The Washington times., 1911-07-18
IF THIS BE INSTRUMENTATION,
LET US HAVE MORE.

One of the most difficult crimes Il
prove is conspiracy. In all experience
and in all phases of the crime this hal
been true. 1t involves not merely tn,
demonstration of a state of mind il
one individual, but the coincidence o.
that state in two or more, with identi
cal purpose. The moral certainty may
be established but the legal proof i'm
possible.
In the case of the cabal to throw DR.
Wiley out of the Agricultural Depart
ment, the moral proof certainly seems
pretty complete. There is first the
notorious feud between himself and
authorities unwilling to offend ''busi-
ness" by enforcing the food law as rig
orously as he would do it.
Then there is the creation of the
board of review, whose majority has
been almost uniformly hostile to Wiley
and as popular with superiors as Wiley
has been unpopular.
Next comes the Remsen board, Gre
ated specifically to give the foodfxers
one more appeal-a last chance to es-
cape from Wiley.
1t was an illegal method-but what
difference? 1t thwarted Wiley; it
saved the benzoate users; it broke down
the protection the public was entitled
to get from the food law.
Next came the trumped-up charge
against Wiley, the effort to frighten
him into resigning by threat of dis
grace; the plain purpose to drive him
out without letting the public know
the truth.
And finally, we have the dismissal Of
Floyd w. Robson, assistant and de-
voted supporter to Wiley in the ben
zoate fight. Robson was dismissed be-
cause he was ''insubordnate."
Wherein did his insubordination con-
sist?
In that he became an important wit
ness for the Indiana pure food authori-
ties in their effort to prevent use of
benzoate in that State.
Robson had refused to accept the
Remsen boards whitewash of benzoate
True, he and Wiley had their hands
tied so far as concerned further pur
suance of the benzoate fight in fthe
Federal domain. But the State food
authorities were still carrying on that
struggle for protection of the public
health, and Robson was summoned to
testify in the Indiana case. His doing
so constituted insubordination, for
which he was dismissed from the Fed
eral service.
Note that it was done secretly. No
announcement was made. 1t recalls the
furtiveness of the secret executive or
der giving the Ryan-Guggenheim gang
the precious Controller Bay harbor lit
toral
1t brings thought back to the secret
preparation of the railroad bill of 1909,
the effort to big-stick it through Con-
gress, and then the explosion when it
was discovered that if passed that
measure would betray the whole fabric
of our railroad regulation legislation.
1t forces recurrence of recollection to
the secret negotiation of the reciprocity
treaty and the effort to prevent amend
ment.
1t serves as distasteful reminder of
the manufacture of a document, and
its insertion in the Ballinger Pinchot
record, with a dishonest date, in order
to Justify actions of the President.
Robson was a marked man from the
time he lined up with Wiley and against
the Agricultural Department clique of
plotters. 1t was predicted months ago
that they would get" him, and they
did.
They got" him quietly, secretly,
without any scandal. They had planned
we'll to get Wiley in the same way-to
threaten him with disgrace and scan
dal, and quietly force him to resign
without making a fuss.
1t merely happened that Wiley didn't
choose to take the silken cord and
strangle himself He had other ideas.
Publicity's searchlight was turned on,
and present indications are that the
plot will end in ignominious failure be-
cause of the publicity that has been
given to it.
The plotters ought not to escape.
NO NEED TO FEAR CHOLERA