The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-07-26
DIR. Wiley And His Achievements.
From the dependent.


self-made man. with job TO be
proud Of, 1t is Wiley and his Bureau
Of Chemistry. He was born on
small farm in Indiana. His father
to quote the Doctor-"plowed for a
living and preached for love-" but
withal was an exceptional Greek
scholar and taught his boy Greek al
most before he had mastered English.
lie was the kind OF a father to in
spire in his son longing for knowl-
edge-and the way I'm which the
young Wiley accomplished his edu-
cation Is worthy of note. 1t marks
me man. Between chores, In the
hard grind which fell to him as
hoy, he got together enough book
learning" to enter Hanover College.
Through the four years course he
paid 90 cents week for a room.
once week he tramped home. re-
turning with the next weck's supply
cornmeal mush, potatoes. bread and
molasses. He never owned an over
coat, but he led his class through the
entire course, both in studies and
athletics. Then he taught while he
studied medicine in Butler College.
indianapolis. He received his de-
gree Of doctor Of medicine in 1875,
with enough money saved up to take
a special course in chemistry at Har-
ward College under Agassiz, Peacock
and Asa Gray. receiving the degree
of bachelor of science. Later he
studied chemistry, physiology and
pathology in the Berlin University,
under Virchow. Won Helmholtz and
Hoffman, and under DR.. Zen, the
head of the Berlin Board of Health,
whore he gained the first inspiration
which resulted in the devotion of his
life to a battle for pure food and
drugs.
This is the man who for 26 years
has been at the head of the Bureau
of Chemistry in the Department Of
Agrio ulture. The first 16 years were
hard pulling. He began with a staff
OF four assistants and a dishwasher,
down in the cellar of the old Agri-
cultural Building, and for years
a6 NJ OLE L.
has "a staff of $50 and a building Of
his own. He found the same public
lethargy against him which greeted
Pinchot's early efforts. and a Con-
gress which not only reflected but
exaggerated it. Only in the last 10
years have real results of his efforts
been evident; but to realize the gil
gantic strides which we have taken
in that time. since once we were
reused, we have but to look back
and recall the conditions connected
with all food and drug supplies
dozen years ago. and our carlessness
concerning them.
Many have risen up OF late to
claim share in the glory, and Dr.
Wiley Is too preposterously modest
not To give even the devil his due and
moro for all the assistance he has
had in pushing forward the fight
against authorizations. But il goes
without saying that for the first i'm
pulse. the persistent investigations.
the perpetual hammering away at
hard. cold facts; the motive power
has been Wiley; and for II the nation
owes him an incalculable debt. The
enactment Of the pure food and drug
act was his first signal victory, but
he was by no means satisfied. He
says that IL only gave him a lighting
hold for the real battle. in which he
is now vigorously engaged.
n brain and energy like Dr. Wi
ley's is not satisfied with any limita-
tiOns, and he has brapched out into
almost everything. He is passion
ately fond of music. He is poet
in his own right a humorlst of rare
quality; an after-dinner speaker of
uncommon cleverness; ar insatiable
reader; wide awake TO every new
thought in world progress. Few men
are as popular among their friends
or better respected by their enemies
than DR.. Wiley.
From the American Review OF Re-
views.
When called To Washington DR..
Wiley inaugurated the first expert
ments in the Improvement Of crops
by scientific selection. In a series Of
selections based on scientific analy-
aNtnn1ipc irh