The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-07-20
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

Washington, D. c., July II, 1905
The President, at least, has been
made to appreciate that there is a
large sized scandal involved in the
leaks" in the Bureau of Statistics
of the Department o. Agriculture
and he has stirred his Secretary
of Agriculture up with a sharp stick.
A day or two ago Secretary Wilson
was saying that the incident was
closed, that no fu ther investigation
wou d be conducted and that there
was nothing more TO be said on the
matter Twenty four hours later he
had determined to cause a thorough
investigation ofthe entire Bureau of
Statistics and had turned the evi.
dence III the case over to the Acting
Attorney General so that the latter
might ascertain if the evidence con-
stitu'ed basis for a criminal prose-
cution. Now the Acting Attorney
General transmitted the evidence
to the District Attorney and it is
assumed that the District Attorney
will Immediately take steps to bring
the matter to the attention of the
grand jury.
XIX
Meanwhile. information has reach
ed not only the Secretary of Agricul.
ture, but the President as well, in
dioating that the leaks in the Bureau
of Statistics have been going OIL for
long time and have concerned
practically all the crops on which the
government makes official reports.
Wheat, corn, oats and cotton have
all been reported in advance to GER
tain spectators so that they could
take advantage Of the governments
information and secure profits at
the expense Of the farmers to which
they were i'll no way entitled. How
much money has been made by the
guilty persons in the Department of
Agriculture and by the spectators
In this manner no one can possible
estimate, but there is reason to be-
liere that it may have amounted to
of dollars.
XXX
No one believes that Secretary
Wilson was himself responsible for
this condition of affairs beyond the
fact that he was what is popularity
termed easy" in his dealings with
all his subordinates. Probably no
one believes John Hyde, chief of
the Bureau of Statistics to have
been dishonorably connected with
the leaks, but most people believe
that Mr.. Hyde cannot be held to be
blameless, that he failed in his duty
to prevent leaks and in trusting
Holmes, the associate statistician to
an unwarranted degree and that he
has demonstrated, despite Secretary
Wilson's contrary opinion, his up-
fitness to remain in the responsible
position he now holds.
XIX
The truth is that the De: :artment
Of Agriculture has long and quietly |
been approaching a climax in its |
affairs for the reason that it is not |,
organized. Secretary vii |
son is man with an almost holy |
respect for science which makes him |
he victim of numerous scientific |
enthusiasts, not to say cranks. If
he Secretary of Agriculture is to
Dc himself scientist he should at
east have a plain, practical bust
iess man for Assistant Secretary
md the Department would be even
better off with plain practical bust
less man at its head and a scientist
or assistant Secretary. Scientists
ire proverbially lacking in sound
business serviIe and administrative
'bility and what applies to the De-
'artment as a whole applies to each
'f the scientific bureaus. An ideal
'rganization would consist of
Secretary guided only by hard COM
non sense and business experience,
whose assistant secretary was a
scientist while each bureau had at
is head a scientist, with a practical
business man for assistant. With
uch an organization the scientific
nthusiasts would be compelled to
demonstrate 10 the Secretary the
Utility OF the various lines of work
hey proposed to undertake. and
vhen such lines were undertaken
he assistant chiefs of the bureau
would be able to look after the
BUSINESS end of each line of work.
70 accomplish such a reorganiza-