Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-19
Mr.. HAYS IN CHARGE
Full Power to Overhaul the
Statistical Bureau.
TO REMOVE STIGMA
AUTHORIZED TO MAKE ANY
CHANGES IN PERSONNEL.
Secretary Wilson Wants Salary Of
Get First-Class Man.

Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has de-
cided to ask Congress at its next session to
increase the salary of the statistician of the
Agricultural Department from $500 to
5000 a year. Mr.. Wilson does not be-
lieve that a competent man can be OBJ
tanned at any less than the latter figure
to take the place of Statistician Hyde,
who resigned yesterday.
There is no likelihood of a statistician be-
ing appointed to succeed Mr.. Hyde before
the next session of Congress. Secretary
Wilson is determined that the vacancy shall
be filled by the appointment of man of
ability and integrity. who will command
the respect and confidence of cotton grow
ers and of people of the country generally.
and he doesn't believe that such a man can
be secured short notice, or for such
small compensation as $500 a year. And
the Secretary has let it be known further
that no man with pull need snoop around
the Agricultural Department with the idea
of popping into Mr.. Hydes shoes. Mr.:
Wilson wants big man" or no man at all
to be at the head of the bureau of sta
tistics.
Mr.. Hays Given Full Power.
Assistant Secretary Willet N. Hays has
taken hold of the affairs of the bureau Of
statistics, with Instructions from Secretary
Wilson, approved by President Roosevelt,
to cleanse the bureau of the stigma left by
the cotton leak scandal. His authority Is
unlimited He has been told that he may
have whatever clerical force he needs and
IL there are any employees whose services
he thinks should be dispensed with they
will be discharged. 1t Is regarded as OK
tremely likely there will be a complete re-
organization of the force employed in the
statistical department., as well as a thor
ough revision of the orders governing the
n q l.
ready been outlined In circular issued by
Secretary Wilson.
In that regard the Secretary said today
that hereafter If there are accusations
against the integrity of the bureau it must
be directed against himself or Assistant
Secretary Hays as he has no intention Of
allowing any other person access TO infor-
nation that might be used in stock tobbing
Mr.. Hays probably will be in charge of
the bureau until after Congress assemblies
and in the meantime Mr.. Wilson will look
fo1 man whose ability has been estab-
Ished, but who has no connection with
statistical bureaus attached to stock bro
kerage offices. Whoever is appointed will
first be approved by the President.
A rumor has been circulated that when
Congress assemblies a movement Will be
started to have the crop-gathering bureau
transferred to the Department of Com
merce and Labor in order to insure more
complete reorganization. Senator Dolliver
of Iowa. warm personal friend of Secre-
tary Wilson, is slated for the craftsmanship
Of the Senate committee on agriculture. He
has made a study of the methods of crop
reporting and 1t is known that he Is OPP
posed unalterably to any change of the
character suggested.
Studying the June Report.
Assistant Secretary Hays this morning be-
gan a critical study of the cotton acreage
report of June 3. 1t Is this report that
President Jordan and Secretary Cheatham
of the Southern Cotton Association and
Col. Hester, the New Orleans cotton expert,
have urged Mr.. Wilson to disregard. These
gentlemen have also requested the Secre-
tary to order the preparation and publica-
ton of an entirely new acreage report.
The decision to call for such report was
reached by Secretary Wilson last Saturday
after conferences with Mr.. Jordan and Mr..
Hester, and it was understood at the time
that only the lack of funds stood in the
way When Mr.. Hays was placed in charge
of the bureau Of statistics, however, 1t was
decided to have him make critical review
of the entire report and decide whether
complete new report was actually neces-
sary. Mr.. Hays is expected to give Secre-
tary Wilson his decision in the course of
few days.
Secretary Wilson explained today that
one of the obstacles to the immediate prep
aration of a new cotton report lay In the
fact that the northern agents of the depart
ment who were sent south to work on the
June report are busy on their respective
stations just at this time and cannot be
transferred. Other men could however,
the Secretary thought, be secured to do the
work.