Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-01
NO GRAFT" INVOLVED
GOVERNMENT SCIENTIST NOT
PECUNIARILY INTERESTED.
Vice President Howard Declares That
Only Men in Business are Back =
ing the Enterprise.

Stories of possible Investigations in va
rious bureaus of the government depart
ments in this city have connected the bu-
reau of animal industry of the Agricultural
Department with so-called scientific COM
merciar transactions. 1t has been alleged
that a scientist of this bureau is extern
sively interested in company which has
been caking money out of the government
by manufacturing a patent label used in
marking meat products-in fact, that he
financed the concern, which has for two
years been printing these labels for the
bureau. Officers of the company referred
to are indignant at these suggestions. and
deny that any government official or en-
ploye financed the enterprise or ever held
any stock in the company
Denial of Vice President Howard.
There never greater outrage per-
petrated upon reputable corporation. COM
posed of business of high standing N
this community, than the insnuations pub
lished today in connection with the al
legged fraud in furnishing meat labels to
the Department of Agriculture. You can
make this as emphatic words will per-
nit and at the same time this would not
be strong denial
This statement made to a reporter
for The Star this afternoon by Mr.. George
T.. Howard. vice president of the company
that has the contract for furnishing these
la bells to the Department of~Agriculture.
Il would like it to be distinctly under
stood that no official or employe of the
United States government is in any man
ner whatsoever connected with the com
pany either stakeholder or as an
employe, and inSinuatiOnS to the contrary
are a gross injustice. In order to make
this statement good L have today taken
to the Secretary of Agriculture the stock
books of the company, so that he may see
FIR hi OF ST Uyhn fnnl Of ha
company is held In addition to this,
have taken to him my personal check
book that he may see for himself that no
employe of the government has received
one cent of benefit from the sale of the
labels.
Story of the Contracts.
1.-THE story of the labels Is short and
simple one and one I think that can be
easily understood. For a number of years
the Department of Agriculture advertised
annually for label that would be hard
or impossible to counterfeit. but until /
took the matter up and made numerous
experiments. they were not successful in OBJ
tanning what they wanted. / perfected the
label that is now in use, and when the next
bids were advertised l submitted bid to
furnish them for 81 a thousand. My bid
was accepted in competition and l fur
nished them at the figure mentioned.
THE next year had so perfected the ma
chinery for the making of the labels that
1 found 1 could supply them for SO cents
per thousand, and the next year. having
made further improvements in the ma
chinery, 1 offered them for 60 cents. l
would have the readers of The Star under
stand that the process by which the labels
are made Is my own. and that 1t is patent
ed in this country. Canada and abroad, yet
each time 1 received a contract for the
la bels from the government it was In an
swer to an advertised request for bids by
the Department of Agriculture.
For several years I furnished these la
bells to the department upon my own
responsibility. Later, however. a company
was formed for the purpose of entering
into the manufacture of the labels. and
that company is composed largely of repu-
table business men of the city of Wash
ington. none of whom know would enter
into any Questionable arrangement with the