Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-07-13
Letter Of Water c. Hubbard TO
President Recalls Complaints
NJ lde in 1900.
DEMAND FOR public APOLOGY
Secretary Wilson Wrote Head of New
York Cotton Exchange Tart Reply
Latter Now wanta Thorough In.
veatgation of Methods Leading Up
10 Holmes Alleged venality.
Try. AssocIated prcss.l

Cry Associated Prcss)
WASHINGTON, D. c., July ia
new and interesting phase Of the cot
ton leak Investigation was ,evclo,nd
today illroiiEh tho publication of tho
letter of Walter c. hubbard, prcsi-
dent of tho New York Cotton Ex
ehhnEc. addressed ia President Roosc-
vclt. In which The writer declared
nat the members Of the exchange
mad been greatly shocked ny the re-.
cent disclosures of vcnality i'm tho
department of agriculture" ana re.
llcSted n full investigation of the
methods which led To the corruption
with a view of preventing the nos
sibiity of their recurrence.
Wanted Public Apology.
That letter is believed here tn he
the outcome of recent correspondence
between Secretary Wilson ami Mr.
Hubbard, in which the latter called
upon the secretary 10 make him n
public apology. because he had some
years ago called the secrctary's at
iehildn TO alleged leaks and that no
notice had lcen given The suggestion.
The secretary wrote tart reply.
IN Which ...s informed Mr. Hubbard
tiai ne owed no one an apology in the
hight of having done his duty tn the
best of his ability and that when he
sot anything that looked like facts he
promptly sent the secret service Of
ilcers TO hunt it down.
When Scandal Started.
The case to which Mr.. Hubbard
referred in his recent letter to thc
secretary occurred in 1900. On Dee
ember 20, of that year, Mr.. Hubbard
sent the secretary certain papers
showing that Mr.. Steinbcrgcr
wanted To sell information to n New
York cotton brokerage firm, claiming
that he conld get il in advance from
the department.
Secretary Wilson Immediately turn.
ed the matter over to the secret serv.
ice officers, but in about week, Chief
Wilkic reported that 1t looks like an
attempt OF Steinbcrger to abuse the
New York firm" After allowing Two
months to clapsc and not hearing any
thinE further, the secretary, on March
70, 1901. called upon tho secret sery.
ice for information as to whether or
not they had made any discoveries.
On the following day Secretary Of
tie Treasury Gage replied as follows:
THE action of this man who wanted
To sell information was done with
the hope OF being able to sell inrorma.
ion, but, as matter OF fact, his eff
forts To obtain tho advance informa-
ton failed as he received no assist
ancc from the person in Washington
upon whom he depended for informa-
ton"
This report of Mr.. Gage was trans
mittcd TO Mr.. Hubbard by Secretary
Wilson the next day, and the matter
was allowed to drop.
Hubbard Again Complained,
But in January, 1902, Mr.. Hubbard
complained Of having been advised
that Southern ginners were sending
to tho department returns of their
ginning operations. hearing date of
December % or % and" said Mr..
Hubbard, 81 am unable to understand
why additional returns from ginnera
should be obtained, since the result
is not to be published" II seems, how
over, that the department of ngricul-
ture, had not called for any ginncrs'
statistics at that time. hut that the
circulars had been issued from the
census bureau.
In the same month Mr.. Hubbard
wrote the department of agriculture
asking for certain information on cot
ton, but the secretary in tho course
of sharp letter denying the request,
written under date of January IL,
1902, said:
Had No Favortes.
1--WE take the ground here TINT
nothing goes out unless it goes to the
whole PEOPLE. We have no fayorites."