The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-23
WILSON'S BUREAU ROW"

Surely a no more pitiful exhibition
was ever mado of himself by q cabinet
officer at any time than was made by
Secretary Wilson of tho Department
| of Agriculture in his testimony against
his own subordinate, DR.. Wiley He
declared that he would rather resign
than face another bureau row; but this
at least of his own permission. He
allowed it to eat into the discipline Of
his department, until that department
is disorganized and cankered with dis"
loyalty and ineffectiveness. The only
striking figure in the department, the
only admirable bureau chief that he
had, he himself turned against. DR..
Wiley was trying to save the honor
and good faith of the department in
the just, honest, and intelligent en-
forccment Of the law. He was met at
every turn with obstacles; difficulties
were put In his way; and Secretary
Wilson himself, both by personal oppo,
sition to DR.. Wiley and by his support
of those who opposed Wiley, ranged
himself distinctively against the great
chemist and food expert, and alongside
Of those who were doing their best to
nullify the good intent and the faith.
full enforcement Of the law. It is an
awful predicament Of his own choosing;
even more, il is predicament that he
himself could have easily avoided If
he had not conspicuously moved to get
rid of his faithful bureau chief who
was doing the only thing that was be-
ing done by anybody to preserve the
secretary's good name, and the honesty
Of effort in the department.
Secretary Wilson says that he would
rather resign than face another bureau
row. 1t looks as though resignation is
the only thing left open to him, He
has been distinctly shown as an ally
of those who wished to nullify the law,
and as a complaisant, inert official,
the preparation and labelling Of food
products, in order that the public
might be deceived, and, in the opinion
of his great bureau chief, wronged and
injured. The Secretary self~respect
should lead him to see that resignation
is the only possible course left open
to him.
Secretary Wilson, unconsciously per
haps, added q touch Of humor to the
situation when. speaking Of President
,e 10
ucts, preservatives, and preparations,
said that the discussion was "exceed-
ingly heated One can we'll believe
it; and when be adds that "the Presi-
always has an opinion about every
who thought that the substance was not
syrup he gives lifelike touch OF
Roosevetism that is unmistakable. OF
course, Roosevelt bad an opinion; he
always has an opinion about every
thing, whether he knew anything about
it or not, or whether his opinion was
worth anything or not. When, how.
ever, Secretary Wilson told how he and
two other of the cabinet members de
cided that glucose could be called "corn
syrup he naively shows how he and
the other two secretaries allowed them.
selves to be used in the interest Of a
food concern which was endeavoring to
deceive the public by not using the
term "glucose' when glucose it was
that was being used. And his idea of
honest administration is further eluci
dated when he says In reply to a sug'
gestion that the secretaries did what
they did "out Of regard for the Presi-
dent IS views,' that SIT is well for
those under a man to listen to him
or leave the service That is, under
standing perfectly we'll that they were
giving an opinion contrary to honest
definition, contrary to the skilled ad-
vice of the head chemist, and merely
in order to pander to the vehement,
though ignorant. opinion of the then
President, the secretaries considered
that it was their duty to yield to dis
honesty. or leave their positions. 1t
is a most lamentable exhibition OF
weakness and subservience. The three
secretaries understood perfectly well
that Mr.. Roosevelt while, of course,
altogether honest in his strenuous opin-
ion, had no right to have any opinion
at all, especially one in opposition to
the expert opinion Of the chemist. be
cause he knew nothing about the case,
while the chemist knew all about it.
The department started in TO get the
scalp Of DR., Wiley; but it looks very
much as if DR., Wiley were going to get
the scalps of all Of them. He has Ger.
talnly done so, so far as public opin
ION goes, and undoubtedly that will be
the report of the committee of in
vcstigation.