Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-19

suppressed IN the department. u deTA-
culture thru influence of real estate
operators: the question OF relations
between Assistant Secretary Hays, OF
the department, and X. c. Wright. q
former government employe. in land
project at Lake Muttamuskeet. N. c..
and the dismissal of c. G. Elliott and
AID. Morehouse from the drainage d.
vision Of the department on technical
charges involving the transfer OF gov
ernment funds from one account 10
another.
1850. Sserotary Wilson Escapes.
Secretary Wilson escaped personal
arraignment at the hands Of the ma
jority in the findings on the everglaoes
charges. The departments policy TO-
ward the everglades was characterized
an, vascillating. most unfortunate
ana having subjected the department
10 much suspicion and criticism. the
minority report. signed by Representa-
tive Sloan, of Nebraska, who SAID MS
views were approved by Representa-
tiyes Higgins and Medden. held that
secretary Wilson had acted within MS
legal discretion.
rIavs was condemned by the major
sity for his relations with Wright In tne
north Carolina project. while the
! minority held his interest was not one
for proflt but only his we'll known In
@tarsot in development OF rural COM
munity life.
8 Hacl, majority and minority agreed
2 sl1sIsastsasssal - BlifsSes o'.zss
house ON technical charges was over =,
discipline"
Majority cendsmns Hays.
The conduct Of Assistant Secretary
Hays. OF the agriculture department
whose relations With former DRAINAGE
Engineer J. o. Wright were the sup
fect Of especial attention by the COM
mittee. was declared in a majority re-
mort presented by Chairman Moss'
democrat. to have been not IN har-
mony with proper standards OF onlciai
nronriety II not official rectitude. Tne
minority report made by Representa-
tive Sloan, Of Nebraska. republican,
asserted on the other hand that the
UNSTABLE majority conclusions were
..1nore Of q charge against the mental
capacity and honesty Of the committee
members" than against Assistant Sec
retary Hays.
The majority report was signed by
Chairman Moss and Representative
F1ood. Of Arkansas. and Doughton. o1
North Carolina, democrats. The min
ority report was signed by Representa- :
tive sloan, Of Nebraska. who stated
that Representative Higgins, of Con-
necticut. and Madden. Of Illinois. ap-
proved It, All are republicans. Many
features Of the agriculture depart
ment's work in connection with the
eyerRlades were attacked by the dem
ocratic report, which arraigned the de-
nartment as vascillating and Engineer
Wrixht as having been ION familiar
terms with real estate promoters and
spectators"
=. Wilson Escapes.
No real criticism of Secretary Will
son was contained in the majority re-
mort. the. burden Of criticism being
iaid on Assistant Secretary Hays. The
minority report, on the other hand,
acquitted the latter Of the charges that
he ssdespised all restraint and at
tempted to capitalize his official posi-
ton and draw quick dividend from Of
fetal opportunity"
History Of the Case.
The everglades investigation arose
thru the charges that certain reports
prepared by government engineers had
heen withheld from publication, with
fj,,. inference that such action was In
the interest Of land dealers c. g. ELL
oft, chief Of 1rainage, and Assistant
Enkineer Moorehouse, who were
brought into the controversy. were
found by the committee to have made
al, arrangement in connection with
North Calolina swamp lands that was
in violation Of the law, but inasmuch
az there was no profit intended in 1t
the committee declared that the msn
had been too severely disciplined by
agricultural department officials.
II Whsre Hays Erred.
Assistant Secretary Hays connection
with the matter arose thru q private
aTrangement he made with J. O..
Wright; former drainage engineer, for
the handling Of some drained land in
North Carolina which did not belong
to the government.
The ma1erity report cited Wright's
admissions Of his familiarity with real
estate psomoters and Of accepting de-
yelopmAnt company stock and fees
while engaged officially In making sur
veyv to reclaim land 1t declared that
while thus engaged as q paid sales
man and IN ,interested purchaser he
appeared i before the North Carolina
Legislature 80 an, official Of the depart
ment Of agriculture ostensibly to ad-.
wise In th0 framing Of drainage legis-
lAtion.
He later boasted. the report said. Of
occurring - pessage Of special