Sunday Washington globe., 1902-01-26
ENOLlsHM4N HYDE.
Some New Points Developed by a
Correspondent Who Knows
Whereof He Writes.

Editor Sunday Globe
While your watchful eye is on the alert
for evil doors" in the Post-office Depart
meut let il not overlook an evil doer in the
Agricultural Department to whom you have
paid some attention in the past, viz, John
Hyde.
Hyde is a man Of record too much record
He claims to b an expert statistican. Per
haps he is, if the word expert be properly
analysed, Eek. Spurt, which is the equivalent
of upstart. While the designation, John
Hyde, Upstart Statistioan, might not Aatter
his pride, il would be strictly in harmony
with the facts in the case II would need
10 be understood. however that his title
would require in all cases to be written in
full for fear that if the simple initials U. S.
were used some one might infer that he be-
louged 10 the United States. This is
violent assumption, inasmuch as many as
sert that he is still an alien, a veritable Eng
lish cock sparrow with no pronounced
American tendencies.
The truth is Hyde is a yara aviS. and is
sadly out Of place in the Agricultural De
partment He ought to be transferred to
to the Zoo and placed in the cage with
eagles. crows, buzzards, cranes, pelicans and
''EWE LAMBS" In the course of time he
might, perhaps, become thoroughly Amer.
icani2ed
But il has been said that Hyde is a man Of
record We are informed that he was con-
uected with the eleventh census, and the
record shows that he disgraced his position
by clandesbnely disposiug of valuable data
to a Western newspaper. Secretary Wilson
probably remembers his alleged connection
with the giving out of information, some
twelve months or more ago, touching cotton
statistics, and the excitement 1t produced in
the different cotton exchanges of the country
ID is also a matter of record that he took a
hasty trip not long ago to New York city,
going in the evening and returning next
morning AT noon OF the day of his return
the government report on cotton appeared.
Cotton Immediately jumped up over fifty
points. 1t is a matter Of fact that one firm
in New York made large profits, on the bun
side, in this speculation II was openly
alleged by prominent trade paper that the
firm in question had advance information
of what the report would be-
Secretary Wilson may not have forgotten
too, the record Hyde made by long trips on
newspaper passes. and then charged up the
fare to the government. Civil Service Com
missioner Proctor, the high priest Of the
merit system, certainly has not overlook ed
the tangle Hyde got into by securing and
giving to his favorites the questions to be
used in a certain examination, nor has the
commissioner forgotten the breach Of the
law in permitting collection OF funds 10
be taken up for the purchase Of large pic
ture to be presented to Hyde on his recent
return from England on a iunketing trip at
the expense of the government
If Secretary Wilson and Commissioner
Proctor, both Of whom are worthy officials
and disposed to patronize and encourage
home industries, will adjust their glasses
and focus them on the rara aVis perched in
the Agricultural Department. just south Of
the mali, they will give great impetus to
civil service reform. The result of such
focusing will be the elimination of factor
which can be proftabiy spared IN the solu-
ton Of governmental problems.
Let the Augean stables be cleaned.
AMERICAN.