The morning call., 1895-01-26
CHARGES Arb DENIED.
Reply Of c. '. Riley to Mr..
Lelong.
A VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION.
The Ex.Chief EntOmolOgiSt's Offer to
Charity.
OTHER CHARGES ARB DISPR0YED.
Dir. LelOng Is Accused Of Having
Twisted the Correspond.
enee in Evidence.
OTHER CHARGES ARB DISPROVED.

EntOmOlOglSt, returned from southern
California last evening, and in speaking of
the charges recently made against him by
Secretary Lelong of the State Horticul-
tural Society, said:
Most of the accusations made by Mr..
Lelong are hackneyed, and consist of re-
hash of charges which have been repeated
in California papers several times. They
have been, for the most part, unnoticed by
me until effectualIy refuted in official cor
respondence between myself, the presi-
dent of the Board of Horticulture and the
Secretary of Agriculture. Reckless fabri-
cation characterizes the charges through
out. My record for over a quarter of
century, whether as a State or Government
officer, needs no defense against such
trades, but few facts will offset this mass
of fiction.
AS to the long rigmarole about the
Riverside meeting in the spring OF 1887. l
was invited to address that meeting, was
introduced in very complimentary terms
bv President Cooper, and read paper
which contained many other recommends
tions besides the use of kerosene emulsion,
and among them the sending of some one
to Australia to study and introduce the
natural enemies of the huted or cottony-
cushion scale Nothing of the Dobbins in
cident, to which Mr.. Lelong refers, is on
record in such discussion, as far as / recol-
lect. 1t is true, however, that Mr.. Lelong
took umbrage at nv refusal to indorse
wash of his own which he was strenuously
advocating and of which i had had no ex-
perience. This incident and the gentle
mans general conduct at that, our first
meeting, did not serve to remove an I'M
favorable impression received as early as
1883, when the late Matthew Cooke, writ
ing to me of the proceedings of the State
Board of Horticulture for April 5, that
wear, charac erized them as the most out
rageous ever held in the State and Mr..
Lelong as a man of such unblushing effron-
terry.
As to my resignation of the Office of
United States entomologist. The act was
entirely voluntary, had been contemplated
for some two years previously, and SO far
from having been brought about by any
efforts of Mr.. Cooper of your Board of Hor-
ticulture or of any emissaries therefrom
to Washington, such efforts in reality de-
Iayed the act, as / was unwilling to retire
from official life under fire. Mr.. Cooper's
first batch of charges were sent to Secre-
tary Rusk, and failing of result, were re-
peated in August, 1893, to Secretary Nor
ton. had but short time before expressed
to the latter my desire and intention to re-
sign when this renewed attack caused me
to postpone doing so. By the official cor
respondence the charges, which were pre-
cisely those which Mr.. Lelong now re-
peats, are effectually refuted, and in Secre-
tary Morton's truculent letter to Mr..
Cooper the following passages may be re-
peated in evidence in this particular case:
Personally l have only the slightest entomo-
logical knowledge, but am confident that the
opinions Of Professor Riley, chief OF the ento-
been long identified with the work in applied
entomology, are entitled to great weight.
Standing as he does confessedly at the head of
entomologists OF this continent, and perhaps of
the world Professor Riley needs no defense at
my hands. His long service, his high charac-
ter and reputation among scientists, together
yindicate him against all assaults.
The present delicate condition of Professor
Rileys health, due, his physicians say, to over
work and persistent efforts and endeayors to
world, is my only reason for taking up this
matter with you at the present time. The Gov
eminent may be compelled to accept his resig-
nation, though | believe the farmers and fruit
growers of the United States would very gen.
orally and sincerely regret such result.
/ resigned in the following June, and hay
ing in mind Mr.. Cooper's efforts of the
previous year took particular pains to
make the act unequiyocal and to indicate
its voluntary nature. Here is the sub
stance of the letter of resignation as given
out for publication by Secretary Morton to
correct press dispatch inspired by some
malevolent person falsely stating that it
had been requested:
1t is not easy to sever connection with divi-
sion which one has developed from work one
has at heart or from friends and associates;
but whatever the personal sacrifice due
gard for the wishes of family, for health and
for peace of mind prompts this action, which,
indeed, | have for some time contemplated.
1n6 rY,1n 1oA
and unfinished, and shall at all times be glad
TO give what advice and assistance it may be in
my power to give.
Resignation of a Government position is so
often synonymous with polite dismissal that
Imay as well state for the benefit of the Cos
sips that this action is taken without sugges-
ton from or consultation with you or any one
else, and purely for the reasons above men
toned.
In his last annual report to President
Cleveland the Secretary, in connection with
mplimentary allusion, further explains
how this resignation left him no alterna-
tive but to accept it. All which proves Mr..
LelOng'S assertion, that the Secretary
briefly, plainly and officially demanded my
resignation, to be pure fiction. 1t follows
that his accompanying statement, TO the
effect that President Cooper has in his pos
session a letter from the Secretary stating
that such action was taken in consequence
of the charges preferred, must be equally
IdlS6, duA CttlitlOb III lIOul
evidence will gladly donate $500 to some
San Francisco charity to be paid through
and disposed of by the editor of THE CALL
if Mr.. 1elong can produce such letter
duly authenticated.
In regard to Mr.. Koebele's first mission
to Australia, Mr.. Lelong says, 1--WE had
Albert Koebele, an expert entomologist,
go with Mr.. McCoppin, and here as in
everything he has said or published on
the subject the actual facts have been ig-
uored. Mr.. Koebele, as agent of the Divis-
ion of Entomology, was chosen by me for
the work; was sent over under my instruc-
tions, as result of an arrangement be-
tween the Secretary of Agriculture and the
Secretary OF State, also brought about by
my efforts. The board had absolutely
nothing to do with the matter from begin
ming to end. The McCoppin sideshow pops
up again out of question as to whom Mr..
Koebeles report should be submitted, and
led to controversy in which the points
now reiterated by him were met by docu-
ments and evidence. Mr.. Koebele's report
on the chronological portion of his mission
was, In accordance with previous under
standing and the rules of the Department
of Agriculture, transmitted to the depart
ment during my absence in Europe. The
intimation that | caused Mr.. Howard and
Mr.. Koebele-the former my successor at
Washington and the latter trlsted and