrington's resig-
nation. He declined to resign, and ssubse-
quently was removed by the President, to
take effect July /. James f. Cook, chief
clerk of the Weather Bureau, is acting head
of the bureau until successor to Professor
Harrington is appointed. The relations be-
tween Secretary Morton and Professor Har-
rington. who was appointed from Michigan,
are known to have been strained for many
months. and correspondence between them
has been carried on only in the most formal
language.
Soon after the change of administration
Secretary Merton instituted an investiga-
ton of the business affairs of the Weather
Bureau. The result did not implicate Prof.
Harrington in any way, but 1t tended to
increase the strained relations between the
Secretary and himself. For some time Pro-
fessor Harrington had practically nothing
to do with the routine management of
the Office. The trouble came to a climax
on June 10 with a call for the Professors
resignation. Professor Harrington imme-
diately replied to the President, declining
to resign, saying he considered he had
done nothing to warrant the action. Then
the President sent letter briefly stat
ing that Professor Harrington was relieved
from the Office, the removal TO take effect
July 1. Monday morning Secretary Morton
formally designated Mr.. James +. Cook,
the chief clerk, to act as chief of the
bureau pending the selection of a success
sor to Professor Harrington.
Secretary Morton said: THAT is mat
ter that belongs properly to the White
House. Professor Harrington's commission
bears the name of the President of the
United States and not of the Secretary
of Agriculture and If there is anything to
be stated In regard to this position 1t must
come from the White House. Until some
official announcement is made from the
White House l have no communication to
make. MIR. Cook is acting chief under the
law
Professor Harrington himself said to-day:
"On the 18th of June the President asked
for my resignation because of personal in
terests. / declined to give it, on the score
of public interests. ] feel that / have not
received Just or considerate treatment with
regard to them Among the public interests
which / have had steadily in view were
the preservation of the scientific corps and
the protection OF the bureau from the
spoilsmep. When a scientific bureau de-
scends to the four-year officeholding plane
it at once loses prestige and ceases to be a
desirable post for competent men,"
Professor Harrington was appointed from
Michigan because of his long acquaintance
with meteorological matters. having been
for many years the editor of journal de-
voted to that science. He was a MEM
Der of the faculty of Ann Arbor Uni
versty.
1t was learned later that Professor Har-
rington's successor has been chosen. and the
appointment is very likely to be announced
tomorrow. His name has not SO far been
developed, but it is known that a local
forecaster, who has been in the service
for many years. has been selected. Con-
corning the appointment Secretary Morton
said tonight: 1.-THE sole consideration in
making the appointment will be to inn
prove the efficiency of the forecasting work
of the Weather Bureau If the Weather
Bureau cannot make forecasts that are to
be credited then ii is not worth perpetual
ing, and therefore it is quite likely that the
coming chief Of the bureau will be taken
up from the ranks of local forecasters and
observers"