The Washington herald., 1911-09-16

Taft in such a deep hole that he would
either have to fly in the face of public
sentiment by ousting DR.. Wiley or turn
down the two members of his Cabinet
who recommended that the resignation
| of the chief chemist be accepted found
| to-day there was no foundation for this
belief. President Taft. after calling at
tention to the fact that Attorney General
Wickersham approved the recommenda-
! ton of the personnel board of the de-
partment that DR.. Wiley's resignation be
accepted, says that the recommendation
! of the Attorney General given TO me was
upon only part of the evidence, and hence
his judgment was different, doubtless,
from what 1t would have been If he had
had the whole record before him, as l
have now"
Slap at Personnel Board.
at the personnel board. composed of
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Hays,
Solicitor McCabe. and Chief Clerk Clark,
which prepared the report on the Wiley
case and offered the recommendation in
which the Attorney General concurred.
1t is generally believed that Solicitor Nc
Cabe. the most active member Of the
anti Wiley faction, and Associate Chem
for DR.. Wiley, will not remain much
longer in the government service. Posi-
bly,, too, there may be still other resigna-
tions or removals.
But. putting aside the long-continued
personal pickering, which, il was brought
out at the recent committee investigation
Of the subject, finally resulted in bring
ing the charge of a technical violation
Of the law against Dr. Wiley, the big
a1p n
with the manner in which the pure food
law shall be enforced in the future. 1t
has been suggested to President Taft that
he recommend the creation Of a COM
mission to enforce this statute just as the
Interstate Commerce Commission IS
CHARGED with the duty of enforcing all
statutes governing the operation of rail-
roads in the United States. 1t is under
stood that he is not unfavorable to the
idea, but has not committed himself with
respect to 1t, desiring more time to con-
slider all details in connection with the
practical working out of such a PROPOSE
ton.
1t has been pointed out to the President
by those favoring the commission idea
that the pure food law in the near future
will be amended in important particu-
lars and greatly broadened in scope, and
that judging from the constant friction
that attends the present effort to enforce
he law, some radical change may be con-
sidered absolutely essential
President FavOrA Change.
With this latter view. the President is
said to agree fully. and as a result it
seems inevitable that the reorganization
of the Agricultural Department this COM
ing winter will be the biggest depart
mental shake-up in years.
Just where DR. Wiley will land after
the cards have been shuff1ed for the new
deal is problematicai.
That the Remsen. or referee. board
which was created by President Roose-
yelt. and which. for one reason or an
ether. has apparently enjoyed neither
the confidence or support of the public
will go out of business a the close of
the present fiscal year. is considered
pretty certain, whether the commission
plan for enforcing the food and drug
act is adopted or not. The board, as at
present constituted and operating, is ex-
tremely expensive and very slow, and
even the high character and admitted in
tegrity of ii has failed to save II from
caustic criticism
The chief aim of the reorganization of
the department which is projected will
be toward consolidation and simplifi-
cation Of the pure food law machinery.
And il seems rather apparent that Presi-
dent Taft has somewhat of a job on his
hands