New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-20
NO CENSURE OF WILSON
IN EVERGLADES REPORT
Secretary Of Agriculture Is
capes Personal Arrangement
by the Moss Committee.
DEPARTMENT CONDEMNED
Majority Finds Fault with AS
sistant Secretary Hays,
but the Minority Up
holds Him.

Washington. Aug. Is.-The Moss COM
,nittee to-day presented to the House TWO
reports Of its investigation Of the FHorids
Everglades charges and the subsequent
inouirv into the drainage division OF the
uens rtr,ent Of Agriculture. The reports
take I'D the charge that certain clrcu'ai
unfayorable 10 sale of Everglades Janus
was suppressed in the Department VI
Agriculture through influence or real eS
tate operators; the question OF relauons
between Assistant Secretary HAYS OF
the department. and J. Q. NrlGht
former government employe, In lahu
project at Lake Mattamuskeet, \. c. anu
,hs dismissal Of c. G. Elliott ana A ~
Warehouse from the drainage DIVISION Oh
the department on technical charges IN
volving the transfer Of government tunos
from one account TO another
Secretary Wilson escaped personal ar
raigpment at the hands OF the majority
in the findings in the Everglades charges
The departments policy toward t"e
Everglades was characterized as Vacllle'-
ing, most unfortunate and having sun
iected the department TO much susplcion
ana criticism. The minority report, signed
bv REPRESENTATIVE Sloan, OF Nebraska
who said his views were approved by
Representatives Higgins, OF connecticut
and Madden. of Illinois, held that Sec
retsry Wilson had acted within his legal
discretion. The majority report was
signed by Chairman Moss and Represen-
- Alb a. n l.
ton. Of North Carolina, Democrats.
HAYS was condemned by the majority
for his relations with Wright in the
North Carolina project while the MI
nority held his interest was not one Tor
profit. but only his well known interest
in the development Of rural community
life.
Both majority and minority agreed that
the dismissal Of Elliott and Morehouse on
technical charges was "Over-discipline
Following is a summary Of the COM
mittee's conclusions:
The majority report called the depart
ment vacillating and lacking IN conCeP-
ton of. the vast investment OF mllIlonS
of dollars in undertaking the reclama-
ton Of the Everglades, and said IL CON
stantly subordnated the inquiry 10 other
work in which members OF Congress were
particularly interested, and finally aoan-
doned il after an expenditure OF Ell W.
without definite results. It's accounting
system deficient and its discipline lacking.
The minority upheld the department.
Secretary Wilson was falsely credlted
with authorship Of the circular letter 10
which real estate promoters first OBJ
jected because of its cauttonary nature
Promptly suppressed Il and refused pup
LEGATION OF revised bulletin excerpts as
report on the Everglades. Minority re-
ported that he did not abuse his legai
discretion.
Assistant Secretary Hays was ar.
raigned by majority. Minority called the
criticism Of Hays unfair and unwar-
ranted: that his interest in the possible
sale of a North Carolina lake bed 10
Leigh Hunt and others was due 10 ms
well known public interest in the deVel-
opment OF community country life.
Drainage Engineer Wright. the majority
said accepted fees and commissions
whenever offered" Minority reported
that no evidence was established that any
financial statement indicating great gains
from the Mattamuskeet, y. c., project
was exhibited by Wright TO HAYS.
Financial statement reaching commute
was faulty and ridiculous. and would
have discredited the scheme at once"
Regarding DIR. C. @. Elliott, chief OF
drainage. and Assistant Drainage Eng.
neer Moreh9use' the ma ,Jon,So gepo or
rangement which the majority regarded
as In violation of the law and OF sound
public policy but that there was nc
profit intended in il, and the department
had disciplined them too severely. The
minority agreed as TO the over-disciplin
ing but added that the committee haC
20 oversight of the departments discipline
and that If such oversight were a fxeC
institution, the Secretaries OF Agriculture
and their subordinates would become ao
ject slaves TO red tape.
Assistant Secretary Hays gave out :
statement IN which he declared his in
vestigauon OF the Mattamuskeet property
was in connection with a plan 10 bring
about the organization Of a model coun
try life community "of racially efficien
people on scientifically designed family
farms"
II at no time made any decision what
ever 10 become a part owner OF the LAKE
bed" said Mr.. Hays. 'I did not inves
any money, nor induce any one to invest
nor authorize my name TO be used II
making any sale or promoting any com
pany. I did not receive a cent Of prof
in any way. l did not enter any plan e
receive a fee or a share for services.
had no financial connection with the lanC