Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-16

CLAIMS TO HAVE FIRST
REVIEWED THE TESTIMONY
Report on CLAWS Antsdated on Presi-
dents sussestion-Taft Issues State
ment Surprising in Its Frankness-
Has No Apologies to Make-other
News.

N0W8s
1.-THE story of the Kerby charges ap-
pears on page 10 of this issue.-Ed.1
washington, May 1s.-President Taft
superimposed Sunday night another
sensation upon those which have oc-
CURED in the Balinger-Pinchotc contro-
versy. He adopted the unusual course
of addressing letter to Senator Nell
son, chairman of the joint investigating
committee. which is considered by
mem hers of the committee as one OF the
remarkable features of the record
In this letter the president assumes
full responsibility:
For authorizing Assistant Attorney
General Lawler to write, as if he were
president, letter generating Balm
ger.
For using certain paragraphs and
sentences in the final draft Of the letter
which he finally signed.
For the predating by Attorney Cen
eral Wickersham of the opinion OF the
CLAWS charges which he wrote for the
presidents guidance.
Letter Frank in Terms.
The letter is one Of the frankest doc
uments that has ever Issued from the
White House. In sending it to Senator
Nelson the president realized he was
taking a course which might subject
him to some criticism, but he deemed it
important to acquaint the Committee
with all the facts and at the same time
free the public mind Of any suspicion
as to the propriety of his conduct and
acts, possible thru misfnterpretation
of the sensational charge made by Ste
nographer Kerby OF the interior de-
partment.
He mentions the fact that the ma
jority of the committee had decided
that what he had done in connection
with the allegations of CLAWS was not
within tho jurisdiction of the commit
TEE to investigate. But in spite Of this
: fplnl1, reference to the matter had crept
into the records, and he therefore
deemed it proper to lay the facts, 80 Ear
as fevrememberedt them, before the in
vesting tribunal
Evidently the president desired the
country to understand that he dele
gated to no one the work of vindicating
his secretary OF the interior.
Text Of Taft's Letter.
Following is the text Of the Taft
letter:
"In the hearings before the commit
tee to investigate the interior depart
ment and forestry service, reference
has been made to my decision upon the
complaint and charges Of L. r. CLAWS
flied with me on. the 18th Of August
last against Secretary Ballinger and
certain other officials of the interior
department. The majority of the COM
mittee have decided that my action was
not within the jurisdiction Of the COM
mittee to investigate. In spite of this
ruling, references to the matter have
crept into the record. For this reason
deem it proper to write you and state
with such accuracy as my memory per-
mits what the facts are.
CLAWS statement and charges were
left with me by him on Aug. IS, 1909. 1
turned them over to the attorney gen.
eral, who happened to be in the neigh
borhood and he made notes upon his
reading. We both had personal knowl-r
edge in respect to Secretary Ballinger's
attitude towards the Alaska coal
claims, which was the chief subject of
innuendo and complaint, for Mr.. Bal
linger had early in the administration
consulted us both regarding them.
Conclude jealousy 10 Cause.
"Within two or three >1ays after the
fling Of the charges, at A meeting at
which the secretary of the treasury,
the eattorney.general, and the secretary
of the navy were present, full dis
cussion Of the CLAWS statement was
had. Ut resulted in q. general con-
clusion that Jealousy between the bu-
reaus OF the interior department and
the forestry. bureau probably explained
the attitude OF the interior department
officials, but that the intimations OF bad
faith by CLAWS against Mr. Ballinger
and the others required that the state
ment be submitted to them for answer.
Accordingly copies Of the statement
were sent to Secretary Ballinger to AS
sistant Secretary Peirce, to Commis-
sioner bennett, and to Chief Of Field
Service Schwartz.
"Mr. Ballinger was at Seattle but
upon receipt OF the charges he came to
Washington to prepare his answer. On
Monday, Sept. 6. Mr.. Ballinger reached
Beverly, accompanied by Mr.. Lawler.
the assistant attorney general Of the
department OF Justice, assigned to the
interior department.
Goes Over Charges Carefully.
"Mr. Ballinger sent to my house on
that day the answers OF the various
persons concerned, together with a vol
luminous record OF exhibits. I had a
conference with him the evening Of the
aav hec anne. Sept. 6. and then on the
following evening, Sept. z. I talked over
the charges with Mr.. Ballinger the first
evening and asked such questions as
suggested themselves, without intimat-
ing any conclusion, and said that I
would examine the answers and the
record, aud would see him the next
day.
s"r sat up until O'clock that night
reading the xanSwers and exhibits, so
that at my ;fiext conference was ad-
yised Of the contents Of the entire.
record, and had made up,my mind that
there was nothing in the charges upon
whichaMr. Ballinger- or the others ac-' :