Arizona republican., 1911-09-16
Head of Bureau of Chem istry is Completely Ex- onerated by President Taft in Letter to Secre- tary Wilson.
SUBORDINATES GET
 OFF LESS EASILY
President Says in Effect Bureau Chiefs Must Have a Free Hand in Enforc- ing Pure Food Law Pro visions.

BEVERLY. Sept. 15.-Thc long 1 expected decision of President Taft
 in the Wiley pure food controversy
 came today. in the shape of a letter from the president, in which the ex- ecutive declares Dr. Wiley should not
 be asked to resign. despite the rec ommendatiOn of Attorney General Wlckersham and the personnel board of the department of agriculture "Condign" punishment for Wiley. which Wickersham held to be neces- sary, will not be meted out by the chief executive, but on the contrary. the presidents letter carried not one
 word of criticism of the pure food expert. There is no indication in the letter that the president turns down the attorney general by not accepting his recommendation. but he explains that the attorney gen erals findings were made when the data was not so complete as it is now. In his opinion the president admits what is well known to many persons-that there is trouble in the department of agriculture.
 President Taft said:
 Broader issues are raised by the investigation which have a much weightier relation than this one to the general efficiency of the depart ment and may require much more radical action than the question I have considered and decided"
 That this statement indicates a serious shakeup in the department next winter was freely predicted There never has been any intima- tion that Secretary Wilson is dis posed to retire, and it is not believed the president would request him to do So. general cleanup in the af- fairs of the department. however. could easily be requested by the president and carried through when he returns to Washington in No vember
 The Wiley case" arose over the employment by the bureau of chem istry of Dr. H. H. Rusby of New York, pharmacognocist of the bureau. pr. Wiley. Dr l.. F. Kebler. chief of the drug laboratory. and Dr. w. D.. Bigelow, assistant chief of the bu- reau, are charged with having con spired to pay pr. Rusby s1.60O per year, with the tacit understanding that he work only enough. to secure this amount at the rate Of s2O a day This was held to violate an act of congress, approved March 15. 1898, which declared no classified scientific investigator should receive more than s9 day In addition. there was recommendation that Wiley be allowed to resign. and the personnel board held that Rusby should be dismissed. Kebler be re- duced and BigelOw be allowed to- quit the service. None of these rec concentrations are upheld in the presidept's opinion. Kebler was rep rimanded for "disingenuOus conduct Tn his letter writing to Rusby. The president said the letter suggests "a willingness to resort to evasion" Bigelow is held to have been over zealous," and d reprimand by Secre- tary Wilson, to whom the opinion is directed. is ordered by President Taft. Rusby is held as guiltless as Wiley in this particular matter. The charge against him of securing an appointment on the common labor CTS" roll of a physician and expert ''whom he could use to do the work at small stipend when he himself was called away" the president holds to be mot especially creditable."
 The case, Mir Taft said. has an apparent doubtful executive policy in placing limitations upon bureau chiefs to exact per diem compensa- tion for experts" He said the gov ernment ought not to be at a dis advantage in this regard. One can not withhold sympathy with the earnest effort by Wiley to pay prop CT compensation to secure expert as sistance in the enforcement of so i'm portant a statute as the pure food law. and certainly in the beginning, when questions arising under 1t are of capital importance to the public.
 The president said his conclusions were ready weeks ago, but he did not put them on paper. as for time he hoped for a report by the house Investigating committee.