The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-01
MIR. WILSON OUGHT TO RESIGN


for results. No matter how honest he
may be, if frauds go on unchecked in
his department and scandals multiply,
it is evident that he is not the right
man in the right place. When.
through ignorance or putting faith in
a man who is being paid by Wall
street spectators to mislead him, he
gives out statements as he did when
General Butler showed Secretary Will
sons error, it is clear that he is not
the man to whom the cotton farmers
can safely look to protect their in
terests. And, worst of all, when call
ed upon to investigate the leaks in
his department, he blindly denied that
there were any leaks and was a
stumbling block to the investigation
that has disclosed grave and disgrace
ful scandals, it is clear that the use
fulness of Mr.. Wilson as Secretary of
Agriculture is at an end.
All the good results of exposing the
leak which had robbed the Southern
cotton farmers of many thousands Of
dollars, are due to the Southern Cot
ton Association. But for that virile
and vigilant organization, Mr.. Wilson
would have been able to continue the
assertion he has been repeating for
months: There is no leak. There
can be no leak. The system is per-
feet" But all the while, the chief
officials We're in close touch with Wall
street spectators and manipulating
the figures to keep down the price of
cotton. Having taken the lead in the
investigation, the officers of the South
ern Cotton Association are still stand
ing by their guns. They demanded
that Holmes be discharged while the
department was reposing implicit
faith in him. and Mr.. Wilson would
not believe that there was a leak un
til Mr. Cheatham showed him the evil
dence that could not be controverted.
And then Mr.. Wilson kept Hyde and
rushed into print to say how good
man Mr.. Hyde was. Messrs. Jordan
and Cheatham, the officers of the
Southern Cotton Association. demand
ed the official head of Mr.. Hyde. He
was allowed to resign with a puff, but
was careful to take a steamer for
Europe, while the grand jury was
trying to get him to testify.
And now what about Secretary Will
son? The Southern Cotton Associa-
ton will request the President to call
for the resignation of Mr.. Wilson on
the ground of incompetency. Speak
ing of the matter, Mr.. Harvie Jordan,
president of the Southern Cotton AS
ISOLATION, says:
1.-The charges preferred by the
Southern Cotton Association against
certain high officials in the Bureau of
Statistics two months ago, have been
fully sustained and the developments
in the scandal as Investigations pro-
coed have startled and amazed the
producers and business interests of
the entire community. 1t has de-
veloped a condition of graft in the
Department of Agriculture that might
we'll be compared to official dishonesty
charged under the present admins
tration of certain government officials
of the Russian Empire.
1.-The present head official of the
Department of Agriculture has proven
a stumbling block to the investigation
from its incipiency
"As a result of these scandalous
happenings in the Department of
Agriculture, Secretary Wilson's resig-
nation will be absolutely necessary to
inspire confidence among the pro-
.ft1n q ha fra6 do 0Ysal lxyi in hO
Department of Agriculture. Secre-
tary Wilson may be thoroughly honest
and sincere, but it is quite evident
that he is incompetent and that his
days of usefulness to the department
have passed. / am receiving a great
many letters and communications in
siSting upon Secretary Wilson's resg-
nation.
1.-THE matter will be presented to
President Roosevelt officially on the
part of our association, and Mr.. Will
sons resignation will be requested.
If the department is thoroughly re-
organized, with a good and capable
man placed at it's head. confidence can
be restored. otherwise it will not. The
President is determined to purify the
and l am convinced that
he can be fully depended upon to
safeguard the peoples interests in the
under his official con-
troll
Confidence can never be restored i'm
the Agricultural Department until it
has a new head This must be evil
dent to the closest friends of Mr..
Wilson and it Will be the part of wis
dom if he recognizes conditions as
they are If he insists on holding on
past history shows what will happen
to him. No administration can suffer
a man to remain at the head of
great department who cannot keep it
free from grave scandals.