Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-10
was wholly In the interest OF the people.


frequently uncandid, that he has, on a
number of occasions, been guilty OF
duplicity, and that his conduct in the
premises was intended to and did nave
the effect of deceiving the president.
That MIR. Ballinger while commits
sioner of the general land office clear
listed the so-called Cunningham
claims on insufficient evidence, and
under circumstances which convince
us he was aware of the existence or
other material evidence which he did
not call for or consider, and which ii
considered should surely have prevent
ed the clear listing of the claims. We
find that in so clear listing said claims,
Mr.. BalNnger showed either a lament
able want of capacity and competence,
Or such a disregard for the rights OF
the public as amoupted to bad faith.
AssaiIs BaIIinger's Motives.
That as commissioner of the gen
eral land office Mr.. Ballinger prepared
the Gale bill, that he appeared before
a committee Of the house of represen-
tatives in advocacy of said bill, and
that he then knew and intended that
said bill, if it became law would
have the effect of validating the said
Cunningham coal claims and other coal
claims in Alaska, which claims were,
in fact, fraudulent because of noncom-
pliance with the law.
THAT after resigning as commits
sioner of the general land office Mr..
Ballinger resumed the practice of law
in Seattle, Wash. that he became in
terested as an attorney in cases which
were pending in the general land office
while he was commissioner and that in
at least one case he received compen-
sation for hiss and that such
conduct was highly reprehensible.
while Secretary Ballinger claims
that because Of his professional con-
nection with some of the claimants he
turned the consideration and control OF
all Alaskan coal claim matters over to
Mn Frank Pierce, his assistant, we find
from tine evidence that he did not in
fact do SO, but, on the contrary, i'm
properly continued his connection
Herewith and from time to time
consulted by his subordnates and gave
directions with regard to said claims.
Cunningham Hearing M Mismanaged.
THAT Mr.. Ballinger aided the move
ment to force the Cunningham claims
to hearing before the government was
ready to proceed and properly produce
its evidence, and placed the manage
ment of cases in the hands of an mex
perlenced young attorney with full
knowledge of the Importance of the
cases. both as to the great value Of the
property and the fact that, being the
first cases of their kind and there being
hundreds of other Alaska coal claim
cases, they were, in a measure. test
cases.
mat he encouraged INSTRUMENTATION
In the reclamation service by trying to
discredit the director or head OF chat
service in general way and by isSu-
ing orders direct to subordinates in
said service without either consulting
or communicating with the proper per-
son or persons in charge of said ser
vice.
THAT he condoned highly improper
officiafconduct on the part of Mr. Per-
.kins, head of the Chicago office of the
PROCLAMATION service. and, instead of
+reprimand1ng him or of asking for his
resignation, as recommended by the d.
rector and chief engineer he retained
him in the same office with Increased
power, directing him to report to Di-
rector Newell. whose authority he had
already overridden.
Demand Removal of Secretary.
Under these circumstances, aflo in
view Of these findings, which are forced
upon US by a consideration OF the evil
dence, we are under the. stern neces-
sity of making a further finding:
That Mr.. Ballinger has not been
true to the trust repOsed in him as
secretary Of the interior, that he is not
deserving of public confidence, and that
he should be requested by the proper
authority to resign his office as secre-
tary of the interior.
Before the sefindings were reached the
r. of
the testimony Of Mr.. Lawler, assistant
attorney general of the interior de-
partment. Mr.. LaWler. the report says,
testified only concerning the So
called LaWler memorandum, prepared
by him at the presidents request, un-
der the direction that he should write
it as if he were the president.
Like his testimony, the draft was so
radical and violent that the president
had to reject some of it, and modify
some of what remained.
"Mr. LAWYERS partisanship, his vio-
lent offensive and iraScible demeanor,
his evident lack Of frankness, and his
confessed animosity towards Mr..
CLAWS detract greatly from the value
of his testimony
High Praise For Pinchot.
AS to Clifford Pinchot the report
says:
"Mr. Pinchot is so we'll known to the
American people that it is probably un-
necessary to refer to his standing, but
it can not be out of place to cite few
of the presidents words concerning
him In his letter of Sept. II. 1909, he
says to Mr.. Pinchot, I wish you to
know that l have the utmost confidence
in your conscientious desire to serve
the government and the public, in the
Intensity of YOUR purpose to achieve
success in the matter of conservation
of national resources and in the i'm
Tnense value Of what you have done
and propose to do with reference to
forestry and kindred methods of con-
servation."
Several other quotations from the
presidents letters follow and the re-
port continues:
1--WE do not think these ecomiums
undeserved We believe the evidence
shows Mr.. Pinchot to be a man Of high
character, of fine honor, of stainless in
tegrity, and of patriotic purpose.
I'VE Endorse this commentator by
the president and we agree with him
that Mr.. Pinchots desire Is to faith
fully serve the American people to the
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