The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-21
Friday, July II, 1905
MARK HE PREDICTION.

The Messenger on yesterday predict
ed that it would not be long before
some southern newspaper would adyo-
cate the nomination of President Jor-
dan or Secretary Cheatham, of the
Southern Cotton Association, for vice
moving that way, as is shown by the
following from The News and Obser-
Yer of the same date:
Keep your eye on Richard Cheat
ham. While Secretary Wilson was
standing by HYDE. this sensible South
erner said; Hyde must 60" Hyde
has onc Mr.. Chcatham has done
the country great service and been in
strumental in putting thousands of
dollars into The pockets of Southern
farmers.
Now that Mr.. Cheatham has succeed
Ell in his declared purpose to have
Statistician Hyde retired from his po-
sition we may look for more of this
kind of comment in the southern press.
Should he succeed in forcing Secretary
Wilson to resign, why, then the vice
presidency would not be good enough
for him. Such success on his part in
this line would prove him qualified for
the duties and responsibilities of pres
ident.
Mr.. Hyde based his resignation on
the plea of poor health; but it is well
known that it was because of the loose
cnoHI1ct of +hn n ffn ir, of ,hiS hI,raay1
There is, though, no charge against
him of lack OF integrity made by those
who sought his retirement. Secretary
Wilson was convinced that the public
would have no confidence in the work
of the bureau so long as Mr.. Hyde re-
r,ained at its head.
The Washington City corr espondent
OF the Raleigh Post writes his paper
the following regarding Mr.. Hyde's
resignation:
There was little surprise in WASH
inetOn when announcement was made
that John HYDE. the chief StatiStician
of the department Of agriculture. had
resigned. Hyde'S retirement from
the DEPARTMENT was a ~fOregOne cOnclu-
sion. and although he was permitted
to tender his resignation on the ground
of i'll health. there is no doubt but that
ne was forced out. The withdrawal
Of HYDE from the department. coming
as it does. is q big victory for the
Southern Cotton Growers Association.
whose officers. President HarVie Jor-
dan and Secretary Richard Cheatham.
hav been working for the chief statis-
tici'n's removal since they unearthed
the leakage scandal in his OWn depart
ment.
Mr.. Hyde's integrity has never been
questioned. He simply did not know
WHAT was gOing on around him. Care
lessness and ~incomDetency are the
charges brought against him. Secrc-
tary Wilson would not listen to any
reflection on Mr.. Hyde's executive
ability. and only last Friday deSig-
TfteG hin: as the man to make the in
v~eStigatior of the tobacco crop INQUIRY.
The pressure for Eyde's removal be-
came too strong. mo it is said hat
Mr.. Wilson finally anne to realize that
in order to ~re-establish confidence in
the crop statistics bureau he would
hive to make radical changes IN both
methods and personnel. Mr.. Hyde is
be others. and the prediction is made
in some quarters that the secretary
himself will not be able to survive the
Storm. Mr.. Wilson. like Mr.. HYDE. is
considered innocent of wronc-doing
but against him is often heard the
cn&r-r Of incOmDetcncy.