Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-22
President Finally Convinced
That Conspiracy to Discredit
His Administration Is Motive
Back of Charges.
EAGER FOR MERCILESS
PROBE OF WHOLE TANGLE
Pernicious Activity of Forest
Service Officers Among Sub
jectS to- Be Investigated by
Proposed Joint Commission.
lBy Morning journal Special Leased Wire,

lBy Morning journal Special Leased Wirer
Washington. Dec. 21---Any doubt
that the whole force of the Taft ad-
minstration is to be behind the nves-
tigation demanded by both sides of the
so-called Ballinger- Pinchot contro-
Versy was dispelled by events in and
out OF congress today There is now
no question that President Tart him
self is as eager for tke merciless prob
ing OF the whole matter as hitherto he
has been reluctant to admit The nGces-
sity for it.
motive much deeper than willing
ness to do justice to Secretary Bal
lnger is ascribed to President Taft By
senator's, representatives and other
active men in politics. Men who are
in position to know the sentiments
OF Mr.. Taft declared tonight that he
mas at last become convinced of the
truth of what his friends have been
telling him many weekS-of what he
has hitherto laughed at-that there
lies behind the attack on Mr.. Eallinger
o more or less definitely organized
movement to discrcdit tho Tart admin
lsiration, especially by spreading the
impression that the so-callcd "Roose-
welt policies are in unfriendly hands;
that Mr.. Ballinger was made the tar
get only on the theory that he Offered
ministration
Because he was loath to believe
that such n propaganda was under
way Mr. Taft opposed every sugges-
tion from Mr. Ballinger or his friends
that attacks upon the land office
should be met with determination
to reach and expose those responsible. /
Though slow to come to a decision il
is known that Mr.. TAFT is now in
clined to believe the criticisms that
have cropped out in many widely sep
arated localities are a part of delib
crate determination to make trouble !
which amounts practically To . con
spracy.
The first step in paving the way for
a congressional investigation was tax I
eh up today. Senator Flint introduced /
resolution in the senate directing the |
attorney general to send to the senate |
all of the papers in his possession re
lating to the case. These papers in /
clude the report of L. r CLAWS the /
dismissed special agent of the general
land office, who sought to connect Mr. |
Ballinger with the Cunningham coal !
land cases in manner reflecting up |
on his integrity. These records are
the ones on which the president based 4
his exoneration of his secretary of the
Interior.
The Flint resolution was adopted T
and sometime later 1t was learned I
that 1t had been drafted by Attorney .
General Wickersham and that ii was
one of the matters considered at the .
White House conference yesterday
when the attorney general Mr.. Bal
llnger and Postmaster General Hitch (
cock discussed with the president the
advisability of approving congress
sional investigation.
This knowledge led to the thought
by senator's that these records may
be far more extensive than generally I
supposed. Adoption of the Flint reso-
luton was followed by the presenta-
ton by Senator Jones of Washington
Of letter from Mr. Ballinger urging
an inquiry of the broadest scope and
expressing the opinion that 1t would
disclose that certain officers of the
forest service had been guilty Of per-
nicious activity in inspiring the
charges against him. Mr.. Jones gave
Notice that unless some other senator
did 50 he would offer q resolution call
ing for a Joint congre ssional inNostiEa-
uon. Having opened the channel for
congressional inquiry, the selection
OF the proper tribunal to collect cNI-
dence for and against both Mr.. Bat
hnger and Chief Forester Pinchot be-
comes very important question. At
tention was given to this subject to-
day. Republican leaders in the SEN
ate have practically agreed that Sena-
TOR Nelson, chairman of the committe"
on public lands, should be at the head
oi the committee.
Senator Gore Of Oklahoma today
presented q resolution calling for the
appointment of "A joint committee OF
elSht senators and eight representa-
tives To investigate all matters under
wing the Ballinger- Pinchot contro-
Nelry. His resolution names rs the
senate members Messrs Nelson. Dolli-
yer Lodge, Bristow, Root. Tillman
stone and owen.
objection WAS made by Senator Md
tlch to the immediate adoption OF the
resolution and it was sent to the COM
mltee on public lands
The postponemcnt will smother the
resolution until after the leaders IN
cooperation with President TAFT and
members of the cabinet shall have had
opportunity to agree upon a program
i"r the proposed inquiry.
a Joint resolution OF the senate ana
nous is not favored on the ground
mat II would be cumbersome and
special committee is authorized be-
cause IL is feared there would he pre-
nereon men who are preiudiced =
'''her for or against the secretary. IL
considered likely therefore that the
eeelsion. II the senate determines the
lection. viii fall upon the senate
."mmittee on public lands. This COM
.nittee Is made up of men who under
land the public land question in all {
'N phases and the republican men,