Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-11
McCABE DENIES CHARGES
Engineer Morgan Makes Accusations
Against Secretary Wilson.
QUOTATIONS FROM LETTERS
Declares That Land Case Had Some
thing to Do With Mr.. Elliott's
Dismissal.

the EVSI8ldQOS SSduOal HAS ucScl-
oped intense bitterness and will be
fought to a finish. Letters received yes
terday by Representative Frank Clark OF
Florida, the man who brought the mat
ter. TO a head. indicate that Secretary
Wilson'S subordinates will not stand by
Wilson in the contention Wilson al
ready has made that he did not sup
press the circulars and reports on the
Everglades because Of the influence OF
the land promoters Of that section or
that he did not discharge Chief En-
gineer Elliott and Assistant Engineer
Morehouse of the drainage division of
the department. because Of that same in
duence.
Solicitor McCabe appeared yesterday
before the House committee on expendi-
lures in the Agricultural Department to
make q categorical and detailed denial of
the charges made by Representative
Clark. Mr.. McCabe made an excellent
impression. But. at the same time. Mr..
Clark was In receipt Of a letter from Ar
thur E. Morgan. president of the Morgan
Engineering Company Of Memphis, Tenn,
associate engineer Of the American So
ciety of Civil Engineers, formerly su-
pervising engineer of the United States
engineer in the Agricultural Department,
making serious reflections against Secre-
tary Wilson
Engineer Morgan suggests in his letter
that Secretary Wilson has attempted to
sacrifice Chief Engineer Elliott to save
his own neck, and he SCOTS at Solicitor
McCabe's assertion before the Moss COM
mittee yesterday that the Everglades
scandal had nothing to do with the dis
charge OF Elliott and Morehouse.
Letter of Mr.. Morgan.
In his letter Mr.. Morgan says:
II note that Solicitor McCabe denied
to the House committee on expenditures
in the Agricultural Department that
the dismissal of the department off,
Gals was in any way caused by the
Florida Everglades land case. In this
connection l would like to quote from
a number of letters written by friends
OF mine in Washington"
Mr.. Morgan then quotes from one
letter, the writer of which he does not
name, as follows:
the Everglades was going to be the cause
OF an investigation on the order Of the
Wiley case. Mr.. Elliott. Of course, is in
an unfortunate place. as he cannot de-
fend himself without discriminating the
Secretary, through whose orders the re-
port was suppressed, after complaints
from real estate men that the report. as
corrected by Mr.. Elliott. would hurt their
business. much to Mr.. Elltotts disap-
pOintment and Indignation
Mr.. Elliott rather unwisely talked to a
reporter and told him he understood it
was held up because the Florida people
did not want it published, which was the
statement the Secretary had made to him.
This brought out the Florida representa-
tive at once with denials, and Mr.. Elliott
is being attacked from the two sides and
is Obliged to shield the Secretary and
must keep still OF course. this Is in
are such that l must not talk either.
am very sorry 1t has come up in the
shape 1t has, and am afraid the Secre-
tary will unload on to Mr.. Elliott, II pos
worst Of it Is, Mr.. Elliott is in no condi-
ton of health to face the ordeal"
Quotes Eliiott's Letter.
Mr.. Morgan. January 9, 1912. received
letter from Mr.. Elliott, in which the
latter stated:
"The congressional investigation OF
19the Everglades matter has not yet been
called for, but the solicitor Of the de-
partment is proceeding on the assump-
ton that there will be an investigation
soon He has taken possession of every
document In the department bearing
on the subject The original Wright
report Is being carefully guarded. and
1T would be a breach Of order that
could be followed by dismissal to give
out copy. McCabe. the solicitor, is
acting in very mean way. so that
have much more to fear from him than
from the committee or outside enemies
About the only way he can justify
the Secretary is to discredit me and
my work. and I think that will be his
plan Of defense. l think shall be
obliged to defend myself from his at
tacks The agents Of the Florida land
companies are keeping remarkably quiet
Just now. They know that If the mat
ter is given greater publicity the bot
Mr.. Morgan concludes:
Il have quoted from the above letters
to show you that the Florida situation
has had something to do with the dis
been matter Of common knowledge
among the officials Of the United States
drainage investigations for more than q
year that the suppression Of the Florida
Everglades report, which was prepared
by Mr.. Elliott. has been an embarrass-
| ment to the higher officials Of the de-
partment It has been known by those
familiar with the situation that the
culating broadcast Mr.. Wright's original
report as the off1cia. report of the de-
pa -'uant
Whereas a different report, prepared by
Mr.. Elliott. stating the facts oi the situa-
II a nOi raVora ie 10 the err
glades land project has been suppressed
by Secretary Wilson. 1t has also been
generally understood that the situation
would come before the public in time and
tia ine one must be thoroughly dis
credited.
Calls It Injustice.
II would not presume to write In this
| manner concerning the head Of the de-
partment in which / am an official, did
it not seem unjust to dismiss Mr.. Elliott
presumably on other charges, when the
real cause Of his dismissal Is to cover
the embarrassment Of his superiors."
Mr.. Morgan further says that EN-
| etneering dedustions on which the
Florida Everglades project is based
are so comp e,ely incorrect and in
| competent that there can be no
middle ground taken as to whether
the rewriting Of the report by Mr. Elliott
was necessary. Extracts from Mr..
Wright's first report were made public