The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-16
TAFT USES BIG STICK.

Albany, N. r., Sept. 16.-"Shreds of
suspicion without substantial evil
dence," 10 the characterization of the
charges preferred against Secretary
Ballinger, by L. R CLAWS, chief Of the
field division Of the general land office.
The president in q statement made
public here last night. not only exoner-
ates his cabinet officer and other de-
,partment officials, but grants the re-
quest Of Secretary Ballinger for au-
ithority to dismiss CLAWS from the SER
Nice.
The specific charge will be "for un-
jastly impeAching tho official integrity
fOf his superior officer" but in reality,
CLAWS loses his official head by reason
of his activity in the Ballinger-Pin-
chot dispute, his chief offense being III
going over the head Of his superior Of
ficer, and writing letter attacking
his policy In connection with coal land
claims in Alaska.
In this connection the president
makes it plain that evidence, not r,l-
,,mors," will be the slogan of his admin
tistration. He grants that q subordi-
mate 10 doing his duty to inform him il
she knows hus superior is defrauding
the government, but, says the presi-
sdent makes q charge against his chief
founded upon mere suspicious and in
his statement he fails to give his chief
the benefit Of circumstances within his
Anowledge that would his chiefs ac-
hion proper his separation therefrom
becomes q necessity"
Findings In Form Of Letter.
The findings Of President Taft are
IN the form Of letter to Secretary
Ballinger. which he wrote before leav-
ing his summer home at Beverly, and
which, as heretofore stated. was made
public hero tonight. The president
states that the report, or charges, of
CLAWS also reflect upon Assistant Sec
retary Pierce, Commissioner bennett
and Chief Of Field Service Schwartz.
BY insinuation and inuendo as well as
by direct averment. CLAWS is shown to
have made charges that each of these
officials has taken steps to aid the
cunningham claimants to secure pat
ents based on claims that they know,
or have reason to believe, are fraudu-
lent and unlawful.
The president here states that in the
zeal Of Claws to convict Ballinger,
Pierce. bennett and Schwartz, Galvis
did not give him the president) the
benefit of information which he had
that would have thrown light on the
transactions. showing them to be con-
eistent with an impartial attitude on
the part Of not only Ballinger, but the
other officials.
The president reviews the connection
of Secretary Ballinger with the Cum
ningham claims as an attorney-for
which he received $2JO-after he had
resigned as commissioner Of the land
office under President Roosevelt, as
follows
The inference which Mr.. CLAWS
seeks to have drawn to your discred.t
in this connection Is that you. while
commissioner Of the general land Of
flee, came into possession Of facts con-
cerning the so-called Cunningham
group Of coal lands claims which made
1t improper for you to use such facts
after your resignation In the course of
securing the patents.
Il find the fact to be that as commits
sioner you acquired no knowledge in
respect to the claims except that of the
most formal character and nothing
which was not properly known to your
clients when they consulted you. The
evidence in respect to which you were
consulted professionally was not secur-
ed by Mr.. CLAWS until after your res
ignntion as commissioner Of the gen.
eral land office.
Real Attitude Of eallinser.
Coming down to the present time the
Presidents letter is as follows:
The record overwhelmingly estab-
fishes that. expressly because Of your
previous service as counsel to one OF
tNc claimants, from the time you en-
1 4 upon your duties Of the office Of