The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-07-14
COTTON LEAK SCANDAL
Believed President viii Pat Attorney
General on Case.
SECRETARY WILSON wILLNOTRETRAcT
II Is Understood That Attorney. General Moody
VIII Review the Report Of the Secret Ser
vice Officers and the Evidence Already 10
Possession Of Secretary James Wilson, Of
the Department Of Agriculture.

| WdSH11lQlOI, II. ~. \ODNNANAI'
dent Roosevelt will take hand In the
cotton leak scandal in the Department
of Agriculture. 1t is understood here
that he will direct Attorney-Generai
Moody to review the report OF the Sc
cret Service officers and the evidence al
ready in possession of Secretary James
Wilson, of the Department of Agricuit-
IRE. When this action will be taken
| is not known, but it is anticipated that
the President will manifest his interest
in the disclosures quick enough to tore
stall the demand which it is believed the
Southern Cotton Growers Association
will make for further and sweeping ac-
ton.
Mr.. Richard Cheatham, the secretary
of that association, who first presented
the charges to Secretary Wilson, lett
| here for Atlanta, Ca, to make re-
port on the whole matter to the associa-
| ton. Mr.. Cheatham is not satisfied with
the way in which the investigation has
been handled and does not believe it
was given the fullest possible latitude.
After Secretary Wilson issued his state
ment of Saturday, telling about the &C
ton of Mr.. Beach on the Secret Service
report. Mr.. Cheatham was on the verge
of hurrying to Oyster Bay 10 bring the
matter Immediately to the attention OF
Mr.. Roosevelt. On second thought he
changed his mind and concluded to lay
the case before the Cotton Association
and seek further instructions.
Secretary Wilson is standing pat upon
the action already taken by the Depart
ment of Agriculture. He declines to
apologize to Mr.. Theodore H. Price, the
New York cotton speculator, on account
of the mention of the latters name in
| Saturdays official statement and the in
timation that Mr.. Price benefited by the
cotton-crop leaks. Secretary Wilson
said he came to this conclusion after
serious consideration of the complaint
made by Mr.. Prices attorney, and de-
clared that he would be glad if legal
proceedings were instituted, such as
would bring about searching judicial
inquiry.
When he was asked whether he in
tended to make retraction in favor OF
Mr.. Price, Secretary Wilson said:
II have no intention of making any
public statement or private statement,
either of the character demanded by Mr..
| Price and his attorney. told them so
last night, and they know exactly how
feel about it. Mr.. Price asked me
yesterday to sign statement which he
himself had prepared, and emphatic
ally refused to oblige him. The state
ment was one generating him of any
connection with the leak in the cotton
crop report.
"He endeavored to convince me that
the statement I gave out Saturday con-
corning the result of the investigation
libeled him and that he would have re-
course against me in the law. He said
he could prove, moreover, that he was in
no way implicated with Associate Stat
istician Holmes, whom I have dismiss
ed, but l replied that | would not hang
pointer dog for sucking eggs on the
testimony of brokers who were trying
to corrupt a public official"
| Concerning the structures passed upon
him by L. C. Van Aiper for alleged
breach of confidence and of the criticism
of Richard Cheatham secretary of the
Southern Cotton Association, Secretary
Wilson said:
"Why, Van Ripper himself filed state
ment with the department which he
had sworn to, that statement being am
plihed later by verbal testimony in my
office. Furthermore, Mr.. Cheatham put
us onto Mr.. Price, and fail to see why
he should be so put out because the
brokers' name was mentioned in the re-
port. If these men do not want to get
the rough side of my tongue they had
better keep away from my office"