Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-01
WILSON PRAISED IN HOUSE
Cannon, Sloan and Higgins Defend
Secretary Of Agriculture.
LATTER CRITIC1sEs MR.. MOSS
Declares Committee Chairman In
consistent in Speech-Lauds
Remsen Board.


Clark of Florida to abolish the office
of solicitor Of the Department Of Agri-
culture and thus GUST George p Nc
cabe failed today. although it occupied
more than an hour in the House
r.zClark commended that the appro-
priation OF the salary for the solicitor
was not warranted by existing law. He
said the appropriation was covert"
legislation, and made point OF order
against it. Chairman Lamb Of the
Agricultural committee. Representative
Lever of South Carolina and Repre-
sentative Mann, the republican leader,
defended the appropriation. Chairman
Borland overruled Mr.. Clark's point of
order and Mr.. McCabes official scalp
was saved.
Initiated Action Yesterday.
Existing conditions in the Department
of Agriculture were under discussion in
the House practically all OF yesterday
during consideration of the bill making
appropriations for that department for
the next fiscal year. Representative Frank
Clark of Florida. who initiated the Ever
glades inquiry now in progress, tried to
legislate Solicitor McCabe and his twenty
two law clerks out of office through the
contention that there is no authority of
permanent law for their employment. 1t
is his idea that the Department of JUS
ttce should do the legal work of the Agri-
cultural Department in connection with
the enforcement of the pure food law and
the other statutes with which the solic-
itor and his force are now concerned.
Representative Higgins of Connecticut
made carefully prepared speech in de-
Tense Of Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson
and in reply to the utterances of Repre-
sentative Moss of Indiana, chairman of
the committee on expenditures in the Ag-
ricuitural Department Tuesday. Mr..
Moss was exceedingly critical of the Sec
rotary and the solicitor
Pay Tribute to Wilson.
Representative Sloan Of Nebraska and
former Speaker Cannon also eulogized
Secretary Wilson, while Representative
Mann of Illinois. the minority floor leader
paid high tribute both to the Secretary
and to Dr. Wiley. He declared them both
to be, efficient public servants, but in
sisted that in the final analysis, under the
present terms of the law. the courts must
determine the precise intent Of Congress
in passing on pure food disputes.
II have known the Secretary of Agricul.
Cannon. HE served in the House witt
me and he has been my friend. personally
and politically, for nearly forty years
Whenever he is questioned on the one
hand for his ability and on the other fol
his integrity, l feel a great deal like
adopting the motto Of the state from
which our Speaker hails-they will have
to show me-"
Mr. Cannon's remarks were greeted with
warm applause from both sides of the
chamber.
Mr. Higgins said he had hoped the com.
fnittee on expenditures in the Agricultural
Department would be able. through its de-
liberations, to accomplish some good.
But" he said, ''since the recent
speech by Mr.. Moss l confess it was
vain delusion. l never was rash
enough to imagine that the chairman OF
preparation of a report, sign and submit
it to the House and then on the floor
attack his own child and attempt the
destruction of his own creation. But
presumed altogether too much.
From Mr.. Moss speech l concluded
that he entered upon the investigation
with certain fixed opinions on the subject
and that. notwithstanding the evidence
taken and the report thereon, those Opin-
ions remained with him. Such was not
the state of mind OF other members OF
the committee
Appeals to the Report.
Mr.. Higgins insisted that members of
the House should read the record in the
Wiley case before reaching any conclu-
sion with respect to the appropriation for
the continuance of the activities of the
Remsen or referee board. He referred to
the fact that the pure food law, as it went
through the House in the Fifty-ninth Con-
Anl foy int ~ q,
referee board, but that somewhere be-
tween the passage Of the bill by the
House and the signing of the measure by
the President this provision was stricken
out.
law was taken up said Mr.. Higgins
lit became necessary to have a board
whose character, investigations and re-
search would be such as to command
universal respect. The board created
under authority of the statutes was APP
pointed at the direction of President
Roosevelt. 1t consists Of DR.. Ira REM
sen, president Of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity: DIR. Russell H. Chittenden of the
Sheffield Scientific School of Yale Uni
ward Medical School, DR.. John H. Long
Of the Northwestern University and DR..
A. e. Taylor of the University of Cali
fornia Nothing the gentleman from In
diana chooses ~ say Will uetfdSL 1IOH
their regulations as patriotic, high
minded and scholarly men. some of whom
have a worldwide reputation as scien-
lists
Mr.. Higgins then dwelt at length upon
the benzOate of soda controversy and
upon the disagreement between the bu-
reau Of chemistry under DIR. Wiley and
the members of the referee board.
Check to Progress.
ITO vote now against this appropria-
ton for the maintenance of the referee
board" said Mr.. Higgins, would be to
stop the wheels of progress. 1t Is step
backward. The result will contribute to
the qualification of those very food
adulterators with whom l join with the
gentleman from Indiana in cOndemning.
1t is q vote against something and not
for something. 1t will operate to con-
fuse the public mind on this most i'm
portant question.
The Connecticut member then referred
to the fact that in his speech Mr.. Moss
had exalted DR.. Wiley and held up to
scorn and ridicule the president of Johns
Hopkins University" and added that
while Mr. Moss was silent as to the value
Remsen, he paid high tribute to the Sec
rotary Of Agriculture in one breath and
assailed him in the next.
THE solution OF this question Is not to
be secured in this way" continued Mr.
Higgins 1.-The moral character. the per-
sonal and official integrity OF James
Wilson and the members of the referee
board ought not to be the price for the
legislation which the gentleman urges.
and which to qualified extent approve
of.
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