New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-16
iDR WILEY UPHELD
!. BY PRESIDENT TAFT
Praise for Pure Food Expert.
Instead OF the "Condign Pun
ishment" Recommended.
DR.. RUSBY NOT AT FAULT
Hint at More Drastic Action When
= Committee Reports Taken to
Indicate Shake up in De.
partment of Agriculture

Beverly, Mass. Sept. l5.-The resignation
Of Dr. Harvey ". Wiley. chief Of the Ru
reau Of Chemistry IN the Department Of
Agriculture and probably the best known
pure food expert in the government ser.
vice vill not be asked by President Taft.
DESPITE recommendations that n he re-
quested. made by the Personnel Board Of
,he department and indorsed by Attorney
General wickershsm. Tho "condign pun
ishment' Of Or. Wiley, which Mr.. Wick
srsham held TO be necessary. will not be
inflicted. The Presidents opinion. contain
ing no word of criticism for Dr. Wiley. but
many words OF praise. was made public
here today. There is no indication In il
that the President feels that he turned
down Mr.. Wickersham by not accepting
bis Communications He explains that
thA Attorney Generals findings in the case
were made with less complete data than
he had before him when he took, II up
The President acknowledges what has been
veil known 70 many persons close n the
administration -that there is trouble IN the
Department Of Agriculture. Speaking OF
the inquiry By a committee Of Congress
into that department, unfinished at the last
session. but 70 be taken Up again next
winter. M Taft says.
The broader issues raised by the investi-
Gation. which have a much wsightier rela-
ton than this one 10 the general efflclency
~ the department. may require much more
radical action than the question I have con
s'dsred ard decided
That this statement indicates serious
shake-up in the department next winter
vas freely predicted here to-day There
rotary Wilson was disposed 10 retire. and
II IS not believed here that the President
would request him 70 DO so. A general
cleaning up Of affairs In the department.
however. could easily De required by the
President and carried through when he
returns % Washington in November.
The Wiley case" arose over the EMPLOY
nent by the Bureau Of Chemistry Of Or. II.
r. Rusby. Of New York pharmacognosist
81 the bureau. In effect, Or. Wiley. Or.
l. z febler. chief Of the drug laboratory,
and DR.. ". y. Bigelow. assistant chief Of
the bureau We're charged with having con-
spired 20 paw Or. Rusby a. salary Of 1880
wear with the tacit understanding that
ne was 20 do only enough work 70 secure
this amount az the rate Of 800 a day. This
was held 70 violate tho act ~ Congress
approved March To- 1888 which declared
that no classified scientific investigator
should receive more than 50 a day. In ad-
dition 70 the recommendation that DR..
Wiley be allowed 10 resign. the personnel
board held that Or Rusby should be dis
missed. that Dr. Kebler be reduced and
that Or. Bigelow be allowed 20 quit the
service These recommendations are not
Keller and Biselow cersured.
Dr Kebler is reprimanded for "disngen-
uous conduct" in his letters 70 DIR. Rusty.
and the President says that the letters
suggest Willingness 10 resort TO evasion"
that calls for official reproof. Or. Bige-
low is held 70 have been "ovsrzealous,
and a reprimand by Secretary Wilson. 70
whom the opinion which is IN the form OF
letter. is directed, is ordered by the
President.
DR.. Rusby is held - be as guiltless as
Dr. Wiley in this particular matter. \
charge against him. however,, Of securing
the appointment on the common "laborers
ron" Of a physician and expert, whom he
could use 70 do his work AZ a very small
s-ipend when he himself was called away.
Inc President holds 70 be not especially
creditable" The case. the President ssys.
has made apparent the doubtful legisla-
tive policy OF placing limitations upon bu-
reau chiefs 70 exact per diem compensation
for experts" The government, he says.
ought not 70 be al q disadvantage in this
regard and one cannot withhold ones
sympathy with an earnest effort by Or.
Wiley to pay proper compensation and Sc
cure expert assistance IN the enforcement
OF 20 important 3 statute as the pure food
law certainly IN the beginning. when the
questions arising under IL arc Of capital I'M
porrance to the public
The President says his conclusions We're
ready weeks ago. but ne did not put them
on paper because he hoped for time for the
report Of the committee Of the House OF
Representatives that was investigating the
Department Of Agriculture.
The Presidents Decision.
His letter reads as follows
I return herewith tho papers which you
have submitted 70 me in the matter of the
report ~ tho committee on personnel n
IL 81