Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-13
RID|CULED THE RUMOR
Secretary Wilson Without
Intention Of Resigning. !.
LETTER FROM HUBBARD
REPRESENTATIVE OF COTTON
GROWERS COMING.
No Developments of Importance in Re-
gard to the Cotton Report
Leak Investigation.
LETTER FROM HUBBARD

There We're no developments of import
ance today in connection with the in
vestigatlOn now being conducted by Dis
trict Attorney Beach with view to the
prosecution of former Assistant Statis-
tician Holmes and his associates in the
cotton crop report scandal A new and
interesting phase of the general situation
was developed. however, through the
publication this morning of the letter of
Walter c. Hubbard president of the New
York Cotton Exchange. addressed to Pres
ident Roosevelt, in which the writer de-
clared that the members of the exchange
had been greatly shocked by the recent
disclosures of venality in the Department
Of Agriculture" and requesting a full in
vestigation OF the methods which led to
the corruption with "A view of preventing
the possibility of recurrence. The letter
is believed here to be the outcome of re-
cent correspondence between Secretary
Wilson and Mr. Hubbard, in which the
latter called upon the Secretary to make
him Il public apology because he had
some years ago called the Secretary's at
tention to alleged leaks and that no no.
tice had been given the suggestion.
The Secretary and Nj. Hubbard.
The Secretary wrote tart reply. in
which he informed Mr.. Hubbard that he
owed no one apology in the light of
having done his duty to the best of his
ability, and that when he got anything
that looked like facts he promptly sent 1t
to the secret service officers to hunt down.
The case to which Mr.. Hubbard referred
in his recent letter TO the Secretary Oc
CURED in 1900. December 20 Of that year
Nj Hubbard sent the Secretary certain
papers indicating that a Mi. Steinberger
wanted To sell information to a New York
cotton brokerage firm. claiming that he
IN q INC, ~ pn ANrt.i rtr mont
Secretary Wilson Immediately turned the
matter over to the secret service officers.
but IN about a week Chief Wilkie reported
that 1t looks Ike an attempt of Steinberger
to burCo the New York firm" After allow
ing two months to earse and not hearing
anything further. the Secretary. on March
20. 1901, called upon the secret service for
information as to whether they had made
any discoveries. on the following day Sec
rotary of the Treasury Gage replied as fol-
lows: The action of this man who wanted
To sell information was done with the hope
Of being able to sell information but a. a
matter of fact. his efforts to obtain the ad-
vance Information failed. as he received no
assistance from the person in Washington
upon whom he depended for information"
This report of Mr.. Gage was transmitted
10 MIR. Hubbard by Secretary Wilson the
next day and the matter was allowed to
drop. But in January 1902, Mr. Hubbard
complained of having been advised that
southern ginnerS We're sending to the de-
partInent returns of their ginning opera
tons, bearing date Of December ~ or %
and, said Mr.. Hubbard Il am unable to
understand why additional returns from
SlnnerS should be obtained. since the re-
suit Is to be published II seems, how
ever, that the Department of Agriculture
had not called for any ginners statistics
at that time, but that the circulars had
been issued from the census bureau
In the same month Mr. Hubbard wrote
the Department Of Agriculture asking for
certain Information on cotton. but the
re- a nj Hlr lot .p
denying the request, written under date OF
January ll.lDD2. said. We take the ground
here that nothing goes out unless It goes
10 the whole people. We have no fav-
Secretary Wilson has permitted an ex-
animation Of the cores DOudence in order
10 show that as FAR back as five years ago
he had taken prompt action to discover any
leaks in his office.
President Jordan Coming.
\ dispatch was received in Washington
today from Atlanta Ca, stating that Presi-
dent Harvie Jordan and Secretary Richard
Cheatham Of the Southern Cotton Associa-
ton left that city for Washington last
night According to a statement by Presi-
dent Jordan he and Mr Cheat9sam were on
their way to Washington for the purpose Of
looking further into the matter Of the cot
ton report leak. Mr.. Jordan has been
quoted as follows concerning the cotton
scandal:
The report Of the investigation into the
leakage OF the cotton bureau reports,
conducted by Secretary Chea than, has
been satisfactory. The charges preferred
by the association have been fully sub
stautiated. and the investigation of the
bureau OF statistics along other lines Will
be vigorously pressed by the association.
We Will not be content to let the mat
ter drop where 1t is, We are satisfied
that others besides Holmes should be re-
lieVed of their connection with the depart
rent President Roosevelt has already
taken active steps in the matter, and still
more important disclosures may be looked
for in the near future
After Mr.. Hyde's Official Head.
The above statement by Mr.. Jordan Is
taken to mean, by those familiar with the
situation that he and Mr.. Cheatham, hav-
ing brought about the removal Of Holmes,
are now after the scalp of Statistician John
Hyde of the bureau OF statistics. Mr..
Chcatham only q few days ago gave out
statement rejecting on Mr.. Hyde
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has re-
peatedly stated. within the past few days.
that not one OF the charges brought to his
attention in connection with the cotton crop
report scandal reflected on Mr.. Hyde.
1t IS not understood that Messrs. Jordan
and Cheatham have any definite charges
to make concerning Mr.. Hyde, their posi-
ton having all along been that Mr.. Hyde,
BY permitting Holmes to run the bureau of
statistics for the benefit of his own pocket.
had proved himself incompetent and unfit
for his responsible position.
No Intention of Resigning.
The report that Secretary Wilson would
resign his position in the near future as a
result Of the cotton scandal in his depart
ment emphatically denied at the de-
partment this morning by Mr.. Jasper VII
son. the Secretary's son and private secre-
tary. Mr.. Wilson said his father had no
present intention OF resigning, and that all
talk TO the contrary was pure moonshne
Even Mr. Wilson's most severe critics do
not make the slightest intimation deroga-
tory to the Secretary's personal probity
The criticisms of his administration are CEN
tered largely in the belief that Mr. Wilson
has a bad habit OF believing all OF his sub
ordinates TO be honest as he is himself
His critics contend that this is an unfor-
tunate belief for cabinet officer to have
as the developments of recent years have
shown. beyond a doubt.