The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-21
Probe Will Be Inserted into
Ballinger-PinchOt Matter.
Senate Resolution Calls for Pa
pers in the Case.
BALLINGER'S LETTER
Inviting Thorough Investiga-
tiOn Is Read by Jones
Who Promises to Act Soon After
the Holidays.

Washington. Dec. 21.-The senate to-
day practically decided upon an in
quiry into the Ballinger-Pinchot con-
troversy by adopting a resolution in
troduced by Senator Flint of California
calling for all the papers bearing upon
the case. Senator Jones of Washington
stated that if no one else should pro-
pose resolution of inquiry he would
do so after the holidays
Mr. Jones presented letter from
Secretary Ballinger expressing his de-
sire that an investigation should be un-
dertaken and saying that if entered
upon it should be sufficiently broad
and far reaching to cover the entire
subject. including the forest service
which he charges with pernicious ac-
tivity.
Mr.. Flint's resolution requested the
president to transmit to congress any
reports, statements, papers or docu-
ments upon which he acted in reaching
his conclusions with reference to the
charges against L. r. CLAWS.
The preamble of this resolution re-
cited that Whereas, L. r. CLAWS, then
chief of field division of the general
land office in the department of the in
terror in the month of August, 1909, laid
before the president certain charges
against the conduct of the interior de-
partment and particularly affecting the
action of the secretary of the interior,
the assistant secretary of the interior,
the commissioner of the general land
office and the chief of the field service
of the said general land office having
particular reference to proceedings re-
garding certain coal land claims in the
territory of Alaska; and
Whereas, the president thereafter di-
rected the dismissal from the service
of the said L. r. CLAWS on the ground
that his charges were not sustained
and that he had been guilty of misrep-
resentation and suppression of material
facts in formulating said charges"
wherefore the information enumerated
is required.
Mr.. Flint had scarcely taken his seat
when Mr.. Jones presented the Ballinger
letter, which follows:
The Bailinger Letter
My Dear Senator:-Any Investigation
or of any of it's officers should be suf-
ficiently broad and far reaching to
put at rest the suspicious, criticisms
and representations of corrupt or i'm
proper practices heretofore charged
against the present administration
thereof; and, furthermore. such investi-
cation should embrace the forest service
since I have reason to believe that the
pernicious activity of certain of its Of
ficers has been the. source of inspira
tion of these charges and involves in
part the common administration of the
public domain.
THE oest interests of the interior de-
partment require broad and thorough
going investigation and I assure you it
can not be made too broad in its scope
to suit me and those under me who
have likewise suffered indignities, un-
just censure and deliberate misrepre-
sentation of facts that are plain upon
the records.
II therefore court the widest and full
est inquiry by congress into these mat
ters and since you have stated to me
your. desire to aid me in establishing
before congress and the country the
injustice of The attacks which have
been made and reiterated from time to
time. 1 hope there will be no delay
in the offering of a proper resolution
of investigation.
"The investigation called for by
house resolution No. ZAP to make a full
and complete investigation of the con-
duct of the general land Office of the
department of the interior during recent
years relative to coal lands and other
public domain in territory of Alaska,
etc. is entirely too narrow to accom-
plish a full and impartial investigation
such as / desire.
Very truly yours,
''R. A BALLINGER. Secretary"
Jones' Remarks.
In presenting MI. BaIllQSeF let
ter Senator Jones referred to the va
rious charges against the secretary,
which, he said, if true, would show
that official to be unworthy to hold
his present office He said he had
had several conversations with the
secretary and that official was anx-
ious for the fullest investigation. He
declared also that the people of Wash
ington believed in Mr.. Ballinger as a
man of integrity.
"They may not believe in his judg-
ment,' he added. "but they do believe
in his integrity and that his admins
tration of his office has been honest.
Mr. Jones said he wanted to see an
investi tigation made so thoroughly rigid
that there could be no question con-
corning the verdict. He said if no one
else proposed such an investigation he
would do SO very soon after congress
reassembled in the new year. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the investi-
cation should be made by joint COM
mittee of the public and senate, in
dence of a fair and impartial tribunal
to which the facts of the case might
be presented.
Senator Nelson. chairman of the
committee on public lands, is the
choice of both friends and opponents
OF Secretary Rallinger for the position
of chief investigator.
'.I am willing to undertake the in
vestigation,' said Senator Nelson to-
day, eff congress desires that l should
do So I have felt this controversy
, should be disposed of, but have not
moved in the matter for fear that
some one would think / was seeking
a job for my committee
Quicksilver Output Declines.
Washington, Dec. 21 The state OF
the quicksilver industry, in the United