The San Francisco call., 1909-12-17
GOLFERS MAKES NEW ATTACK UPON BALLINGER s%@%$

claimant 40 funocenffy stated by Presi-
dent Taft. Out of over possioie
f.oGO lawyers fn Seattle, Baihneer
seems TO have had monopoly of syn
dEeated Alaska coal clients. And who
shall say that these clients were alto
gefher lacking In sa&ncitys
Immediately after the statement IN
the presidents letter that Balhnser
did only a little work for one claimant
is this further statement. The evi-
dence in respect TO which you were con-
suited professionally was not secured
by Mr.. CLAWS until after your resis-
nation as commissioner Of the general
land Office There is not even shred
of suspicion" upon which 10 oase TINS
statement The president was crueliy
imposed upon. and he in turn unwlt-
tingly deceived the public
The president also refers to the fact
that Claws was allowed to remain IN
charge Of the claims, notwithstanding
Ballinger was aware of his attitude
as to their fraudulent character As
matter of fact. the claims were not
tuken from CLAWS, simply because IL
was feared he would do Just what
finally he did-gO elsewhere for JUS
tice.
When bennett was private secre-
tary to Senator Hansbrough OF North
Dakota, Hansbrough was chairman OF
the senate committee on public lands,
and in North Dakota was known as a
Hill railroad senator. Dennett owes
his prominence In politics as much TO
Ballinser as to his former political
connections. 1t is the belief in the
state of Washington that he owes his
present position also TO Ballinger. be-
cause of his suppression OF facts in
volving prominent citizens of Washing
ton in public land frauds. On July
26 Of the present year CLAWS wrote to
bennett: "The investigation that vas
made at that time disclosing
great deal of fraud among these coal
claimants, and, you were advised
by telegram, were uncOvering a
great deal of fraud which involved
great many prominent people In the
state of Washington, as well a. i'm
pIIcating n United states senator. You,
however, directed me to postpone TAX
Ing further evidence
A month previous to this CLAWS had
wired to bennett asking il any ad-
missions had been made TO bennett In
Washington by Alaska coal claimants
bennett replied by wire that no admis-
sions had been made by claimants
Confronted personally with proofs or
his mendacity, bennett afterward sd-
mftted to CLAWS, In the presence of an
other government agent, that these
admissions had been made, and taat
he himself had worked for the IegisIa-
tiOn sought by these men, and had In
tcrviewed several congressman I'm their
behalf
No more details today. but let US call
attention to one incident that is un-
derstood TO have been a disappoint-
ment (to put it mildly to Theodore
Roosevelt.
on June 26. 1909. Donald r. McKen-
zie. Ballinger's intimate associate and
client, told Special Agents Jones and
CLAWS in Seattle that Secretary Gar
fields attitude toward the Alaska coal
claims. in which he and his friends
were interested, was such that they
brought pressure to bear on senators
and representatives to prevent. his re-
naming in the cabinet under President
Taft Are the same influences that
kept Garfield out keeping Ballinger
in? Will the president consider these
facts in Weighing the arguments now
being pressed upon him by members of
his cabinet2
Or are the above circumstantially
narrated events also nothing but
"shreds of Suspicion"