The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-13
Senator CubersOR Says Cotton
Leak is Outrageous
LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT
Heads of New Orleans and New York
Cotton Exchanges Write, Urging
the President to Sift Scan-
dial to the Bottom.
BY wATTERsoN sTEALEY.

Washington, July I.-(Speeial. Acting
Attorney General Hoyt and District At
torney Beach were in conference the
greater part of the day over the cotton
leak scandal, and as a result the i'm
preston is strengthening that the dis
triet attorney will place the case of e.
S. Holmes, Jr., before the grand jury
with every prospect of indictment.
Unlike Paul Morton. Holmes is without
political influence and the department
of Justice is working overtime to make
out a case against him, with every pros
peet of success, The spirit displayed is
highly commendable; nothing like it has
been witnessed here in a long while.
With the indictment of Holmes COM
plete investigation of the agricultu de-
partment will be had and there is reason
to suppose that additional fraud will be
uncovered
Says II Is Outrageous.
Senator Culberson of Texas passed
through Washington today en- route to
White Sulphur Springs. This cotton
leak Is outrageous" said the Ser ator.
II have not looked up the law in the
case, but l make no doubt that an in
He should be punished, and severely.
The whole department undoubtedly calls
for an investigation, not an Inv n
tlon by its own officials, but by some
other body, for instance. the grand Jury.
There was enough scandal laid bc~e in
the postoffice department. but nothing
to what would have been learned had
the investigation been directed by others
than the officials of that department."
Mess In Printing Office.
| In addition to the agriculture scandal
now being aired. there is pretty ness
out at the government printing office.
Confessions of stock jobbing in the rhares
of at least one type-setting machine COM
| pany allegations of graft extending into
| various departments of the big govern
ment printing offices: charges that there
is clique of insiders in the establishment
| who have controlled the letting OF con-
tracts and purchase Of supplies, at times
| to the disadvantage of the government
and the advantage of certain favored
concerns; these and other developments
| are more and more loudly demanding at
tention with each passing day of the de-
partment commissions investigation.
Composed of Weak Officials.
This commission is composed of the
weakest officials it was possible to gath
er out of the department here. 1t is
holding secret sessions In order that the
whitewashing process may be used in
case some one close to the administration
happens to be touched 1t is now :
peeted that the inquiry into the type
setting machine contracts will be con
! cluded this week. Whether the scope
of the commissions work will be broad
ened to give It jurisdiction of the other
! charges affecting the office, Is now the
subject of the most interested speculation
at the great printery
| 1t is no exaggeration to say that. aside
| from a very few heads of departments.
| or prominent subordinates public opin-
ion at the printing house favors a thor
| ough investigation of all the charges
that have been more or less indefinitely
banded about for months. and even
years That such an investigation must
come sooner or later, whether the de-
partment commission shall conduct 1t or
not. is almost universally believed. The
various charges bruited in printing office
circles relate to petty graft in many
| forms. Especially is there constant iter-
alton of the charge that machinery,
equipment supplies, ETC., are bought at
prices which, in comparison with those
paid by private printing houses, are out
rageously excessive.
| Frauds in Land Office.
| Additional fraud in the land office is
| also now suspected, another graft deyel-
| opment of the day. Commissioner Rich
ards has had placed before him letters
whitten by members of the Mormon heir
archy advising brethren, who desire to
settle on lands within the Utah reserva-
tion In Utah to do business with the pres
ideney at Heber City. Utah. These COM
munications state that certain Mormons
have land office connections Richards
is investigating.
New Phase to Question.