Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-11
AS TO PROSECD TON
STATEMENTS OF SOLICITOR Nc
CABE AND MR.. BEACH.

In view of the discussion which has taken
place regarding the circumstances attend
ing the reference by Secretary Wilson to
the United States attorney of the cotton
leak report for advice as to whether or not
criminal action against Assistant Statisu-
clan Holmes would lie. Solicitor McCabe of
the Department of Agriculture yesterday
gave out the following statement:
About 10 am. Friday, July I, under in
structions from the Secretary of Agricul-
ture, / called upon Mr.. Beach. United States
attorney for the District of Columbia, TAX
ing with me the secret service operative
who had made the investigation in the re-
ported leakage on the cotton crop report:
The Secretary instructed me to place all
the evidence in the possession OF the de-
partment and the original report of the Sc
cret service operative in the hands of Mr..
Beach, and to request that official to ADVISE
the Secretary whether, in his opinion
criminal action would lie against any OF
the parties named in the evidence or in the
report. l carried out the instructions or
the Secretary, and. further, told MIN 'nat
the Secretary desired to have his opinion
on the matter as socn as possible. ana ask
ed whether it would handicap him in his
efforts to maintain prosecution III the
Secretary gave report OF the lnVestlga-
ton to the newspaper men pending Mr.
Reach's determination of the matter. Mr.
Beach replied that he did not want one
word to be made public until he had time
to go over the matter and satisfy himseli
as to whether or not an onenSe nau peeh
committed and prosecution coulo De ihaiii-
tanned.
Upon my suggestion Mr.. Beach called
up the Secretary of Agriculture by teie-
phone and advised him of the fact that ne
did not want publicity at that Tune, anu
that he would communicate with the Secre-
tary as soon as possible. On FRIDAY aIter-
noon between and O'Clock, MT, Beach
called upon the Secretary in person and re-
turned all the papers ana stared 'iat d
prosecution would not lie. The whole ques-
ton was presented to Mr.. beach, e.,
whether an offense against the law nao
been committed, and whether in his opinion
criminal prosecution could DE iiiaiii-
tanned"
United States District Attorney Beach
when shown the statement of Mr.. McCaoe,
declined to add anything to the state1neh.
heretofore given out by MN except 10 S Say
NV conference was with Secretary VIII
son alone | considered M. McCabes lunc-
ton in the matter as simply to brinS 10
me the papers in the case on which was
later to advise with the Secretary IN per-
SON.
No Outsiders to Be Present.
1t is understood that Secretary Wilson
will adhere to the practice now.in vogue at
the Department of Agriculture in having
only the statisticians, himself or the as
sistant secretary present when the monthly
cotton crop reports are being prepared for
publication He made this plain yesterday
in dispatch to President K M Miller, r.,
of the American Cotton MANUFACTURES AS
ISOLATION. now in Charlotte, n. G., VINO
telegraphed the Secretary that II the rep
resentatives of any organization lhtereseeo
in cotton is to appear before the oepart-
ment when the August cotton report is pc
ing prepared his organization also deslreu
representation. The Secretary promptly
telegraphe Mr.. Miller that no one except
the statisticians himself or the assistant
secretary would be present when the report
was being prepared.
Secretary Wilson says he can see no rea-
son why this practice should be changed,
Mr. Hays the assistant secretary, Will De
present tomorrow when the July report Is
prepared, taking the place of Secretary WI,
son. who has some other business in hand
for that time The same will be the case
at the preparation of the August report
when Secretary Wilson will be in the west.
Secretary Wilson said last night that there
have been but few exceptions to the rule
now followed and these occurred only when
the Secretary was anxious that some rep
resentatiee in Congress should observe the
method adopted by the department in the
preparation of the reports.