Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-12-22
CONGRESS Will
PROBE ] ! .P|NCHOT: u ! j ID !: -.
BA||I|L|L|NGER n FEUD
TAFT THOROUGHLY AROUSED
AND WILL SEE THAT JUSTICE
AM OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION
Will SHOW THAT ROOSEVELT
POLICIES ARE IN FRIENDLY
4 HANDS.
All Records and Papers in the Case
= Are Ordered Handed Over to the
Investigating Committee - Nelson
IN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION
All Records and Papers in the Case
Are Ordered Handed Over to the
Investigating Committee Nelson
to Be at the Head Of Probing Conn.,
tr1ittee,
fBy Associated Press.)

4 ,"dbA1uSIOA, OcC. A1.~AAy uOuUI
that the whole force Of the Taft ad-
ministration is to be behind the in
yestigation demanded by both sides
OF the so-called Ballinger-Pinchott
controversy was dispelled by events
In and out of congress today. There
la now no question that President
Taft himself is as eager for the mer-
ciless probing of the whole matter
as hitherto he has been reluctant to
admit the necessity for it. A motive
much deeper than willingness to do
justice to Ballinger is ascribed to
President Taft.
Men who are In a position to know
the sentiments Of Mr.. Taft, declared
tonight that he has at last become
of the truth of what his
friends have been telling him for
many weeks-of what he has hitherto
laughed at-that there lies behind
the: attack of Mr.. Ballinger move
Sment to discredit the Taft admins
tration especially by spreading the
impression that the so-called "Roose-
welt policies" are in unfriendly hands
that Mr.. Ballinger was made the tar
get only on the theory that he offer
led Tor. the present the most vulner-
liable point in the administration.
Though slow TO come to a decision,
it is known that Mr.. Taft is now in
clined to believe the criticisms that
have cropped out in many widely
separated localities are a part of a
deliberate determination to make
trouble which amounts practically to
conspiracy.
The first step in paving the way
for a congressional investigation was
taken today. Senator Flint intro
duced a resolution in the senate di-
recting the attorney general to send
to the senate all Of the papers in his
possession that relate to the case.
These papers include 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 a
manner rejecting upon his integrity.
These records are the ones On
which the president based his exon
Grafton of his secretary of the inter-
ior.
The Flint resolution was adopted
and some time later it was learned
that it had been drafted by Attorney
General WickerSham and that it was
one of the matters considered at the
White House conference yesterday
when the Attorney General, Mr.. Bal
linger and Postmaster General Hitch
cock met. Adoption of the Flint res
olution was followed by the presen-
tation by Senator Jones of Washing
ton of a letter from Mr.. Ballinger,
urging an inquiry of the broadest
scope and expressing the opinion that
it would disclose that certain officers
of the forest service had been guilty
of pernicious activity in inspiring the
charges against him.
Mr., Jones gave notice that unless
some other senator did so he would
offer a resolution calling for joint
congressional Investigation.
Having opened the channel for a
congressional inquiry, the selection of
the proper tribunal to hear the evil
dence for and against both Mr.. Bal
linger and Chief Forester Pinchot be-
comes a very important question. At
tention was given to this subject to-
day. Republican leaders in the SEN
ate have practically agreed that Sen
ator Nelson, chairman of the COM
mittee on public lands, should be at
the head of the probing body.
"A joint committee of the senate and
house is not favored on the ground
that 1t would be cumbersome, and
special committee is opposed because
it is feared that there would be pre-
cipitated a scramble to have placed
thereon men who are prejudiced
either for or against one of the prin-
cipals in the controversy. 1t is con-
sidered likely, therefore, that the de-
cision Of the senate determines the
selection, will fall upon the senate
on public lands. This
committee is made up of men who
understand the public land question
in all it's phases, and the republican
include adherents of both of
the parties of the controversy. I'm
after routine morning bus
ness the senate went into executive |
session. Senator Gore presented al
resolution calling for the appoint
nent If joint committee of eight |
iContrnueG on page s.) "