Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-19
ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS.

estate promoters and or accepting de-
velOpmeut company stock and fees
while engaged officially in making sur
yeys to reclaim land. II declared
that while thus engaged as a paid
salesman and an interested purchaser
he appeared before the North Caro-
lima legislature as an official of the
department OF agriculture ostensibly
TO advise in the framing of drainage
. Legislation.
/ He later boasted, the report said. of
securing the passage of a special
statute there under which he was en-
abled 10 close deal. His transactions
we're denounced by the majority as
rcpugnant TO a high sense of honor
and integrity, which would Justify
/ dismissal if he were still i'll the gov
( erument service. The report added
! that his transactions were not brought
1 - the knowledge of his superiors Of
I the drainage division.
DID NOT REALIZE WRONG.
The majority report cited testimony
! regarding frequent conferences of As
/ s.staut Secretary Hays and Engineer
! Wright, who has since become state
drainage engineer of Florida, concern
/ ing the purchase and sale at d profit
OF the bed Of Lake Mattamuskeet, y.
&C. Mr.. Wright, the majority declared,
did not seem 10 realize the lmprOpri-
ETY. Of his own conduct In view OF
| has confidential relations with Mr..
/ Hays. the majority found it difficult
TO escape the conviction that Mr..
Hays was in full possession of the
facts relative 10 Wrights deals and
transactions when they We're being
negotiated" and that Hays should
have condemned them rather than TO
have encouraged them
There was no evidence, however,
that Mr.. Hays actually received any
money profits out OF any of these
transactions. Mr. Hays Office, said the
majority, should be free from all CON
ncction with speculative enterprises
and get-rich-quick schemes"
CAPITALIZE OFFICIAL POSITION.
1T is useless" the majority added,
"tC frame regulations for the govern
ment OF employees, many of whom
work for low salaries, and permit
those in high position TO despise all
} restraint This is particularly true
when the offense is 10 capitalize Off
Cial position and collect dividends
from official opportunity. Your com
nittee has no authority to deal further
with this matter II calls the par
= ticular attention of Secretary Wilson
TO the record"
The committee conclusions are:
p The department majority report
called the department yascillating and
lacking conception of the vast invest
: meut of millions OF dollars in under
, taking the reclamation of the ever
glades and said il constantly subor.
dinated the inquiry 10 ocner work in
, which members of congress were par
: ticuarly interested and finally ahan-
dOned il after an expenditure of $ll,-
= lU7 without definite results. Its ac-
p counting system deficient and its dis
I cipllue lacking The minority upheld
r the department
Secretary Falsely credited
: with authorship OF the circular letter
= to which real estate promoters first
r ture Promptly suppressed il and re
p fused publication OF revised bulletin
r excerpts as a report on the everglades
r Minority reported that he did not
! abuse his legal discretion.
DEFENDED BY MINORITY.
Assistant Secretary Hays-Arraign
J. cd by majority. Minority called the
= criticism OF Hays unfair and unwar
g ranted: that his interest in the pos
e sible sale OF the North Carolina lake
|. bed TO Leigh Hunt and others was due
5 to his well-known public interest il
= the development OF community coun
> try life
n Drainage Engineer Wright-Major
ity said he accepted fees and com
. missions whenever offered" Minority
= reported that no evidence was estab
l. lished that any financial statement
+ indicating great gains from the Malta
h u,uskeet. y. C.. project were exhibited
d by Wright 10 Hays. Financial state
/ ment reaching committee was faulty
= and ridiculous and would have d!scred
! tied the scheme al once
{ DR.. c. G. Elliott, chief OF drainage
n and Assistant Drainage Engines
a Moorehouse- Majority report stateC
n that they admitted making an arrange
e uent which the majority regarded al
d in violation OF the Law and OF sount
n public policy, but that there was Il,
Al profit intended in it and the depart
meut had disciplined them too severe
e Is. The minority agreed as 20 tht
a over-disCiplining but added that n,
committee had no oversight OF the De
r. partment's discipline and that II suCl
q O, ersi ght were a fixed institution III
t. secretaries OF agriculture and thei
subordinatcs would become abjec
slaves TO red tape"