The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-07-13
WANTED
WILSON TO
APOLOGIZE

washington. July ia new and in
terestins phase OF the cotton-leak inVesti-
cation was developed yesterday through
the publication Of the letter OF Walter c.
Hubbard, president Of the New York COT
ton Exchange. addressed TO President
Roosevelt in which the writer declared
that the members OF the Exchange h'd
been greatly shocked by tho recent dis
closure of venali;y in the Department of
Agriculture" and requesting a ful! in
vestigation Of the methods which LED 10
the corruption, with a view of prevent
ing the possibility OF recurrence.
That letter is believed here 20 he tho
outcome OF recent correspondence be-
tween Secretary Wilson and Mr.. Hub
bard. in which the latter called upon the
secretary to make him 2 public apology
because he had some years ago called
the secretarys attention 20 alleged leaks
and that no notice had been given the
suggestion.
The secretary wrote tart reply, in
which he informed Mr.. Hubbard that ne
owed no one an apology in the light q
having done his duty 20 the best Of MS
ability and that when he got anything
that looked like facts he promptly s'nt
Il to the Secret Service officers TO hunt
down.
LOOKED LIKE A BUNCO.
The case to which DR. Hubbard re-
ferred In his recent letter 10 the secre-
tary occurred in 1870. on Dec 20 of that
year Mr.. Hubbard sent the secretary
certain papers showing that n Mr.
Sternberger wanted 10 sell information
10 a New York cotton brokerage hrn,
claiming that ne could get II in advance
from the department.
Secretary Wilson Immediately turned
the matter over 10 the Secret Service Of
fcers but IN about n week Chief Wilk!e
reported that lit looked like an attempt
of Steinberger 20 bunco the New York
firm"
After allowing two months 20 elapsc
and not hearing anything further the
secretary on March Is. lNl, called upon
the Secret Ser vice for information as 10
whether they had made any discoveries
on tho following day Secretary OF the
Treasury Gage replied as follows:
The action of this man who wanted
TO sell information was done with the
nope % being able 20 sell Information
but as A matter of fact his efforts to
obtain the ,dvaice Information failed, as
he received no assistance from the per-
son in Washington upon whom he de-
pended for information
This report OF Mr. Gage was trans
son tho next day and the matter was al
lowed 20 drop. But I'm January, 1902 Mr.
Hubbard complained of having been ad-
vscd that the southern sinners were
sending 10 the department returns OF
their - or %. and said Mr.. Hubbard.
~ am unable 20 understand what addi-
tloual returns from Rirncrs should be oh
tained. since the result ia TO be pub
ushcd "
II seems. however that the Department
~ Agriculture asking for certain inform
alton on cotton, but the secretary. in tho
course ~ a sharp letter denying tho re-
quest, written under date OF Jan. II. 1902.
said
we take tho ground here that nothing
goes out unless ~ goes % the whole poo
plc We have no favorites
Secretary Wilson yesterday permitted
the eNamin alton ~ the correspondence IN
order "a show that az far back ss hvs
years 1Eo no had taken prompt action 20
discover any leaks IN his office.
Mrs Jones appears 70 he Jealous II
her husband"
7 hadn't suspected it.'
"Yss Fhe rae advertised IN this r1crn-