Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23

From now on until the investigation OF the
cotton crop report scandal in the bureau Of
statistics of the Agricultural Department Is
completed the inquiry will be conducted be-
hind closed doors. District Attorney Beach,
who has entire charge of the investigation,
refuses to discuss even the unimportant de-
tails in connection with the scandal Mr..
Richard Cheatham, secretary of the South
ern Cotton Association and the man re-
sponsibe for the inquiry, is likewise reti-
cent and the secret service men working on
the case have been instructed to keep silent
on pain of instant dismissal.
Leaks in the Inquiry.
1t is claimed that there was too much of
a Grassland atmosphere about the first in
vestigation conducted by the secret service
operatives. While the inquiry was sup
posed to be a secret one, 1t was, as mat
ter of fact. no such thing, and each discov-
cry by the Investigating officials, as we'll
as the conclusions reached in the report
itself, were discounted long before official
publication of the facts Without going
into the question of just where these leaks
occurred 1t is sufficient to say that when
District Attorney Beach took hold of the
present inquiry he made it plain that he
would stand for no recurrence of the pre-
mature publicity proposition. He said he
intended to keep faith himself until his
work was over, and he insisted on every
one else observing the same rule So far
his instructions have been obeyed, and no
intimation has been made from any quar-
ter as to the progress of the present inquiry
or as to the prospects for success-succcss
meaning. in this instance, the discovery of
sumcient evidence to warrant the criminal
hV fhn -
Associate Statistician Holmes and his asso-
ciates who profited by the leaks in cotton
figures from the bureau of statistics.
New Report on Cotton Acreage.
1t has not yet been decided whether or
not there will be a new report on cotton
acreage compiled by the Agricultural De-
partment. President Jordan and Secretary
Cheatham of the Southern Cotton Asso-
citation are convinced that the figures
issued by the government on June are
worthless for all practicable purposes. and
that new report should be prepared and
published. These gentlemen point out
that even though the governments figures
OF that date should be comparatively ac-
curate. they are the subject of widespread
doubt and suspicion and consequently do
not serve their purpose. Further than this,
the officials of the Southern Cotton Asso-
ciation consider that If the present figures
were allowed to stand they would be value
less for comparative purposes when the
acreage report of next year is issued.
Secretary Wilson and Assistant Secretary
Hays of the department are inclined to be-
lieve that with some revision the report
may be allowed to stand. This has not
been definitely determined, however and
Mr.. Hays is at present busly engaged in
reviewing the figures with view to de-
termining whether or not an entirely new
report Is necessary.
Fresh Charges Filed.
Although former Association Statistician
Holmes has been dismissed In disgrace and
Statistician John Hyde has, by his recent
resignation, severed his connection with the
bureau of statistics, it is apparent that the
end of the affair is long way off. Each
passing day brings to District Attorney
Beach and the other officials engaged in
the investigation documents and evidence
which throw additional light on the matter
of the cotton crop report leaks and every
twenty-four hours sees additional charges
laid before Secretary Wilson in connection
with alleged Irregularities in the prepara-
tion and publication of government figures
on wheat, corn and tobacco.
More Sensations Predicted.
That only a small part of the scandalous
condition Of affairs In the bureau of sta
tistics has been brought to the attention Of
the public and that the result of the pres
ent investigation will be more sensational
than the facts already known there is little
room for doubt. The secret service off,
cials who made the first investigation did
their work In a hurry. They had been Or
dered by Chief Wilkie of the secret service.
at the request of Secretary Wilson, to de-
termine in the shortest possible space of
l.l
in connection with the cotton crop report.
and to fasten the guilt upon the dishonest
official or officials. In the instructions
given to the operatives the criminal prose-
cutlon of the offenders was largely sub
ordlnated to the desire for a speedy answer
to these questions
1t is claimed now that this was a serious
mistake, but the realization came too late
to be of service.
Cause for Regret.
The secret service men went about their
task according TO instructions, and con-
siderinR the nature of the matter under
investigation. the men involved and the
vast speculative interests affected, their re-
port. sustaining the charge that leaks had
occurred and naming Associate Statistician
Holmes as the guilty man. was made In
quick time But 1t now appears matter
for considerable regret that the inquiry was
not conducted with more thoroughness and
less haste for there is still serious doubt
whether the conviction of Holmes or any
of his associates upon a criminal charge
can be secured by the government In
the meantime charges of incompetency,
mismanagement and other attendant evils
are piling up In connection with the bu-
reau of statistics and the Agricultural De-
partment generally, and day by day the de-
plorable condition of affairs in the sta
tistical bureau itself Is being more striking
ly revealed.
A General House Cleaning.
There will be general and thorough
housecleaning in the bureau of statistics,
and perhaps in the whole Agricultural De-
partment. before the smoke clears away.
although the chances for crooked work, for
idgh-class jugglery of statistics and CRAFTS
of all kinds, are rather limited, except in
the division from which emanate the gov
ernment crop reports. But the investiga-
tion already made has demonstrated be-
yond the possibility of doubt that the
bureau of statistics is in need of thor
ough reorganization.
There has been for several years another