The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-14
MAKE CHARGES
AGAINST WILEY
Pure Food Expert Condemned
by Committee on Personnel of
Agricultural Department.

WASHINGTON. July l3-Dr. Har-
vey W. Wiley. pure food expert and
chief of the bureau of chemistry of
the department OF agriculture. and one
OF the most widely known officials in
the government service, has been con.
demned by the committee on personnel
of the department of agriculture with
a recommendation to President Taft
that he F" be permitted to resign
Attorney General Wickcrsham In an
opinion on the case submitted to the
president recommends approval Of the
committee s action
1T is charged against DR.. Wiley that
he permitted an arrangement to be
made with Dr. II. II. Rushby, recog.
nizcd pharmacognoslst of Columbia uni
versity. New York. for compensation
in excess of that allowed by law 1t is
claimed that the arrangement was to
put DR.. Rusby on the pay roll of the
department at $1,000 a year as an en-
ployee of the bureau OF chemistry, an
agreement being made with him that he
should be called upon to perform only
such service as this salary would COM
pensate for at the rate of $50 per
day for laboratory Investigations and
$50 per day for attendance in court.
Wickersham' Opinion.
Attorney General Wickersham held
that the law permitted the payment of
only 50 day, this sum later being in
creased to $11 day.
Along with the suggestion that DR..
Wiley, because Of these alleged irregu.
larities in the employment of DR.,
Rusby. be permitted an opportunity to
resign, the committee on personnel and
the attorney general have recommend
ed the dismissal of DR.. Rusby and the
reduction of DR.. l.. L. Kebler, chief of
the division of drugs in the department
of agriculture, The committee further
recommends that DR.. w. B. Bigelow,
assistant chief of the bureau of chem
istry. also be given an opportunity to
resign.
President Taft has not indicated what
action he will take. The matter has
Just become public, although the inves
tigation began last March,
Will Wait for Statement.
President Taft. it was learned later
today, has forwarded all of the papers
no action until he receives a personal
statement from him.
II Is known that the president has the
highest regard for the pure food expert
and for his administration OF the bureau
of chemistry, DR.. Wiley had been at
tackled almost constantly since the pure
food law went into effect. 1t has been
claimed by the interests affected that DR..
and unjust. Dr. Wiley has regarded DR.,
Rusby as one OF his most valuable assist
lnts In the difficult task Of enforcing the
pure food and drug act,
Dr. Rusby received all the papers in the
Ease several days ago and his reply made
public in New York last night, had not
cached Washington early today. In this
-eply. however. he Is quoted as saying he
lid not seek nor desire the work In the
department of agriculture, DR.. Rusby
says there has been no hearing on the
should be one. He charges that there was
one-sided presentation Of the case to
he, attorney general to constitute the
had o. no ms of Sa fab the
made with him was Irregular
n any way. He said he seemed to be re-
,arded by the department as a conseript
dismissed In disgrace for reluctantly do |
ng work which interfered with his regu-
ar employment.
liscuss the case In any form today They |
declared the matter had been submitted |
o the president for his consideration and |
inal determination,
DR.. Wiley has not resigned and so far
here has been no request for his resigna-
ion. While the Washington friends OF |
wSy Sy sny N past tS In king
appear to be glad that some one outside
Il Washington took steps to secure pub
ication Of the matter at this time.
President Taft. bafore acting on the |
ase. II Is said. will grant n hearing to |
III involved and will be guided by his own |
Judgment.
81 would not advise any one to walt |
Lround my office to see me put out. there |
S no telling how long that will be- said |
Dr.. Wiley today. when asked for a state
nent.
'Do look frightened about this mat
er? All I know is that a copy of the
go. and I will make reply to them
Trough Secretary Wilson to the president
Until the latter sees At to make that |
tatement public have nothing further to
ay in the matter"