Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-01
REORGANIZATION
WatchW0rd Of Sec. VIII
son Of Agricultural Dept.
Intends to Place Statistics On
Uninpeachab|e Basis
And is Looking for Men in Whom Implicit
Confidence Can Be Placed.

oyster Bay, y. Y. July 31.-SeCrc-
taly Wilson will reorganiZe thoroughly
he crop statistics bureau of the de-
Iartlnent of agriculture according tC
information here, tonight. Already he
rs seeking men Of character, standing
ana education to conduct the work of
the bureau, men in whom the farmers
and growers Of the country viii have
implicit confidence and who will place
fhc reports Of the bureau on a standard
1T excellence never heretofore achieved.
Gnc man he has found. although he
does not ut this time wish to publish
his name. The other three he hopes "a
secure in Il short time. This, in brief.
is ON" of the ideas which Sec. Wilson
stated 10 President Roosevelt, today.
in response to invitations twice eX-
tended, Sec. Wilson visited the Pres
iieut at Sycamore Hill. this afternoon.
He arrived here on the Long lslaih
train at 12.z0 2. NJ. ana with 1ar"h
i;oSsn, the Russian ambassador. was
conveyed to the Presidents nome
Prnr to his confe renee with the Pres
idrnt. Sec. Wilson was not commune
cative.
Al the conclusion of the conference,
Sec. Wilson talked frankly about some
phases of some work in his department.
In reply to the question whether there
was any likelihood Of his early rclih-
uuishnIent OF his rortt"l!o as Strrt'
tlrv Of agriculture, ne said:
Il haven't been asked to go ana !
am rot intending to resign. am gong
to sick to my post and continue To
build up that great department. i0u
will recall that when | went there, L
found practically nothing but lev
,olItol desks and a half dozen hall
starved scientists. Since that time. We
have built up an important branch OF
the government service. The agrirul-
tural department, today, is a great de
pertinent ANA | may say is as sound rs
4 nat We Irt. trying every day 70
make. il better. Since | took char%" OF
il 30 u.up,. have been let cut 81
its service for VariouS reasons. many "l
Them on charge of one Kind q" other
We make il & point to keep only first
class men and women. The purpose "t
TIE Investigation now in progress is To
purge, the DEPARTMENT Of all selfish
nrSs ANA corruption.
4 SIC Mr.. Jordan. president Of the
gor,hrrn cotton Grnw"rs Association.
II demanding my resignation in an in
trryicw rublishcd. today. Now |
haven't a thing to say about Mr.. Jor-
dan. He may say what he pl"Hs"S
abou; me. That his own people d" not
agree with him is evidenced by te'"-
gram which / have, just reccived-in
fact YOU saw me open it. Here ii IS:
Washington. July 81, 1903.
n Hon. James Wilson.
Dystrf Bay. y. Y.
'Dcnr Sir: III reference to the in
t,rvi"W III President Harvis Jordan
published. this morning. in TN" WASH
inetnn Post. would say thar | cannot
.u,iurSc the same. The farmers ana
cotton growers of the South have i'm
plicit confidence in your honesty ana
ability To purge the department of all
grIft"rS and they hope the President
will not interfere with the great work
ynu are now doing for them.
II. s. Peters.
Vice President. southern Cotton
Growers Association.
Here is another telegram which |
also ave just received:
New York. July 81.
ITO Hon. James w llSon,
care the President,
oyster Bay. n. Y.
Have sent the President 4 telegram
50 he will know how tn" great com
rIrrri.tl bodies we represent feel about
YOU department aud work.
civilian :. HARVEY"
"Wh4t have you to say. Mr.. S"cre-
t;try. about Mr.. Jordan's statement that
You did not collect new figures on the
cotton acreage"
"Ouly this" replied Secretary Wilson.
'''Ihr reports which We're received from
the apartments reporters in the ield
Wcr,, placed III the hanfS uf Il board ap-
POINTED ia make now estimates from
lh,lu That boards estimate differed from
tie estimate made by Hyde and ftolintS
~ three and Il hall pr cont. 'ihIt i i;
correct believe. but If it is not Il : ",
report az the field reporters and MOI hi
tn. department. hitherto. il is true, tht
irsurcs probably have been juSgied 'lno
changed but We have eliminated priGti-
Cally any future jugSlcry Of that sort l II.
situation, you understand. WAS peculiar;
We probably never would have discoveries
what the difficulty was had IL not bet'
tor The fact that tw" spee!!l''orS so'
Concerning the inquiries now being 'n'ut
into the scandals by the department 81
Justice, Secretary W lSun uiu llot ''tt y
talk. 'Manifcstly." said he. 1T Woui'
scar ely be proper for me to discuss II
work Of another department particularly
in the present circumstances.
Only two cases are now before the ~,
torncy general from my department, th;ii
OF Holmes and that of Dir. Moore. w MAJ
may be the result of the inquiries l nav,
no idea. DIR. Moore had accomplished
some fine results. and il he had only pladt
clear to the department his entire con
nrctiOn with the Nitro Culture Company
think we could have Kept him on !;
straight course.
Then Secretary Wilson outlined his ne"
plan Tor the bureau of crop statistics.
This is entirely new. said he. an,
never has teen published. 1t is my inten
ton to create Il board with Assistant
Secretary Hays at its head. which shall
handle al crop statistics. | appointed :;
board little while ago. the members o
which handle the statistics individually
and turn in their results to me or Mi
Hays. The present board is sort I"
make-shft affair." II was the best W.
could organize i'm a hurry from people ii
the department. 1t is my intention t.
organize n board of four men. two o
whom will he from the South. The othe1
will be- from other parts of the country
They will be the best men We can find il
the country. men Of character, standin:
- 60, ~