The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-15
SHAKEUPI| NAY
FOLLOW [j|i i kttiEs53 :
Present Officials in Department
Of Agriculture May Be
Changed

e@A*Sy OO
Changed
Beverly, Mass, Sept. 15.-The resie-
nation OF DIR. Harvey w. Wiley, chief
Of the bureau Of chemistry in the de-
Dartment Of agriculture. and probably
the best known pure food expert in
the government service, will not be
asked for by President Taft, despite
the recommendations that It be re-
Quested made by the personnel board
Of the department and endorsed BY
Attorney General Wickersham.
The "condigne punishment" for DR..
whey which Attorney General Wick
ersham held to be necessary, will not
be meted out by the chief executive.
The presidents opinion, carrying no
word Of criticism for DR.. Wiley. but
. word Of praise, was made public
here today. There is no indication in
It that the president feels that he
turned down" Wickersham by not ac-
cepting his Recommendation. He ex-
plains that the attorney generals
findings In the case were made with
less complete data than was before
him when he took It up.
In the opinion. the president admits
what has been we'll known to many
persons close to the administration
that there is trouble in the depart
ment of agriculture. Speaking Of the
congressional inquiry into that de-
partment which was left unfinished at
the last session, but is to be taken up
again next winter the president says:
Broader issues raised by the investi-
cation. which have q much weighter
relation than this one to the general
emctency Of the department, may re-
quire much more radical action than
the question have considered and
decided"
That this statement indicates a seri-
Gus shakeup in. the department next
winter was freely predicted here to-
day. There have never. been any init
nations that Secretary Wilson was
disposed to retire and It 10 not, be-
lieved here that the president would
request him to do 20. A general clean
up Of the officials in the department,
however, could easily be required by
the president and carried through
when he returns to Washington in
November.
The wiley case" arose over the en-
ployment by the bureau of chemistry
Of DR.. H. H. Rusby of New York. In
eject DR.. Wiley, DR.. l. F. Kebler.
chief OF the drug laboratory, and DR..
w. D. Bigelow. assistant chief of the
bureau. were charged with having
conspired to pay DR.. Rusby a salary
OF $500 a year with the tacit un-
derstanding that he was to do only
enough work to secure this amount
at $50 per day. This was held to be
q violation Of the act Of congress Of
March 15, 1898, which declared that
no classified scientific investigator
should receive more than 50 per day.
In addition to the recommendation
that DR.. Wiley be allowed to resign.
the personnel board held that DR..
Rusby be dismissed, that DR.. Kebler
b reduced and that DR.. Bigelow be
allowed to quit the service. None of
these recommendations are upheld In
the presidents opinion. DR.. Kebler
70 reprtmanded for "disingenuous con-
duct" In his letter writing to DR.. Rus
BY and the president says that the
letters suggest ''the willingness to re-
sort to evasion" that calls for official
reproof. DR.. Bigelow is said to have
been "over sealoas" and a reprimand
BY Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson,
TO whom the opinion which Is in let
tor form, 10 directed, is ordered by
the president.
Dr. Rusby is held to be as guiltless
40 DR.. Wiley in this particular mat
ter. The charge against him, how
ever. Of securing the appointment on
the common "laborer's roll" as a ply
sician and expert, whom he could use
to do his work at q very small stipend
when he himself was called away, the
president holds to be mot especially
creditable."
Tho case. the president says, has
made apparent "the doubtful legisla-
tive policy Of placing limitations upon
the bureau chiefs to exact q per diem
compensation for experts" The gov
ernment, he says, ought not to be at
q disadvantage in this regard and one
cannot withhold ones sympathy with
the earnest effort Of DR.. Wiley to pay
proper compensation and secure ex-
pert assistance in the enforcement of
so important statute as the pure
food law. Certainly In the beginning
the questions arising under it are Of
capital importance to the public.
EnD TYF nnan