The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-20

~ AoH AuCH NoTt III AudlT@I1lMtS
at Shake.up in Department of Ag-
riculture.
Beverly, Mass, Sept. 15.-Praise
Instead Of criticism is given DR.. Har-
vey w. Wiley. chief of the chemistry
and pure food champion, by President
Taft In his opinion disposing Of the
much discussed Rusby case, made
public today in tn. ,hape of a letter
to James Wilson, secretary Of agri-
culture. The resignation Of DR.. Wiley
will not be asked for. nor will the
punishment for the chief Of the bu-
reau Of chemistry, which Attorney
General Wickersham held to be nee.
essary. be meted out to him. A re-
port from the personnel board" of
the department., approved by Attor-
ney General Wickersham, recon-
mended that DR.. Wiley be allowed to
resign because OF an alleged conspir-
prominent pharmacognoist of New
York. as a department expert at a
salary of $1,000. with a secret un-
derstanding that he should perform
only such services which would be
compensated for at the rate Of $40
per day for laboratory work and $50
day for court attendance.
The president accepts DR.. Wiley's
statement that he knew of no such
agreement and declares. moreover,
that a precedent for the employment
Of experts at yearly salaries to give
only part Of their time to the govern
ment was set in the creation of the
Remsen board. \,
While the pure food champion
comes out with dying colors. the pres
idents makes 1t plain that his decision
10 not to be taken as q rejection up-,
on the attorney generals or the PEI
sonnel board. He at4sses the ,opin-
ION tnat different RECOMMENDATION
would have been made had the au-
thorities known all the facts.
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 depart
ment. unfinished at the last session
but to be taken up again next winter,
Mr.. Taft, says:
"The broader issues raised by the
investigation, which have much
weightier relation than this one to
the general efficiency Of the depart
ment. may require more radical act
ion than the question 1 have consid-
cred and decided"
That the statement indicates a Sc
rious shake-up in the department.
next winter was freely predicted here
today. There have never been intim-
ations that Secretary Wilson is dis
posed to retire. and 1t is not believed
here that the president would request
him to do so. general cleanup Of
affairs in the department., however,
could easily be required by the presi-
dent and carried through when he
returns to Washington in Novem-
Der.
''The Wiley case" arose over the
employment by the bureau Of chem
istry of DR.. II. Fl. Rusby Of New York
as pharmacogocist Of the bureau.
In effect. DR.. Wiley, DR.. l.. f. Kebler
chief Of the drug laboratory, and DR..
w. ID. Bigelow, assistant chief Of the
bureau, were charged with having
conspired to pay DR.. Rusby a salary
OF $1,000 a year, with the tacit under
standing that he was to do only
enough work to secure this amount,
at the rate of $50 a day. This was
held to violate the act Of congress Of
March Is. 1898. which declared that
no claSSlned scientific investigator
should receive more than 50 a day.
In addition to the recommendation
that DR.. Wiley be allowed to resign
the personnel board held that DR..
Rusby should be dismissed that Dr.
Kebler should be reduced and that
DR.. Bigelow should be allowed to
quit tho service.
None OF these recommendations is
upheld In the presidents opinion. DR..
kebler is reprimanded for "disin-
genuous conduct" In his letter written
to DR.. Rusby. and the president says
that the letter suggests a Willingness
to resort to evasions." that calls for
official reproof