New-York tribune., 1912-02-07
SECRETARY WILSON
IS UNDER FIRE AGAIN
Accused of SuppreSSing Reports
on Florida Everglades in In
tereStS of Land Spectators.
M'CABE'S NAME COMES UP
Two Agricultural Department Of
ficials Dismissed and One Sus-
pended-House Committee
Will Investigate.

Washington. Feb. 6.-Another investi-
cation Of the Department Of Agriculture.
involving orders Of Secretary Wilson
and Solicitor McCabe, similar in many
respects to the recent McCabeWiley
controversy, but which embraces charges
OF suppressed reports and influence Of
land speculators over government Off
cials, is to be made by the House Com
nittee on expenditures in the agricult-
ural department.
Circumstances. smouldering for months,
relating TO exploitation Of Florida Ever
glade lands. millions of acres Of which
have been sold throughout the country
by syndicates in the last few years, burst
into a flame before the committee to-
Gay, following the summary dismissal
from the government service by Secre-
tary Wilson last Saturday of c. G. Ell
lott, chief engineer of the drainage di-
vision of the department. and A D.
Morehouse. assistant engineer, and the
suspension of F. f. Singleton. an ac-
Countant. on a technical charge Of trans
ference Of public funds.
Representatives Frank Clark, of
Florida, and Z. r. Bathrick, Of Ohio,
who brought about the investigation,
charged before tho committee to-day
that officials OF the Department of Agri-
culture had been influenced by Florida
Everglade land promoters in the sup
preston Of a report on the condition Of
the lands made by the drainage depart
ment; that Elliot was threatened by
agents Of the land promoters unless he
would revise circular letter TO the pub
lie which did not contain laudatory ref
erences 10 the lands they were selling,
and that on his refusal the circlar
and fuller report were suppressed by
order Of Secretary Wilson and that later
Elliot and Morehouse were removed from
Office
McCabe Denies Charges,
Solicitor McCabe, who was called be
fore the committee, of which Repre-
tentative Moss, of Indiana, is chairman,
denied that the dismissal Of the officials
was caused by the Florida land case. and
said the action was taken following
charges that the dismissed men had mis-
applied funds. All the papers relating
TO this feature Of the case he turned
over to the Department Of Justice for
possible prosecutions
Mr. McCabe told the committee that
ell reports and papers bearing on the
Everglades case had been collected by
the department and would he turned over
20 the committee for investigation. The
department he said. welcomed the in
vestigation. He said further that the
reason Secretary Wilson had ordered
that the report on the Everglades should
not be printed was because the engineers
in the drainage department were 50 at
variance. When asked why a new in
vestigation was not made in view of this
situation and Of the public demand for
information. Mr.. MCCabe said that the
State of Florida by that time had taken
the matter in hand and was conducting
All inquiry.
1t is alleged by Representative Clark
that Elliott was assured there would he
no prosecution Of the charge against
him if he would keep stilr' about the
action in the department in the Florida
land investigation. Mr.. Clark and -dr.
Bathrick asserted that they would show
that the order dismissing the men did
not come from Secretary Wilson until
after 1t had become certain that the
committee was planning to make an in
quiry and Mr.. Bathrick had appeared
before the committee in executive ses-
sion last Saturday A few hours later
the letters we're issued dismissing the
two drainage officials and suspending
Singleton.
The charges involving the dismissed
men were reported 10 have been made TO
Solicitor McCabe recently by J. q.
Wright. former subordinate Of Elliott,
but at present chief engineer Of he