The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-02-09
WILL UNRAVh THE WEB
Congress VIII Investigate the Ever
glades Standardization Tells Why
He Fired Elliott

Washington. Feb 9.-It is evident
that the Everglades scandal is TO be
| fully investigated. Representative
! Clark of Florida has been active in
bringing on the investigation. c. G.
| Elliott, former chief engineer Of the
drainage division and his assistant. A.
D. Morehouse. who were dismissed up
on recommendation Of Solicitor Nc
Cabe. have engaged as counsel to rep
resent them at the hearings Henry E.
Davis. who defended Dr.. Wiley.
| Solicitor McCabe's statement, ap-
proved by Secretary Wilson, follows:
Wilson Makes Some Charges
I'm a prejudiced. one-sided statement
given out by Representative Frank
Clark of Florida on the Everglades
controversy, it is sought TO show that
the reason the secretary Of agricul-
lture suppressed a circular of informa-
ton which had been prepared by the
office of drainage investigations and
declined to print d complete report OF
| the drainage work which the depart
ment had done in the Everglades, was
because the secretary did not regard
the circular and reports as sufficient
ily favora BILE to please the land pro-
moters who were operating in the Ev-
erglades. In Mr.. Clark's statement it
| is further sought to show that the re-
cent dismissal of Messrs. Elliott and
| Morehouse. drainage engineers, was
for failure TO show sufficient favors
to the land promoters.
| Both of these statements are un-
true, and Mr.. Clark's effort to be-
smirch the secretary of agriculture
will fail The secretary refused to
the Everglades because not only were
his engineers, Mr.. Wright and Mr..
Elliott, in disagreement as to the cor
rect Interpretation of the work done
by the department in the Everglades.
but Mr.. Elliott, without further inves-
litigation, radically changed his position
land the experts of the bureau of plant
Industry, familiar with Florida condi-
tions. disagreed with both Mr.. Wright
and Mr.. Elliott
| Elliott and MorehOuse were dismiss
ed by the secretary of agriculture be-
Icause they had certified and presented
false accounts. knowing them to be
false, which the government had
put out moneys. Not only did they
know the accounts were false. but
they procured the persons to make the
false accounts, telling these persons
that they would receive money for
their trouble They admit they did this;
They concealed their unlawful acts
from their chief, DR.. A. c. True. and
when DR.. True discovered the facts he
recommended their dismissal. The sec
lretary dismissed them for a violation
of law involved and sent all of the
facts and papers in his possession to
the attorney general for certification
to the district attorney for prosecution
and for such other action as the at
itorney general might deem proper.
The department courts the fulles,
inves stigation of this matter and has
irrefutable documentary evidence ready
to present to the investigation com.
mittee at a moments notice which
clearly shows that the action Of the
secretary had been proper and consist
ent throughout. If the time has come
when government employees may pro-
cure men to prepare false accounts te
secure moneys from the government
without fear OF dismissal or prosecu-
tion for their acts. that fact is un.
known in the department of agrcul-
ture.'