The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-03-04

+, the relations between himself and Mr.
Ballingcr Ind been fairly friendly,
not more than that
He woS not more friendly because
he knew Mr.. Ballingers views az to
conservation were different from his
own,
Then you were unfrIendly?7
no, ! distnisted him"
You mean distrusted his poliics?'
II dIstrusted his poliies and what
he would do"
So. Mr.. Pinchot." said Mr.. Yer.
trees. after allrof that statement You
, made 10 the committee when You took
the stand. all you can cite against
Mr. BailinGer Of your own knowledge
Is tho letter Of November Is to the
President"
81 said | expected 10 prove some
Of the things charged by other Wit
nesses."
/ Referring TO his testimony that Mr..
/ BalliDger. as commissioner of the
land office. protested against the ere,
alton of the Chugnch forest reserve In
! Alaska, In which some OF the Cum
ningbam claims are located, Mr..
Pinchot said he had never read Mr.,
| Ballinger's letter Of protest and did
| not know what reasons he gave.
Mr. Vertrees-"Don't you think II
would have been only fair to have
read Il before submitting II here with
the inferences that might be drawn
! from your testimony
Had Interview With 9arlneer.
Mr. Pinchot-,'My knowledge Of Mr..
Ballinccr's position was based on an
1 iNf L., C,rGal1sc
Office, and | understood 1t 10 be hos.
tile 10 whnt We have since come to
call conservatism"
Mr Pinchot declared that while the
letter of protest had been on file with
| the committee for some time. a reg1l-
! lation OF tho committee permitting
counsel only to examine the docu.
! mepts had prevented him reading It.
A long discussion ensued es TO the
modification OF the rule. but the mat
ter was put over for consideration in
executive session.
Attorney Brandeis remarked that
! the order OF the committee had
i worked great hardship on counsel.
When Representative DENLY stated
| tnat he plainly understood counsel to
! agree With the committee rs 20 the
| pTopriety. of the course decided upon.
| Mr.. Brandeis said he made his state
ment WITH no purpose Of criucising
| tho committee.
| Attorney Vertrecs sought to ques-
| tlon the witness further as 10 why he
| had not read the letter, but was
stopped by the committee
pinehot Reads a Letter.
Mr.. Pinchot wns asked to read the
letter. When he had concluded. Mr..
Ver,recs asked;
Does that letter indicate hostility
to tho general policy of conserva-
tion7"
"In my Judgment. 1t does
Point out n single statement to
that effect"
Mr.. Pinchot said It was impossible
! to take judgment on a single state
ment. The whole thing had to be TAX
en- together
The witness was asked II 1t was
not known. when Mr.. Garfield with
drew the huge tracts OF lands for VA
/ ter power sites, that nine-tenths OF
the lands 50 Withdrawn were not
needed and would have TO bo restored,
Mr.. Pincbot said he did not know
tho exact figures. He would not ad-
NIT that the large Withdrawals were
more than necessary, however.
The Withdrawals were made large
because there had not been time to
make a proper investigation. The
witness frankly stated 1t had been
his policy to withdraw lands for for
es, reservation ranger stations when
they were needed tor that purpose, but
they were also Withdrawn 10 protect
power sites
$50 that was your policy end Secre-
tary Garfield's?"
YES; and President Roosevelt and
Secretary Wilson's
Mr. Yertrees passed some time with
the witness as TO the charge that Mr..
Ballinger had deceived the President
regarding an opinion of the comp
! troller OF the treasury on the subject
OF the agreement between the fores-
Try service and interior department
regarding Indinn lands. He brought
! out the fact that copy of the comp
! trolIer's decision referred 10 Mr.. Bal
linre had been sent to the President.
There Is nothing here TO show that
the President read that decision, de-
clared MIR Pinchot. "and tho unavoid'
able inference Is that Mr. Ballinger
deceived the President because the
President said In bis letter 10 Mr.. Bsl'
linger. on SeptsmSer 18th lagDi-y
"'Your doclinatjon To carry cut tne
contract was made necessary By n
ruling Of the comptroller i910Io *e
The witnoss contendcd that athe de-
cision sent TO the President did not
cover tho cooperative agreement as
10 Indian lands.
FIT OF sNEGZING