The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-14
Evasion of Statute in
Employing Expert
Charged.
VEXING PROBLEM
FACES PRESIDENT
Ousting of Widely Known Gov
eminent Chemist Has Indorse-
ment of Attorney-General.
Friends Declare ANY Irreg-
ularities Were for Good
of Service.

washington. Z. c.. July 13.-Dr. Har-
Tey 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-
demhed by committee on personnel
VI or the Department of Agriculture, with
/ recommendation to President TAFT
that he be permitted TO resign"
Attorney-General Wickersham, in an
opinion on the case. submitted TO the
President. recommends approval Of the
committees action.
Irregularities Charged.
1t Is charged against DR.. Wiley that
he permitted an arrangement 10 be
made with DIR. II. II. Rusby, a recog-
hized pharmacognosist of Columbia
University, New York for compcnsa-
tion in excess of that allowed by law.
it is claimed that the arrang ernent was
TO put DR.. Rusby on the pay roll OF
the department at $1,000 year as an
employe OF the Bureau OF Chemistry.
an agreement being made with him
that he should be called upon TO pcr.
form only such service as this salary
would compensate for at the rate oil,
40 per day for laboratory invegtigs
tions and $50 per day for attendance
In court.
Z
that the law permitted the payment
OF snly So day. this sum later being
Increased 10 sl1 a day.
Along with the suggestion that Dr.
Wiley, because OF these alleged irreg-
Nlarities in the employment of DR..
Fusoy. be permitted an opportunity 10
resign, the committee on personnel and
the attorney General have recommend
cd the dismissal Of DR.. Rusby and rho
reduction of Or. L. +. Kebler, chief or
Inc Division OF Drugs OF the Depart
ment OF Agriculture. The committee
further recommends that DR.. w. d.
Bigelow. assistant chief OF the Bureau
OF Chemistry. also be given an opnor
tunity 10 resign.
Inquiry Started In March
Inc matter has become public only
now, although the investigation was
begun last March. Acknowledgement
WickershamSs Recommendations in the
case bear date OF May 49, In summing
up the situation. the Attorney General
said:
The evidence submitted by the com
m'ttee on personnel clearly demon
6tFates the fact that Dr. Keller and
" sigelow entered into a scheme. 10
winch Dr.. Wiley lent his countenance
and assistance. to procure the apnoint.
ment OF DR.. Rusby at the rate OF 81. 500
per year, under an express agreement
WIKI MIN that he was to do no more work
under this appointment than would
&c paid Tor at the rate OF $40 per day
OF seven and one-half hours when en-
gagged IN laboratory work. and $50 per
day wnen engaged in court. The evil
dence clearly shows that these gentle.
men resorted to scheme to create an
appearance OF compliance with the
law, while at the same time distinctly
agreeing not 10 comply with It,
ouch an agreement certainly merits
cohdisn punishment and because OF
ehe Iacts set forth 1 recommend the
approval by you of the recommends.
lions OF the committee on personnel I"
Taft 20 Go Slow.
Or. Wiley Is in no immediate danger
OF ofhcial decapitation by President
Iaft This statement was made at
the White House to-day. and it is like
~ to be long time before his head
uahgies IN 'front.' of his enemies. ac-
cording to the unofficial view. freely.
expressed around the executive of.
fees.
The official statement was made th,.t
the president has received the papers
recommending that DR.. wiley be AL
lowed to resign. and that he has for
warded all these papers TO DR.. Wilev
LOT such answer as he cares TO make.
Until this answer is received and thc
President finds time to peruse the ma :
pers carefully he will do nothin..
There was rather free intercban 30
or unoftcial opinion around the White
House during the day, and with prac
tical unanimity it was agreed tina
President Taft will probably not go
as FAR as the personnel committee of
the department OF Agriculture and At
torney-General Wickersham, who
recommended that DIR. Wiley he all
lowed to resign.
1t was recalled at the White House
ehat DR.. Wiley is not having his first
experience in lighting for his Official
lie BEFORE President. Charges were
preferred against him during the pre-
ceding administration and the case
went direct to President Rooseve.S
who stood by DR.. w ley and com
mended the courage and intelligence
he had shown N fighting large inter-
ests In behalf of his crusade for pu-e
foods and drugs
For Good of Service
While his offense is termed evasion
of the appropriation laws. It was done,
his friends claim, for the betterment
of the service Of which he is the head
and was an evasion from which he
could not possibly receive any personal
benefit or profit
There is an entire absence of gain.
and this will in the end have much to
do with the decision reached by the
President. 1t is asserted.
The chief popular interest In the
case centres in the recommendation for
the removal of DR.. Wiley. The De-
partment of Agriculture is humming
to-day like hive of bees, because
the whole of the correspondence in
the case has become public. against
the will of the administration.
President Taft is said to be con-
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