The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-26
new CROPREPORTING SCANDAL
KEEP C9NMISSION HAS ANOTHER
CHAPTER TO GIVE OUT.
Its Forthcoming Report on the Inyestiga-
tiOn OF the Census Bureau, II Is Said,
VIII Show ar Organized Effort TO
Dlsoredlt Figures or Tha Department.

VIII Show an Organized Effort TO
DIsoredlt Figures or That Department.
WASHINGTON, March pa conspiracy
on the part Of some Of the officers Of one
department of the executive branch OF the
Government to discredit the work Of another
department in the eyes Of the public may
De disclosed, according to information OBJ
tanned here to-day in a responsible quar-
ter, when the report OF the Keep commits
sion on its Investigations in the Census Blu
reau is placed in the hands Of President
Roosevelt.
At the request of the Secretary Of Agri-
culture the Keep commission was asked
by the President some weeks ago to inquire
into the reliability Of the agricultural census
Of 1900. This action followed the publica-
ton Of the report Of the Keep commission
relative to the work Of the division of sta
~tistics, or crop reporting service, wherein
the statement was made that unless RS
service could be improved it should he
abolished.
The inquisitOrs were severe in their con-
domination of the division OF statistics n
concluded their remarks concerning 1t by
declaring that it's reports were guesses.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson took ex-
ception to this on the ground that the com
mission used the census returns as a standard
of accuracy n in the comparisons his
bureau got the worst Of it. He objected to
the transmittal Of the Keep Commission
report 10 Congress before that body had
made an investigation to ascertain the
reliability of the census returns. He sug-
gested the inquiry, which is now nearing
completion.
Whether the Keep commission will hold
in its forthcoming report that its previous
conclusions as to the accuracy of the agricul-
tural census of 1900 wera confirmed by its
research in that bureau is not known 1t
Ia known, however, that some interesting
information has been discovered tending
to show that officials Of the Department of
Agriculture assisted in whitewashingi the
division of statistics when it was investi-
gated a 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 eulogizing the
crop report turned out in the division OF
statistics under the direction OF Chief
Statistician John Hyde, who left the United
States at the height of the cotton conspiracy
scandal
1t is learned that the commission called
on the Secretary of Agriculture foran papers
on file in the division of sta tistics or in the
Secretary's Office relating to the Board OF
Trade investigation. These data are now in
the hands of the commission. Some very
interesting exhibits known to have been on
file in the division OF statistics for a long
time are understood to be missing. 1t is
said, however, that the files show that Mr..
Hyde was in correspondence with certain
persons intimate with members Of the
Board Of Trade committee long before
that body undertook to investigate the
Census Bureau and that he wrote letters
after the publication of the report of the
committee expressing qualification with the
conclusions reached.
There is reason to believe that the Keep
commission will handle the crop reporting
service without gloves. 1t is believed also
that blame will not be put on Secretary
Wilson, but upon unworthy subordinates.'
The evidence collected by the commission
is said to be of a sensational character, aud
taken with what has gone before will make
a radical change in the crop reporting service
imperative. Reforms that have been in
stituted, it is charged, will not bring about
the desired results. The first draft of the
commissions report will be written by
Clifford Pinchot, chief forester of the
Government, a subordinate of Secretary
Wilson, and will then be submitted to the
other members of the commission for re-
vision.
Officially Congress has not been advised
Of the existence of the Keep commission's
report on the division of statistics. Certain
members AVE insisted that it should be
forwarded to the House, to be used as a
basis for legislation. But Secretary Wilson
objected to such procedure in advance OF
an inquiry into the Census Bureau,
The Agricultural Appropriation bill is
still in Congress, and it is understood that
it has been purposely held up in the hope
that the Committee on Agriculture, of which
Representative Wadsworth of New York
is chairman, might get a chance to see the
report Of the Keep commission.
u,,cc xEfrrE I'm TIrn DlDnN