Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-02-07

| tigation of the department of agricul-
| ture, involving orders of Secretary
| Wilson and Solicitor McCabe. similar
in many respects to the recently con-
Guided McCabe-Wiley controversy, but
| which embraces charges of suppressed
reports and influence of land specula
] tors over government officials is to be
| instituted by the House committee on
| expenditures in the agricultural de-
| partmen;.
| Circumstances relating to exploita
| ton of Florida Everglades lands, mill
| lions of acres of which have been sold
| throughout the country by syndicates
were revealed before the committee to-
day. following the summary dismissal,
| Saturday. from the government SER
vice by Secretary Wilson of c. G. Ell
lott, chief engineer of the drainage
division of the department and AS
sistant Engineer Morehouse and the
suspension of f. e. Singleton, an ac-
countant on a technical charge of
transference of public funds.
Reps. Frank Clarke of Florida and
T. r. Bathrick of Ohio, who instigated
the investigation, charged before the
congressional committee, today, that
officials of the department of agricul
ture had been influenced by Florida
Everglades land promoters in the sup
preston of a report on the condition
of the lands, made by the drainage de-
partment; that Chief Engineer Elliott
was threatened by agents of the land
promoters unless he would revise a
circular letter to the public which did
pot- contain laudatory references to
the lands they were selling, and that
upon his refusal the circular and a
subsequent fuller report were sup
pressed by the order of Secretary Will
son, and that later Engineers Elliott
and MorehouSe were removed from
office.
Solicitor MeCabe denied before the
House committee. today. that the dis
missal of the officials was in any way
caused by the Florida land case and
declared the action followed charges
that the men had misappled funds
The papers relating to this feature OF
the ease he turned over to the depart
ment of justice. 1t is charged by Rep.
Clark that Elliott was assured that
there would be no prosecution of the
charge against him if he would keep
Sill! dDOub tic dCtipIS VI int dEldI
ment on the Florida land investiga-
ton. Representatives Clark and Bath
rick asserted, today, that they would
show that the sorder dismissing the
men did not come from Secretary Will
son until after it had become certain
that the House committee was plan
ming to make an inquiry and Rep.
Bathrick had appeared before the com
mittee in executive session, last Sat
urday. A few hours later the letters
We're issued dismissing the two drain
age engineers and suspendiflg Single
ton.
The charges involving the dismissed
men We're reported to have been mad
recently to SOLICITOR McCabe by j. O.
Wright, former subordinate of Ell
lott, but now chief engineer of the
board of trustees of the international
Improvement Fund OF the State uf
Florida. Wright made a favorable re-
port upon the Everglades lands and
soon after Ward resigned from ofiic
to enter the employ of the State OF
Florida.
Solicitor McCabe told the committe
that all reports and papers bearing or
the Everglades case had been collected
by the department and would be turn
ed over to the committee for its in
vestigation. The department welcomed
the investigation. He declared furthcr
sthat Secretary Wilson ordered there
sport not printed because the report !;
of the engineers were greatly at va
rance in the matter.
Rep. Clark said. today, that secre
tary Wilson would be summoned as =
witness, and asked concerning an In
terview he had with the florida repre-
sentative some time ago, in which the
secretary is said to have admitted tina :
he had suppressed the report on til
Everglades lands. MIR. Clark charge
this was done at the request of the
land companies. He said that together
with four Florida citizens, he called
on Secretary Wilson to ask why IN
report was suppressed One of these
men was w. r. Harlee of Jensen, Fla.
VINO recently made a statement the
Secretary Wilson said:
II am not running this office for the
protection of fools who do not know
any better than to buy something that
they never saw and do not know any
thing about
This statement, Mr.. Hardee declared,
: Secretary Wilson made. to..Mr.. CLARK
himself and to others when they visit
ed him. Hardee also will be summon
ed as a witness.
Before the House committee, today,
Representative Clark Outlined the
charges stating that in 1907, the de-
partnent of agriculture was flooded
with requests from people throughout
the country regarding the condition OF
Florida Everglades lands, which syn
dicates were exploiting. 10. Wright
| and a corps of engineers from the
drainage We're sent to Florida by Chief
Engineer Elliott to make a survey and
| compile complete report. Here, ac-
cording to Rep. Clark, began the
| trouble that has led up to the present
| controversy.
\ part of the evidence submitted tc
| the House committee is a copy of a
| letter written by Mr.. Elliott to Sec
] rotary Wilson, last November, setting
| forth the history of the case and as
sorting that he Mas threatened by
gents of the land dealers when he