Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-01
pIsrRusTFuL OF WILSON.


DIsTRUSTFuL OF WILSON,.
Jordan and cheatham After the Scalp
Of the Bland Secretary Of Asrieul.
ture.
The Southern Cotton association Will
follow up its good work in bringing
to light the scandalous and dishonest
methods pursued by prominent OFF,
cials connected with the bureau OF
statistics Of the United States depart
ment of agriculture at Washington, D.
c., by requesting the resignation or
the secretary, Hon. James l.. Wilson,
OH the ground Of incompetency, ac-
cording to the Atlanta Journal.
Hon. Harvie Jordan, president OF the
Southern Cotton association, In an In
terview gives out the following I'M
portant information on the subject
which will be read with great inter-
est by the public generally.
In speaking Of the present investi-
CATION Of the bureau Of statistics by
the grand jury of Washington, now In
session, Mr. Jordan said:
THE charges preferred by the South
ern Cotton association against certain
high officials In the bureau Of statis-
tics two months ago have been fully
sustained and the developments In the
scandal as investigations proceed
have startled and amazed the produ-
GERS and business interest OF the entire
country. IT has developed q condi-
ton of graft In the department OF
agriculture that might well be COM
pared to official dishonesty charged
under the present administration OF
the Russian empire.
1.-The present head official OF the de-
partment Of agriculture ha3 proven
stumbling block to the investigation
from its incipiency.
"Mr. Wilson ridiculed the original
charge that Holmes, the assistant
chief statistician, had falsified and
manipulated the June report on cotton
acreage, or that he had given out any
advance information. But this charge
was clearly proven and Holmes was
discharged from the department. Mr..
| Wilson then objected to any further
investigation and the president, Mr'
Roosevelt, took the matter into his
hands and forced a continuance OF
the investigation through the depart
ment Of justice.
"Mr. Wilson then said that his chief
lstatistician. John Hyde, was thor
loughly honest, competent and was
not guilty Of wrong doing, yet last
week II was proven that Holmes sal
at the elbow Of Hyde while the June
report was being falsified and the ad-
vance information given out to
Holmes confederates. Mr.. Hyde was
last week forced to resign and imme-
diately fled to Europe to escape the
strong arm of the law, while Holmes
is sojourning In Canada for the same
purpose.
"Mr. Wilson promised me In per-
sonal interview at Washington on July
18th, at which time Secretary Hester
of the New Orleans Cotton exchange,
was present, that II sufficient funds
were found he would undertake tc
gather an entirely new crop acreage
report from local, state and field
agents I'D to that date and let the
people know the TRUTH, -
I'VE asked him particularly not to
attempt to revise the fraudulent and
manipulated report issued by he de-
partment June 3d. There was nc
question as to the funds being on hand
with which to do this work, yet the
secretary, with but two days tabula-
| tion of the old false report documents
gave out a revised acreage report
making a perfect farce Of the whole
proceedings, and arousing thereby In
tense indignation throughout the
whole country. .,.,...,.. y-...,-,-..,-
'"Mr. Wilson also admitted that Mr.
Hyde was in error In stating that the
June report only covered the actual
| acreage planted up to May 25th, but
he has not yet made this statement
officially to the public, which would al
once right a great wrong done the
southern cotton producers by John
Hyde. Within the past few days
John Hyde's private secretary, Mrs
Burch, has also been forced to re-
sign, and will now be called before
the grand jury to tell her connection
and give information concerning hei
association with Hyde and Holmes
It has also been proven that the tobac-
CO report was falsified for speculative
purposes, and now the grain produc-
ers of the west are charging the de.
partment with having manipulated
the grain reports. Mr.. George L
Moore, psychologist Of the department
sent I'm his resignation last Friday
when 1t was made known that he was
connected with a corporation whose
business could be increased by the use
Of his official connection with the de-
partment Of agriculture.
"As a result Of all these scandal
GUS happenings In the department oi
agriculture, Secretary Wilson's resig.
nation will be absolutely necessary tc
inspire confidence among the produc-
ers and the trade generally In, the
department Of agriculture. Secretary
Wilson may be thoroughly honest and
| sincere, but II Is quite evident that he
Is incompetent, and that his days OF
usefulness to the department have
passed. I am receiving q great many
letters and communications insist
Ing upon Secretary Wilson's resigna'
tion, and present the following tele-
graphic dispatch as q sample:
Monroe. La, July 26, 1905.
"Harvie Jordan.
pres. Sou. Cotton ASSN.
| Atlanta, Ga
Think Mr.. Wilson's resignation
should be asked for after today's cor
rection Of fraudulent bureau report.
| ~. RENwIcR,
Pres. Monroe Board Trade"
"The matter will be presented tc
President Roosevelt officially on the
part Of our association, and Mr.. vii.
sons resignation requested. II the
department il throughly reorganize6
with q good and capable man placed
at Its head. confidence can be restor-
ed otherwise, II will not. The presi-
dent is determined to purify the de-
partment. and I am convinced thai
he can be fully depended on to safe
guard the peoples interests in the de-
partments under his official control"
SPEEaLE CRITICALLY ILL-Deputy
Sheriff Ballenger Of Greenville, was ir
/ Han nlnr,nnnIlla lnof SnfnraaN with Q