The Washington herald., 1911-07-15

to see any comparison whatever between
the technical breach said to have been
committed by DR.. Wiley and that in
dulged in by the Attorney General
The committee of the House which
will investigate the Wiley incident Will
inquire into the appointment of the So
called referee board by the Secretary
of Agriculture. Democratic members
declared to-day that this board never
was authorized by law and that In
their opinion II had usurped the pre-
negatives and powers with which the
law clothes the Bureau of Chemistry.
Messages protesting against DR.. WI
ley's removal poured into the White
House yesterday from all parts OF tho
country. In view of the sentiment that
has been aroused over the case, the be-
lief here is that President Taft will find
some way out OF the difficulty without
ordering DR.. Wiley's removal. This
might be accomplished. 1t is pointed
out, by a public. reprimand.
Before the case is finally passed upon
by the President, the Secretary of Agr1-
culture will submit a Recommendation.
1t is possible that through this recon-
mendation of the Secretary of Agricul-
ture a way may be found of lessenins
the embarrassment of Mr.. Taft In the
matter DR.. Wiley yesterday declined
to make any statement. He has not
yet submitted his defense of the
charges.
Representative william Richardson, OF
Alabama, who. as q Democratic member
Of the Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Committee, had a great deal to do with
the preparation of pure food legislation
was emphatic yesterday in the criticism
of the Department of Agriculture and or
the attacks on DR.. Wiley.
Faithful In Position.
IT am well acquainted with the recent
charges made against DR.. Wiley" said
Mr. Richardson, "and am not surprised
because, associated as I have been with
DR.. Wiley in the performance of my
duties as a member of the Interstate and
Foreign Commerce Committee during the
Fifty-sixth to the F1fty-ninth Congresses,
when the pure food law was in the max
ing, I became aware of a spirit of hos
tiIity toward him which was frequently
manifested by certain officials of the De-
partment Of Agriculture / am aware
that DR. Wiley has made mistakes. such
as all men make more or less, but there
is one thing that can be said about him,
and no man can deny il, that he has
been absolutely faithful and true in the
enforcement of the pure food law accord
ing to the purpose and spirit OF Congress-
AS far as I can gather. the charges
made against DR.. Wiley at this time are
he Sad ha Mt 70 Tr
Rusby Of salary of 81, 900 year, a mat
ter which was presented by DR.. Wiley
to the Secretary of Agriculture and by
the Secretary indorsed and approved.
Now the claim is made that DR.. Wiley
was so smart that he imposed on Secre-
tarv Wilson and got him to do some
thing that the law forbids. The entire
superstructure, as I see It, of this tech
nical charge is based upon that one fact.
The personnel committee, I am ad
vised, was able to make out nothing in
the world from their standpoint except
this technical irregularity. No one con-
tends that DR.. Wiley was financially
benefited one penny. The committee
itself does not deny that DR.. Wiley went
several times with the matter to Secre-
tary Wilson. How on earth could a
valuable public servant be disgraced by
removal from the public service on such
dimsy charge as this?
This matter ought to be taken up
and investigated, and I am glad that the
Committee on Expenditures in the Agri-
cultural Department has announced its
intention of beginning an inquiry. The
whole proposition deserves the strictest
scrutiny. The investigation will add