New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-19
WILEY ENDS TESTIMONY
"Hands Absolutely ParaIyzed"
Pending Referee Boards Reports
WILSON WILL APPEAR NEXT
Secretary of Agriculture Expect
ed To Be Last on Stand OF
Congress Investigation.
from The Tribune Bureau.

From The Tribune BUREAU
washington, Aug. Is-with a final shot
at the referee board. whose delayed de-
cls,ons, he said, prevented the Bureau OF
Chemistry from stopping the use of Ger
tain preservatives which he deemed harm
full. Dr. Harvey W. Wiley. chief chemist
and central figure in the present contro-
versy in the Department Of Agriculture,
finished his testimony to-day before tho
House committee on expenditures In thaI
department Secretary Wilson VIII take
the witness stand Monday. lie Is expected
to he tho last witness.
DR.. Wiley testified that his hands were
absolutely paralyzed" pending reports OF
the referee board on matters referred to
II. He had attempted to gain the right TO
prevent the use OF doubtful food products
while they were being considered by the
referee board he testified. but he had not
been successful. A number OF important
cases. he said, had been referred to. tho
referee board and were still pending, but
meanwhile, the chief chemist averred' the
food adulterators may continue TO use III
gradients which the Bureau or Chemistiy
would promptly put under the ban.
Referring to the evident antasonism oe
tween the Bureau OF Chemistry and the
Office OF Solicitor McCabe. DR.. whey WAS
asked by Representative French what no
would suggest to improve conditions.
GIVE me one stenographer and law
clerk and I will do all the work In con-
nection with the pure food and drug act
now done in tho office OF the solicitor. ana
at one-hundredth the expense he replied.
All records OF the Department or Asri-
culture embracing copies OF pure FOOD oe-
cislons or regulations changed through inc
protests OF interested manufacturer VIII
be called for by the committee when Is III
vestigating the charges against Dr. whey.
Dr. Wiley, who made the request for the
records, explained that they were officially
printed regulations and decisions which had
later been withdrawn and changed after
the Interested parties. the food manufact-
urers. had protested against them.
DR.. Wiley stated that DR.. Dunlap. the
associate chemist. held the opinion that no
decisions Of the food and drug board were
official unless he Dunlap signed them lie
told OF DR.. Dunlap telling Secretary VIII
son during DR. Wiley's absence that work
for the United States PhsTmacoppia was
being done in the bureau and explained
that Congress made this phnrmacopoia the
standard for drugs. DR.. Wiley said the
work done had cost i57. He was forced to
stop It when Solicitor McCabe said II vlo-
lated the Law.
Asked what Solicitor McCabe had to do
with deciding what was whiskey. DIR. Wiley
said, "I would rather let him state.
The chemist. describing his famous pol
son squad experiments" said: Il took up
the experiments with borax first to get ex-
perience for what / considered more impor-
tsnt experiments. I didn't think II was
harmful when I began.1
DR.. Wiley said two OF his reports on these
Investigations had not been published. He
asserted that he told the Secretary OF Agri-
culture all about the proposed employment
Of Or. II. II. Rusby. OF New York.
II wanted him TO know all the features
OF the case before acting on It," said Or.
Wiley.
After the Secretary had approved. Or.
Wiley told OF figuring out that t,oo0 was
too much for Or. Rusby. and OF having the
Secretary reduce IT TO $500. Again no de-
MED that anything was said about DR..
Rusby working only eighty DAYS year
as he presented the matter TO Secretary
Wilson He said the Prussian government,
after studying tho investigation Of the Blu
reau OF, Chemistry. In regard to the effects
OF benz6ato OF soda, and that OF the REM
sen board. had accepted the findings Of the
former that tile substance was harmful.
President Taft does not expect To settle
tho Wiley case before the adjournment OF
the present session OF Congress. The clos
ing days Of the session have presented Ia
him so many important matters that the
President has been unable 10 take up the
case In detail. II adjournment comes
within a few days the papers Ia tho Wiley
case will be taken by the President 10 Bey-
erly.
He intends 10 read all tho testimony
offered before tho House committee which
Is investigating the Department Of Asri-
culture and any other Information bear
Ing on the case which, is available. That
there may be some criticism OF officials OF
tho department other than Dr. Wiley Is
the belief here to-day. although the Presi-
dent has spent little time In discussion OF
the whole affair.
H