Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-10
4 DEMOCRATS
AFFIRM GUILT
Of BALLINGER
InSurgent Member of Probe Com
mittee Makes Independent
Report Favoring PinChot
CONGRESS TO HEAR CHARGES
Madison of Kansas Declares Sec
retary UnfaithfuI Trustee
of Peoples Interest
CONGRESS TO HEAR CHARGES
ASSOCIATED Pressl

Associated ETcSSJ
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 9. = 1nat
Richard A. Ballinger has not been true
to the trust reposed in him as secre-
tary of the interior, that he is not
deserving of public confidence, and
that he should be asked by the proper
authorities to resign his office.
The foregoing sums up the findings
of the four Democratic members of
the Ballinger- -Pinchot congressional in
vestigating committee, made public
late today.
The Republican members issued no
report.
An Independent report was given out
by Mr. Madison, the insurgent Repub-
lican from Kansas, '-hich declares also
that Mr.. Ballinger SHOULD not be re-
tained, that he was an unfaithful trus-
tee of the peoples interest, an enemy
of conservation" and that the charges
of Clifford Pinchot should be sustained.
These findings will be printed and filed
with congress.
DIVISION IN COMMITTEE
The decision of the four Democratic
members and Mr.. Madison to make
the reports public followed an unusual
session. Three Republican members,
Senator Sutherland of Utah and Rep
resentatives Mccall of Massachusetts
and DENLY of Michigan, refused to at
tend the meeting. Finally the chair
man of the committee himself, Sem
ator Nelson of Minnesota, left the
committee room and did not return.
, Chairman Nelson gave notice that a
meeting would be held in Chicago next
Tuesday. The Democratic members
adjourned to meet again in Wash1ng-
ton December 3.
Representative Ollie James of Ken
lucky, Democrat, announces all. the
Democrats would refuse to attend the
meeting which Senator Nelson has
called for Chicago. The Republicans
will then be in the same position that
the Democratic members and Mr.. Mad
ison found themselves today.
DENY CONSPIRACY CHARGE
Summarized. the Democratic pro-
ceedings declare the evidence shows.
That there was no conspiracy against
Mr. Ballinger.
That Clifford Pinchot and L. r. CLAWS
were faithful trustees of the peoples
interests.
That Mr.. Ballinger's conduct on GER
tain occasions was intended to and did
have the effect of deceiving the presi-
dent.
That Mr.. Ballinger's action in having
"clear listed" the so-called Cunning
ham Alaskan coal claims, and ordering
them patented, showed bad faith.
That he advocated bill to validate
Alaskan coal claims alleged to be
fraudulent.
That his action in acting as attorney
is cases pending in the land office while
he was commissioner was reprehen-
sible
That he helped to force the Cunning
ham coal claims to hearing before
the government was ready to proceed.
That he encouraged INSTRUMENTATION
in the reclamation service and con-
JOpa6 iT1onrOnar official POndnct in that
connection.
BALLINGER ATTACKED FREQUENTLY
Numerous official acts of Mr.. Bal
linger are attacked. High praise IS
given Clifford Pinchot, former chief
forester and L. r. CLAWS, former
chief of field division of the general
land office.
Mr.. Madisons conclusions are:
That the charges of Mr.. CLAWS and
Mr.. Pinchot should be sustained.
That he has been unfaithful to the
public interest.
That in the matter of the Cunning
ham coal lands he was not faithful
trustee of the peoples interests.
That with regard to the reclama-
tion service, he has taken action tend
ing toward it's disintegration
A resolution adopted by the four
Democrats and Mr. Madison provides
for publication of the findings. When
Senator Nelson left the committee
room, Senator Fletcher was made
chairman pro tenn, and members pres
ent proceeded with their work.
The findings of the Democrats and
Mr.. Madison also were filed with the
secretary of the committee. A sum-
mary of the report follows:
The Democratic report is signed by
Senators Duncan U. Fletcher of Flor
ida and William E. Purcell of North
Dakota and Representatives Ollie NJ.
James of Kentucky and James M.
Graham of Illinois. 1t says;
after a careful, thorough and, we
believe, an impartial examination OF
the whole record we feel constrained
to make the following findings, based
on the evidence:
"That the evidence does not show
that Mr.. Ballinger drew up an escrow
agreement in the Watson-Allen mat
ter and we exonerate him from that
accusation. (This relates to an agree
ment providing for the future convey
ance of lands not yet patented or
proved up
DECLARES NO CONSPIRACY
"That the evidence does not show
any conspiracy against Mr.. Ballinger
and that the alleged conspiracy had
no existence in fact; that what has
been referred to as a conspiracy was
merely the efforts of certain persons to
thwart and prevent the secretary OF
the interior and the officers of the
general land office from accomplishing
what those persons believed to be the
fraudulent transfer of valuable public
nroperty from the government to GER
tain private interests and to prevent
the making of radical and injurious
changes in the management of the
service, then in high
state of efficiency.
THAT Clifford Pinchot and L. r. CLAWS
were faithful and eficient agents OF
the government and the people, de-
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