The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-02-14
DEPARTMENT MEN
USED IN CAMPAIGN,
DECLARES WRIGHT
Drainage Engineer TestiRes
Before the Everglades
Probing COMMITTEES.

The House committees Investigation
or the Everglades controversy took an
unexpected and amusing tuIJI today
"hen j. o. Wright, former drainage
ehSlheer In the Department of Agricul-
lure related how several congressman
Edu drafted department experts to make
speeches IN campaigns years.
MT wright, now chief drainage en-
s"Ier OF the State of Florida, testified
,hat ne had made a number OF speeches
VI me district OF Congressman John II,
small. North Carolina Democrat MIR.
wright said he had talked on drpdnage
spo other subjects in the districts of
businessmen Ransdell of Louisiana and
Hnuwin af North Carolina
In 1908 l believe that Mr. Small took
out SIX experts with him." said Mr..
wright Mr.. Small advertised the
meetings In advance saying that on a
certain day the Congressman ami de-
partment experts, which he had been
fortunate in securing, would address
INC farmers at the court houses in the
| respective counties.
MI. Small always opened the meet
irs win about tfteen-mtnute talk.
Lheh ne would tell the farmers that he
mad something specia to say TO them
AFTER the speaking was all over. and the
SohSressInan would speak for another
nIteeh minutes. AT first MIR. Small took
out SIX experts. including myself
Mr.. Spoon, from the office of Public
Roads; young man from the Bureau
Of Soils, another young man who was =
coIn expert. ana another who was a
cotton expert.
When Mr.. Small suggested a similar
trip next year | told him six speakers
were too many. and / asked him in be-
half of the audiences to reduce the
speakers to four, and this was done.
myself got tired of listening every day
to The same speakers. and it was i'm
polite 10 get UP and leave after you
had spoken"
Talked About Drainage.
What did you talk about" asked
{ hartman Moss.
Drainage. switched my speech
around when went back the next
time"
Did you only go in campaign years."
I'VE went annually. l believe" said
Mr.. Wright.
Who paid the expenses?"
eve prorated it. For Instance. IL we
had To hin" boat that cost ST. in going
from one speaking place to another. We
divided L up. Mr.. Small paid one
seventh AM the department people took
"aIe Of ;he other siX-sevenths on their
ICXpensc accounts"
w h" else called on the department
fer speakers"
well, | recall that ! wen out with
Cong ressman Goodwin and with Com
- cSsinan Ransieli. went ali over Air.,
fausdelrs Louisiana district on a speak
ing trip Of about three weeks
"D'd YOU suggest accompanying Mr..
small into his district"
40. he male arrangements with the
dcDaltIneut-with Dr. True, Uf the eX-
pet tlncnt station 1 believe
Of Small district to reclaim their swamp
lands. To do this, however. it was
necessary for North Carolina to pass a
drainage law. which Mr.. Wright said
he drew up
When you went back to speak next
year did you give Congressman Small
credit for the movement asked Chair
mar Moss.
oh. yes, said MIR. Wright.
II thought So commented the chair
man OF the investigating committee.
McCabe Takes Notes.
Solicitor McCabe. of the Depa rtmcnt
Of Agriculture. who sat nea rhH, took
copious notes while the former depart
ment officials talked of his speech
making tours.
Just before the committee took
| recess today, Congressman Small, who
! had hear dof Mr.. Wrights testimony,
came into the committee room to
make an explanation of the speeches
made in his district by Government
| experts.
| II understand" said Mr.. Small,
| that references have been made to
| some meetings held in my district.
4 and ] would be glad to set straight
any differences that may be drawn
from them. over so per cent OF the
ment in my district are farmers who
were not utilizing the manifold ad-
vantages offered by the Department
l of Agriculture
! My purpose was to organize a corps
. OF Agricultural Department officials to
hold a series of meetings. They are in
: my district large areas of swamp lands
which have never been reclaimed. The
= Secretary Of Agriculture gave permits
I sion for several officials to make
I speeches throughout this section The
lectures were interesting, Illuminating
and educational and there was not the
III slightest element Of politics in any OF
Il them Not only did I never mention
81 politics hut told the speakers not to do
: 50; | cannot today tell the political sf-
| COmpanied me"
. Mr.. Small said that his district had
, been benefited by the lectures. and that
VI the praC tice of drafting Government ex-
| ports in such causes was general
throughout the South and Southwest.
Solicitor McCabe pointed out that the
south was entirely Democratic, and
that the department. granted such re-
81 quests merely to diffuse knowledge per-
" tanning to agriculture, and for the edu-
cation OF the farming classes in general
At the hearing today were Senators
Bryan and Fletcher of Florida, Con-
gresham Frank Clark of the same
State, and Congressman Bathrick OF
Ohio. Charges brought by Clark and
Rathrick regarding the alleged suppress
sion in the department of a report madc
I by Wright on the Everglades brought
on the present investigation which is TO
t'etermine the truth of charges that the
d apartment has lent its machinery to
IL land pirates who are exploiting
We ruthless Everglades lands.
G. G. Elliott and A. y. Morehousc,
req ntl| dismissed officials of the
Dra image Bureau, were also present to-
day. They were accompanied by Their
CoTA 'c!, Henry L. Davis. who will con-
duct the Cross-eXamination of the wit
nesseA called.
Are Still Unclaimed.
Mr. Alright testified that the Ever
gladrs at Florida are still unclaimed.
| Wright said Ne flrst visited the Ever
rIndes in 1905. wnCH he Travelled through
Them in 0mnanv with Governor Pro-
| ward of a lOcldu. I'VE Lsed the travel
ing mcdluL OF the Seminoles gIade
hrars said the witness.
| "A system Of canals nov Goats steam
| boats over II r. same route"
Mr.. Virgin declared that when the
| n r ArrippltbraI