The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-12-22
FIRST STEP
NOW TAKEN
CONGRESS WILL INVESTIGATE
lnquiring Into Ballinger controversy
Given Congressional and Presi-
dental Authority.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. I'll
Any doubt that the whole force of the
Taft administration is to be behind
the investigation demanded by both
sides of the Ballinger-Pinchot contro-
versy was dispelled in and out of con-
gress today.
without question Taft himself is as
eager for merciless probing of the
whole matter as he has been reluctant
to admit the necessity of it, A mo-
tive much deeper than willingness to
do justice to Ballinger is ascribed to
Taft by senators, representatives and
others in politics.
Taft Convinced of Conspiracy.
Men in position to know Tafts SEN
timents declare he has at last become
convinced of the truth of what his
friends have been telling him for
many weeks that lying behind the at
tack on Ballinger is a more or less
definitely organized movement to dis
credit the Taft administration, espe-
eially by spreading the impression that
the sp-called Roosevelt policies are in
unfriendly hands, that Ballinger was
made the target on the theory that
he offered the most vulnerable point
in the administration.
Taft Wants No Whitewash.
Because he is loath to believe that
such a propaganda is under way Taft
is opposed to every suggestion from
Ballinger or his friends that attacks
on the land effice should meet the de-
termination to expose those RESPONSE
BILE. Though slow to come to this de-
termination it is known now that Taft
is inclined to believe criticisms that
have cropped out in many widely sep
arated localities are part of a delib-
crate determination to make trouble
which amounts virtually to a con-
spiracy.
Senate Takes Action.
The first step paving the way for
investigation was taken today when
Senator Flint introduced a resolution
in the senate requesting the attorney
general to send to the senate all pa
pers relating to the case. These in
clude the CLAWS report.
The Flint resolution, later it was
learned, was drafted by Attorney Cen
eraI Wickersham, and that it was one
Of the matters considered at the White
House conference yesterday. Having
opened the channel for a congress
sional inquiry. the selection of a
proper tribunal to hear the evidence
for and against Ballinger and Pin
chot became the important question.
Republican leaders in the senate
virtually have agreed that Senator
Nelson, chairman of the public lands
committee, should head the commit
tee A joint resolution of senate and
house is not favored on the grounds
that 1t will be cumbersome and spe-
cial committee is opposed because II
is feared that there will be scramble
to have men appointed to it prejudiced
either for or against the secretary. II
is considered probable if the senate
determines the selection, 1t will fal
upon the senate committee on public
land. This committee Is made UP OF
men who understand the public land
question in all its phases and the re.
publican members include adherent:
Of both parties to the controversy.
Aldrich Gets Busy.
resolution by Senator Gore
naming the investigating committee O.
eight members of the senate and
house and including several of the So
called "insurgent' senators was sue
cessfully sidetracked by Senator Aid
rich, who had it referred to the com
mittee on public lands