Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-21
WAITING ON WILSON
Secretary Not Ready to Re-
port on Wiley Case.
is NOT GOING TO HURRY
An Important Matter. He Declares.
Requiring Consideration.
NOTHING FROM THE CABINET
No Word Given Out if Case Was
Even Mentioned at Meeting of
Presidents Advisers.

The Wiley case probably will not be
settled until next week. Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson declared before the
cabinet meeting today that 1t would take
him several days to go through the
papers in the case.
This is highly important matter,
and one over which / am not going to
hurry through. I may make a report
this week, but l doubt it
If the Wiley case was mentioned at
the cabinet meeting the fact did not
come out The President will be in
Beverly, with Mrs. Taft, until some
time Monday, and will not get back to
his desk until Tuesday morning. His
time that day will be occupied in a
regular cabinet meeting and in several
conferences he has arranged for. He
will not take up the Wiley case. it is
now understood, before the middle of
the week. He had wished to dispose of
it earlier. but cannot act until Secretary
Wilson has had time to turn in his
recommendations. Mr.. Wilson said this
morning he did not intend to hurry
about this.
House Committee Holds OFF.
The House committee OH expenditures
in the Agricultural Department today de-
cided not to inaugurate its inquiry into
the Wiley rumpus until some time next
week. Officials of the Department OF Ag-
riculture have assured the committee that
the complete information called for with
respect to the work of the Remsen board
of experts and the cost of the board can
he supplied within week. and unless the
papers asked for last week In connection
with the charges against DIR. Wiley,
which are now in the hands of the Presi-
dent, are received first, the committee
will make its first inquiry into the act1v1-
ties Of the Remsen board.
Representative Ralph Moss Of Indiz
ana, chairman Of the committee on
expenditures in the Agriculture De-
partment, said today that the Wiley
case and the subject of the Remsen
board were SO closely connected that
in his opinion it made little difference
from which angle the committee began
its investigation. The two lines of in
quiry would converge before long, any
the manner in which the inquiry will
be conducted and upon the witnesses
who will be called, and is simply wait
ing now to receive the official records
for which it has asked. When these
come in the investigation will be i'm
mediately begun. Mr.. Moss and his
colleagues seem particularly anxious
to know what the Remsen board has
cost the government UP to date, what
recommendations it has made and
whether such recommendations have
been accepted by the higher authori-
ties Of the government and carried
into effect.
Was Roosevelt's Creation.
1t will be recalled that the so-called
Remsen board was appointed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt to decide the now famous
benzoate of soda case. DR.. Wiley held
that benzoate Of soda was injurious to
health and that its use as a preservative
in food products should not be permitted.
The Remsen board held that benzoate of
soda. when used In certain small guam
titles. was not harmful. This reversal OF
his ruling was about the hardest setback
that DR.. Wiley has received since he be-
gan his activities in connection with
pure food legislation.
There Is no doubt that the question OF
the legality of the appointment of the
Remsen board will he thoroughly investi-
gated by the Moss committee. In this
correction members OF Congress say
that one of the assistant attorneys gen.
eral of the Department of Justice some
time ago prepared an opinion at the re-
quest of Attorney General Wickersham
holding that the Remsen board had not
pecn legally dppOlHteu, out ttldt tIllS OplIi-
ion. which would have proved extremely
embarrassing. VAS suppressed and So,ic-
itor McCabe of the Department of Agri
culture called on to prepare an opinion
holding the exact contrary. /, rs under
stood around the Capitol that copy of
the original opinion. holding the board il
legal is in existence at the Department
of Justice. and that the Moss committee
will demand that Ii be produced.
Considered InSipnificanf
The rumpus over DR.. Wiley has been
raised because of his alleged manipula-
tion of salary of s1.6OO for DIR. H. b.
Rusby an expert engaged at on excess
per diem rate. In comparison, with the
amount paid members Of the Remsen
board. the Wiley figures are. regarded as
insignificant. The Remsen board has rem
dered decisions on but two questions. one
reversing DIR. Wiley in the benzoate of
soda case. and the other sustaining the