The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-26
ONE DEPARTMENT
D|SCREDITS THE
WORK Of ANOTHER

Washington. March ga conspiracy
on the part Of the officers Of one depart
ment TO discredit the work Of another
department in the eyes of the public. may
he disclosed. according to information OBJ
asned here today I'm responsible quarter.
when the report Of the keep commission
on it's investigation OF the census bureau
is placed in the hands OF President Roose-
welt.
At the request OF the secretary Of
agriculture the Keep commission was
asked by the president some weeks ago
TO inquire into the reliability Of the aRri-
cultural census Of 1900. This action fol-
lowed the publication OF the report Of the
Keep commission relative to the work
of the division of statistics. or crop-r re-
porting service. wherein the statement
was made that unless this service could
he improved It should be abolished.
The inquisitors were severe I'm their
condemnation OF the division Of statis
tics. and concluded their remarks con-
cerning IL by declaring that its reports
were guesses. Secretary of Agriculture
Wilson took exception to this on the
ground that the commission used the
census returns as a standard OF accuracy
and I'm the comparison his bureau got the
worst OF H. He objected TO the trans
initial OF the Keep commissions report
10 congress before that body had made
an investigation TO ascertain the rella
bility Of the census returns He sug-
gested the inquiry, which is now nearing
completion.
Whether the Keep commission will hold
in it's forthcoming report that It's pre-
vious conclusions as TO the accuracy OF
the agricultural census Of 1900 were con-
firmed by it's research i'm that bureau Is
1not known. II is known. however. that
some interesting information has been
discovered tending TO show that the of
ficals OF the department Of agriculture
assisted in .whitewashing the division of
statistics when II was investigated few
years ago by a committee representing
the national board Of trade and other
commercial organizations.
The committee in question severely
criticised the agricultural reports of the
census bureau, at the same time eulogiz-
ing the crop report turned out In the
division OF statistics under the direction
OF Chief Satistician John Hyde. who left
the United States at the height Of the
cotton conspiracy scandal
Ii is learned that the commission called
on the secretary OF agriculture for all
papers on file in the division Of statistics
or I'm the secretarys office relating to
the board OF trade investigation. lnls
data is now in the hands Of the COM
mission Some interesting exhibits known
to have been on hleln the division Of sta
tistics Tor long 3Ime are understood to
be missing.
n is said. however. that the files show
that Mr.. Hyde was in correspondence
with certain persons intimate with the
members of the board OF trade. committee
long before the body undertook to II
vestigate the census bureau, and that he
wrote letters after the publication OF the
report Of the committee. expressing graft
fication with the conclusions reached.
There Is reason 10 believe that the
Keep commission will handle the crop-re-
porting service without gloves. II Is be
lieved also that blame VIII not be put
on Secretary Wilson. but upon unworthy
subordinates The evidence collected by
the commission Is said 10 be sensational
and. taken with what has gone before,
will make radical change in the crop
reporting service imperative.