The Washington times., 1912-02-07
FLORIDA SENATORS
CONFER WITH MOSS
ON LAND CHARGES
Refuse to Comment on AL
legged Suppression of Re-
port on Everglades.

Senator Fletcher and Senator Bryan
Of Florida held q conference today with
Chairman Moss. Of the House Investi-
eating Committee, regarding the Ever
glades land charges. Neither Senator
cared to comment on the charges made
by Congressmen Clark and Pathrick as
to the alleged suppression of a portion
of the departments report on the
drained lands.
Following the visit Of Senator Fletcher
to Chairman Moss, 1t became known
that the senate document printed last
summer, which was supposed to con-
tain all papers relating to the Ever
glades and the Investigations Of the
IHeleral Government, did not contain
the full report made by ]. o. Wright,
former department engineer. The re-
port, It appears. was once revised by
Chief Engineer Elliott. aud a second
revision was made by Wright himself.
In a letter to the Secretary Of Agri-
culture, Mr., Wright states that he was
assisted in this revision by Senator
Fletcher. -
Now Florida's Engineer.
Mr., Wright is not now in the en-
ploy Of the department, but Is the chief
engineer for the State of Florida,
II,
OF Agriculture is dated November %,
1911. and Is in answer to a letter writ
ten to Secretary Wilson by Chief En-
gineer Elliott, in which Elliott reviews
the whole history of the Everglades
matter, the history Of the drainage re-
port, and an account of threats made
against Elliott by one of the agents Of
a land company.
This threat, according to Elliott, who
was dismissed from the department
only last week, was made with the OBJ
ect of having him revise q circular re-
lating to the condition Of Everglades
land.
Senate had ordered the printing OF the
Everglades report last August He do
Joint Committee on printing called at
the department for the documents the
Senate employe did not wish to take
the report as revised by Elliott nor the
been suppressed by Secretary Wilson.
The documents, however, finally were
given to the committee, but neither was
printed in the record Of the Senate
Wr. Wright wrote secretary Wilson in
part as follows: $780,
.Senator Fletcher got permission from
the last session Of Congress to publish
fnent. A copy was procured from your
department and sent to the Government
Printing Office. When the galley PROOF
was struck of Elliott received a copy
and proceeded to rewrtte the same.
Report Changed.
'swhen It was returned to the COM
nnittee 1t no longer appeared to be my
report, but .Elliotts report. My name
had been stricken out and Elliott in
serted in many places. Page after page
had been stricken out and many type
written pages supplied to take their
places. Matter had been injected that
was not in the original report and con-
illusions were drawn not warranted by
facts.
QueSted me to come to Jacksonville and
20 over the matter with him.
II did this and the report was cor
rected to conform to the manuscript
secured from your department. have
recently received a page proof of this
document"
This edition Of the Wright report. 1t Is
said, was the one that finally was print
ed In the Record. 1t contains none of
the references such as were included
In the Elliott circular prepared in an
swer to large number of requests for
Information from prospective investors
in Florida Everglades lands.
McCabe Appears.
It was this circular which, it is
charged. Secretary Wilson suppressed
after Elliott had refused to draft it
in accordance with the dictates of the
syndicate land representatives.
It was learned today that when the
House committee heard Congressman
Clark's charges in executive session
yesterday afternoon. Solicitor McCabe
appeared on the scene without notice
to the committee. The appearance of
the solicitor was unexpected by the
committee, but he was allowed to make
a statement in defense of the attitude
of the department.
According to Mr.. McCabe, when the
Everglades controversy was on, Secre-
tary Wilson consulted DR.. B. -
loway, chief of the Bureau of Plant
Industry who had been in Florida IN
seen some OF the Everglades land. DIR.
Galloway advised the Secretary to see
DR.. Goodrich. OF the bureau, inasmuch
as the latter had said that he regarded
reports as entirely too optimistic
Because his own men disagreed about
the matter, explained the solicitor, the
Secretary had decided that the report
should not be published as Depart
ment document.