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Secretary of Agriculture Wilson encloses a letter from E. E. Knott that he feels is full of misstatements regarding the cotton crop report. Wilson also encloses a report to explain the complaints.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-15
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson says that neither of the men are fit for the Department of Agriculture. He is looking into old stories about Dr. Salmon.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-08-08
The Department of Agriculture will not send a representative to the reciprocity congress.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-08-01
Even in light of recent disclosures, William S. Harvey does not believe any good man would want James Wilson to resign as Secretary of Agriculture due to his integrity and reform-oriented work.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-31
Attorney General Moody updates President Roosevelt on the investigation of the cotton scandal and the various employees in the Department of Agriculture involved in the case.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-21
Henry Martyn Hoyt explains why he asked Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson to stop the independent investigation until the Department of Justice finishes their investigation. He also asks that Attorney General Moody have Jasper Wilson take thirty day leave because of questionable behavior.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-20
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson responds to two letters recently received from President Roosevelt concerning scandal surrounding the cotton report leak. Wilson describes Edwin Sanford Holmes, assistant statistician in the Department of Agriculture, as a “scoundrel.” Holmes has been accused of leaking information to New York brokers who used it to speculate on the market. Wilson provides background information concerning the status of the case. He discusses potential guilt and the possible removal of John Hyde, chief of the Bureau of Statistics in the Agriculture Department.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-17
Attorney General Moody writes to President Roosevelt regarding District Attorney Morgan H. Beach’s investigation into the Department of Agriculture. Moody shares a report from Beach in which he writes that Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson is making the investigation difficult by not cooperating with John Hyde, who he appointed to assist in the investigation. Moody trusts Wilson and does not believe that any action should be taken yet, but wanted to inform Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-17
John A. Sleicher believes that if the state of New York is to be saved from corruption and government scandal, President Theodore Roosevelt will have to do it. American people object to the levying of war taxes in a time of peace. Sleicher hopes to talk with Roosevelt when Roosevelt has some time.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-15
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson informs President Roosevelt that he has given the charges in the cotton matter to the Secret Service, dismissed the man who was under suspicion (Edwin Sanford Holmes), and sent the papers to Attorney General William H. Moody. He will help Moody push criminal charges.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-12
E. C. Clarke calls President Roosevelt’s attention to an advertisement from the Bureau of Agriculture extolling the virtues of raising Angora goats. Clarke purchased a flock of goats but has found them highly unsatisfactory.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-18
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson informs President Roosevelt that he is away from Washington, visiting Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa. Most matters in the Department of Agriculture are going along well, but there are some matters on which Wilson would like the President’s advice.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-05-10
In support of appointing G. Howard Davison to the office of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, William Barnes disputes claims that Davison is really not a farmer and that he is a “boozer.” Barnes encourages President Roosevelt to consider changing his views in this regard.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-10
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson explains that the Department of Agriculture promoted planting a kind of wheat that needed little rain in the semi-arid west. Farmers are planting it and bringing it to millers in Minnesota and Iowa, and the millers are complaining because this grain is damaging their machinery. Though Wilson met with the millers, they continue to complain about the introduction of a new grain in their “millers’ paper.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-06
Senator Fairbanks declines President Roosevelt’s invitation to join him in St. Louis because Fairbanks has plans to be on the east coast. Fairbanks references Roosevelt’s letter of November 11, asking for Fairbanks’ assessment of Aaron Jones for Assistant Secretary of Agriculture. Fairbanks is in favor of Jones.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-14
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson encloses a statement detailing the amounts paid by the Department of Agriculture for newspaper advertising during the 1904 fiscal year.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-18
Senator Fairbanks approves of appointing Aaron Jones the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture. Fairbanks believes that Thomas Taggart’s selection means that “the Democrats are going to make a hard fight for Indiana” but that the Republicans will not lose the state. Fairbanks has found “a number of Democrats who will give us their support.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-03
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson thinks the National Grange will accept any selection that President Roosevelt makes for Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, but he offers to invite their members to share their opinions on the matter. Wilson has received numerous letters and telegrams in support of G. Howard Davison’s candidacy, but he believes that Gifford Pinchot would be best for the position.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-12
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has examined the qualifications of the candidates for Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and found no one particularly suited for the position. He could not find much information on G. Howard Davison and suggests appointing a candidate from New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-09
William J. Youngs encloses a list of agricultural societies in New York for President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-06