The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-12


| Jordan. The Atlanta Constitution says
he talked enthusiastically and in a
| thoroughly satisfied manner of the
work accomplished by the secret SER
vice men who had been given him by
the department upon his application"
and quotes him as saying
II know of nothing that can be
done until after my report shall have
been submitted. The press has con-
tanned about all there Is to tell. Any
thing wrong? That the reader of the
daily papers can judge himself. 1t is
now a well known fact, especially
among the cotton men of the South,
that there has been Il leakage and a
manipulation of the figures in the sta
tistical department for the last dozen
years. For many years that leakage
has been suspected, and within the
past few years it has been practically
known. But up to this year absolute
proof OF that crookedness had not
been obtained. Now that that crooked
ness has been shown beyond all doubt,
il is safe TO say that the suspicion
of past years only needed the proof
that might have been secured to have
converted that suspicion into an abso-
lutte certainty. 1t has been shown com
pletely and absolutely that there was
a leakage. Nothing can be added to
that established fact, except to snow
that others, beside Holmes, the assist
ant statistician who has been removed,
had something to do with that leak
age. A study of that statistical work
will show that more than one man
might have information of like nature
quite valuable to parties on the out
side. on that line some additional
work might be done. But as to that
| am not the director.
You have talked with Secretary
Wilson since the detection and cstab-
lishment Of the leakage, ha-"
oh, yes; and before that detection
too. In fact, j have had many con-
ferences with both Mr.. Wilson and Mr.
Hyde, and upon each occasion they
both laughed at the suggestion OF a
leakage. No; the department was too
carefully guarded. 1t was too perfect
I'm it's every detail to permit of any
slip, even an. accidental one. But
when ii was brought home to him that
a leakage had been found, he and
here Secretary Cheatham looked
mighty happy.
Wilson Was Silent.
"'Oh, when it was proven to him
that the leakage and the fraud and
he have to say? Just as that proof
became convincing to Mr.. Wilson he
was like the boy the calf ran over.
He didn't have anything to say
neither did the calf. Just when Mr..
Wilson saw that every detail was too
perfect for a leak there was dead
silence-mind you, not an OMNIBUS 81
ience--in that agricultural department
building of this great nation.
t\VilI VDllr renOrt when il is passed
by the Southern Cotton Association to
the department affect Hyde and his
position" Secretary Cheatham was
asked.
Il do not know that my report will
go to the department. | do not know
what the association will do with that
report. But as to what the report will
say on that point l am not inclined
to indicate. As to prosecutions? l
have nothing whatever to do with that.
There are lawyers enough in the coun-
try without my entering that profess
sion at this stage of the game. Price!
Yes / have seen that his name has
been drawn into the question, but 1t
was not drawn in by anything / have
said In fact, | have stated in
card used by the Associated Press this
morning that had found no evidence
whatever involving Price in the leak
age While working with the secret
service man / had an eye in that di-
rection. and requested secret service
man to work ii out. Prices name was
mentioned in only one letter or paper
which came under our observation,
and in that letter was mentioned one
time only. l insisted upon the secret
service making a visit to. Price. lie
consented, but at the time told me
there were no clews giving even a su5-
picion i'm that direction. ..t
Now Up to Association.
$50 far as the work Of investigation
goes resumed Secretary Cheatham,
my task is practically at an end. Is
really at an end as far as ] can see.
It's with the association whether
further investigation shall be had. Yes,
there are some features in my report
which have not been given the pubic.
but, as | have said, | can't discount
that report by giving ii to the press
before the association has acted upon
il. That report will show just what
the press has presented. 1t Will show
that there has been a leakage there
for years which has worked to the i'm
Jury of the cotton planter. Yes, IL
can be corrected. The department Is
a large one, and with men thoroughly
honest the sacredness of the informa-
ton transmitted il can be rightfully
preserved. AS | said, there are chances
for this leakage to come from more
than one man in that department. ana
for that reason greater carefulhess