Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-25


grotesque in their appeal, but from the
fact that the writer has oftentimes either
asked some ridiculous question or offered
to give or sell the government some
wonderful" discovery. Among all the
heads of departmental bureaus who re-
ceive these letters there is no one, per-
haps. who gets a more varied assortment
than does DR.. Harvey w. Wiley. chief
of the bureau OF chemistry Of the De-
partment Of Agriculture.
-
In DR. Wiley's freak letter file are
letters which cover so wide a range as
to be beyond classification. Some there
are which cover nearly. twenty pages Of
large paper and hold forth upon sub
jects which to the writer mean great
power to the government" not to men,
ton other results. but which to the gov
eminent mean only an addition to the
aforesaid file. Some are examples of
terseness-and bad spellng-one feature
which seems to be characteristic Of the
great majority. Others are bold avowals
of disapproval of some move which DR..
Wiley or his bureau has made.
While these letters have been the source
Of untold amusement to DR.. Wiley, they
have also caused no little worry and
labor, for each has to be answered, and
in many cases deeiphered before a reply
can be intelligently sent. In all cases
where it is possible the desired informa
ton is given or the requested analysis
made. But in the words Of DIR. Wiley
himself. Some Of them want informa-
ton by return mail which it would require
a week to obtain" So 1t can be readily
seen that the maintenance Of bureau
of information as 1T might truly be
called, is no slight task. and one which
the head of every department in general,
Las, hos IN
UP With
:, Dine (which DIR. Wiley has kept shows
very, plainly that he has not discovered
the way to please everybody. 1t seems
that the doctor, after two years study of
the. subjects, felt privileged to contradict a
statement he had previously made In con-
necuoD with the duty on Cuban sugar. On
the same day that the fact was recorded
in the press an 'admiring friend wrote
the following, inclosing the article:
The case is SO plain that you simply
testified before the coIrmittee in behalf
of the beet sugar crowd for cash con-
sideEation-sold yourself for check from
that gang-that your friends are greatly
nlIagrAed, and you have disgraced In
diana and are no longer worthy of any
bsnarr or trust" The letter is signed, In
humiliation.
There is one other letter along some
seen fit to keep. and which, like the last.
is worthy of reproduction. 1t reads as
follows:
1T is the general opinion here, among
the educated and intelligent citizens. that
for few months you should exercise
rigid economy on your predictions, and
especially the assinine prophecy that very
soon all mankind would soon find them
selves without hair or teeth. and that,
too. great and intellectual pressure would
cause the disorder, if that can be shown,
as the origin of the calamity, you GER
tainly will escape with your hair and
teeth. AS a stimuiant to your original
researches you should gaze upon the car
toons. read the blstering sarcasms and
behold your phiz and your Apollo figure
mr. the newspapers. However. there Is no
law that prohibits man from making an
aSs of himself when nature has furnished
the groundwork.
nsThfortunately, the signature and ad-
-aFesS ION this letter were not SUFFICIENT
ee~ fufffish DIR. Wiley with the means of
replying to the gentle hint.
The rest of DIR. Wiley's collection is less
antagonistic in its character, and. gen.
orally, taken, more amusing. 1t is also
fss-s apt to wound, although DIR. Wiley