Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-25
DARED TO EXPRESS HIS OPINION
Benzoate of Soda Views Lost Robson
His Job.

T1Io WV
Shall an expert chemist employed
by the department Of agriculture be
subject to dictation as to his scientific
opinion when It Is asked of him on the
witness stand, and can he be legally
dropped "for the good Of the service"
because he does not under such con-
ditions render testimony In opposition
to his actual views?"
AS result Of the attack on DR..
Harvey W. Wiley. chief Of the bureau
Of chemistry, whose technical error In
engaging the services Of an expert
chemist caused the attorney general
of the United States to recommend
that he "be allowed to resign" 1t has
leaked out that Floyd W. Robson, one
Of the principal assistants of DR.. WI
lev in the bureau, was dismissed from
the service on the 30th Of last June
on account of his testimony in Indian
apolis that benzoate Of soda Is an In
furious food preservative, in his opin-
ion.
In spite of the decision Of the REM
sent board that benZoate of soda Is not
harmful, the prosecution of concerns
which use 1t has been continuing In
the courts; and 1t was in one Of these
cases that DR.. Robson was summoned
to testify before the court In lndianap-
oils. He gave his honest opinion,
which Is the same now as 1t has al
ways been, and Is in agreement with
that held by DR.. Wiley. Without con-
sultation with DR.. Wiley or notihca--
ton to him, Robson was dropped
from the pay rolls Of the agricultural
department at the end of the last fis-
cal year.
What was Robson to do? Evil
IDENTIFY, the department Of agriculture
expected him to go on the stand at In
dianapolis and give testimony dame
trically opposed to his true bellet,
simply because the Remsen board has
expressed an opinion contrary to that
held by DR.. Wiley, who has recently
been upheld by the findings Of the
Prussian board of scientists, to which
the identical question was submitted.
Since the verdict Of the Prussian
board, 1t Is illegal to import into Ger
many food products preserved with
benzoate.
The bullying attitude of the agricul-
tural department towards it's scientific
help in the pure food and drug fight
is to be made subject Of searching
investigation by the house Of repre-
sentatives' committee on expenditures
In the department OF agriculture.
While the department, In order to
please big business" is trying to cluo
it's subordinates into acquiescence In
20 No ND
Of 1t, the committee will bring TO the
country's attention the doubtful legal
ity of the sacred Remsen board itself.
1t is we'll known that this board
was created without any specific war
rant of law, and that when the first
provision was made for its support
there was not a single member or the
agricultural committee Of the house
who knew, or who was willing to ad-
NIT that he knew, that the money was
to be used for any such purpose.
Representative Lever Of South Car
olina, brought out the fact in attempt
ing to defeat the appropriation when
it came up on the floor OF the mousse
the second time. He asked any MEM
Der of the committee who had been
aware of the purpose OF the proVlson
the first time II was made to rise. Not
a man rose.
The committee on expenditures In
the agricultural department has infor-
nation that Assistant Attorney Cen
eral Fowler rendered an opinion that
the Remsen board has no legal exis-
tence, but that Attorney General
Wickersham turned down his own as
sistant's opinion In favor Of contrary
one from Solicitor McCabe, of the de-
partment of agriculture-who. by the
way, Is one of the members of the
personnel board which has just recon-
mended the dismissal Of DR.. Wiley.
There Is no disposition to claim that
DR.. Wiley has not gone to extremes at
times in his pronouncements. But IL
Is held that most of the instances In
which he has been subject to criticism
or ridicule, have been merely In de-
claring his individual views. He has
denounced chewing gum and tobacco,
but he has never undertaken to inter-
fere officially with the sale Of either OF
these articles. His supporters claim
that where he has used the machinery
Of his bureau against a product, ne
has rarely failed to show strong scien-
tinc authority for his course. For years
II Is said, a systematic campaign or
obstruction and harassment has been
in progress against him. including the
pestering of the experts he has en-
ployed. by delaying their pay and by
making it personally unpleasant for
them to serve. DR.. Wiley has Deen
known to shed tears in describing the
endless annoyanceS to which ne mas
been subjected in the progress Of his
warfare against the business or SELL
ing bad food and drink.-Washington
correspondence of the News and Cou-