The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-31
JORDAN ATTACKS WILSON.
Says the Secretary OF Agriculture VIII
he Asked to Resign.

ATLANTA, Ga, July 3O-The Southern
Cotton Association will follow up its work
in bringing to light the methods pursued
by prominent officials connected with the
bureau Of statistics Of the Department OF
Agriculture by requesting the resignation
OF Secretary James l.. Wilson, on the
ground of incompetency. The Hon. Harvie
Jordan. president Of the Southern Cotton
Association, says:
THE charges preferred by the Southern
Cotton Association against certain high
officials in the bureau Of statistics two
months ago have been fully sustained and
the developments in the scandal as investi-
cations proceed have startled and amazed
! the producers and business interests OF
the entire country. 1t has developed
condition Of graft in the Department
of Agriculture that might well be COM
! pared to official dishonesty charged under
the present administration Of certain Gov
eminent officials OF the Russian empire.
aThe present head official of the Depart
ment of Agriculture has proved a stumbling
block to the investigation from it's in
| cipiency.
-Mr. Wilson ridiculed the original charge
| that Holmes, the assistant chief statistician.
had falsifed and manipulated the June
| report on cotton acrea ge OF that he had given
out any advance information. But this
charge was clearly proved and Holmes was
discharged from the Department.
! -Mr. Wilson then objected to any
further investigation. and the President
took the matter into his hands and
forced a continuance Of the investigation
through the Department OF Justice.
Mr.. Wilson then said that his chief Stats
tician, John Hyde, was thoroughly honest
competent and was not guilty of wrong
doing. vat last week IL was proved that
Holmes sat at he elbow Of Hydewhile the June
report was being falsif1ed and the advance
information given out to Holiness confed-
crates. Mr.. Hyde was last week forced to
resign. and Immediately fed to Europe
to escape the strong arm Of the law. while
Holmes Is sojourning in Canada Tor the
same purpose.
.Mr Wilson admitted that Mr.. Hyde was
in error in stating that the June report
only covered the actual acreage planted
up TO May Is, but he has not yet made this
statement officially to the public. which
would at once right great wrong done
the Southern cotton producers by John
HYDE, Within the last few days John
Hyde's private secretary. Mrs. Burch. has
also been forced to resign, and will now
be called before the Grand jury to tell her
connection and give information concern
ing her association with Hyde and Holmes.
1T has also been proved that the tobacco
report was falsified for speculative pur-
poses and now the grain producers OF the
West ara charging the Department with
having manipulated the grain reports.
Mr.. George T. Moore. Psychologist Of the
DEPARTMENT, sent in his resignation last
Friday, when it was made known that
he was connected with corporation whose
business could be increased by the use Of
his official connection with the Depart
ment Of Agriculture.
/ As a result of these scandalous happen
ings in the Department OF Agriculture.
Secretary Wilson'S resignation will be alb
solutely necessary to inspire confidence
among the producers and the trade ger
erally in the Department Of Agriculture.
Secretary Wilson may be thoroughly honest
and sincere, but it is quite evident that he Ia
inconsistent and that his days Of useful
ness to the Department have passed. am
receiving a great many letters and COM
munications insisting upon Secretary Will
sons resignation.
.The matter will be presented to President
Roosevelt officially on the part Of our a $50.
citation and Mr.. Wilson's resignation will
be requested. II the Department is thor.
on ehly reorganiDed, with good and capable
man placed at its head, confidence can be
restored, otherwise 1t will not. The Presi
dent is determined to purify the Depart.
ment, and am convinced that he can te
fully depended upon to safeguard the PEG
ples interests in the departments under
his official CONTROL