The Sunday globe., 1901-06-09

Secretary, and an investigation fol-
| lowed, which lasted two or three
weeks. The net result Of it was that
the young woman was discharged from
the office. During the investigation, a
Mrs. Hill was asked to testify what she
knew of the case. or course she knew
only too well the facts, and pending
her investigation, Secretary Wilson
was called out of the city. During this
time Geddes took advantage of the sit
uation and fired her bodily When the
Secretary returned to Washington,
Mrs. Hill made an effort to be rein
stated, but the Secretary stood by
Geddes, and she was permitted to go
her way without a decent hearing.
For number of years Mr., Geddes
has been endeavoring to get a bill
through Congress to place him on the
retired army list as a lieutenant col
onel. Last year he succeeded in get
ting his bill through after considerable
trouble in the House. A number Of
Congressman, knowing personally Of
the reputation that Geddes had, fought
his measure to the end, but it finally
went through. The bill was fought by
congressman Wadsworth, Parker and
Calderhead. When the bill came up
for a vote in the House Calderhead
objected to it. That was supposed at
the time to kill it for that session at
least. But it did not, however. Sen
ator Allison went to Speaker Hender-
son and told him that he wanted that
bill TO go through i'm spite Of any or
al opposition. II was on a night dur
ing the close Of the last Congress that
Speaker Henderson had the bill called
mp. And in the absence of the three
Congressman who opposed it. it was
of the latter The matter was then
taken up with the Adjutant General,
who had to pass upon the bill before
it went to the President for his sigma
ture Here Allison followed it up and
put it through that office, The Con-
gressmen then went to the President
but the Executive signed it and it went
to the Senate this last session and was
made law without any further oppo-
sition.
The next move i'm the matter was
made to keep Geddes from drawing his
regular army pay, together with his
Department salary. It was found that
the law provided that he, as Chief
Clerk Of the Department Of Agricul-
ture at a salary of $2,500, could not
draw bis army pay, and the Comptrol-
laI Of the Treasury so rendered a de-
cision.
Senator Allison then took the matter
in hand and secured the services Of
Senator Money, of Mississippi, to in
troduce a bill in the Senate to abolish
the law affecting Geddes' case. So a
resolution was introduced by Senator
Money, and by consent Of ,ne Senate
was attached to the agricultural ap-
preparation bill The appropriation
bill was amended by both branches,
and when being considered by a joint
committee of the House and Senate,
Geddes' resolution was knocked out.
Nh. Geddes appears to be a most de.
cidcd fayorite i'm some quarters, and
:naeines himself entitled to privileges
not enjoyed by others. Mr. Geddes has
40 reason to be proud of his record,
either as an officer in the army or as
Chief Clerk of the Agricultural De
partment Some. day his entire record
may be made public, and if so, it is
probable he will be willing to retire to
the shades Of private life and content
himself with his salary as a retired
army officer, and forever quit active
| service as civilian in the employ Of
the Government
Secretary Wilson is not unacquaint-
e' with Mr., Geddes' record He knows
certain charges have been made
against him as Chief Clerk of his De-
partment and he has full knowledge
Of the truth of many of these charges.
The Secretary owes il to himself as
an honorable and respectable man to
dismiss Geddes from the service. If
he does not, knowing All tne facts, as
he does, the whole matter will be
brought to the attention of the Presi-
dent and If the latter does not act,
Congress will be asked to investigate
the matter at the next session.
The minority report on the Geddes'
bill, placing him on the retired list Of
the army is a most scathing arraign-
ment, and its like has seldom been
seen in print. 1t deals largely with his
record as an army officer. and it seems
almost incredible that man not en-
dowed with an oyerabundance Of
cheek. would have the nerve to hold
the position he does.
There are several Congressman wait.
ing the opportunity to tell all they
know about him when Congress con
venes, and the wisest thing for Mr..
Geddes to do is to resign his position
as Chief Clerk Of the Department of
Agriculture before he is buried be-
meath the avalanche.
1t is understood that Secretary viii
son Is exceedingly anxious to unload
Geddes from his shoulders, but he can
not do so on account of Senator ALI
son, who says he must stay. There is
one thing that is evident, and that is,
that the Secretary has discommuni-
Gated Geddes in an official manner. He
has taken away from his most all Of
the executive work OF the latters Of
flee and assigned to his son, Mr. j. w.
Wilson, thus leaving Geddes as a su.
penumerary. The heads Of the divi-
sions and bureaus and offices of the
Department now transact their busi-
ness through the Secretary's son in.
stead Of Geddes.
Is There a Deficit.