The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-03-02

fession made by him to Mr.. Price
don't think he would ever have sent
that letter They kept this Shaw bus
mess from me- l didn't know anything
about it,"
Secretary Wilson said he tried for
two months to get a report from Mr..
Pinchot on the alleged activity of the
forest service in the CLAWS matter He
said Mr.. Pinchot kept delaying the re-
port
Report Nothing But Opinion.
"And what did he finally bring me?"
the witness said. He set Shaw and
Price TO work to prepare a report to
him for some reason or other. This
report was nothing more than their
opinion of their own work.
"Now, gentlemen, I know compare
lively nothing of what you are con-
sdering here. l have read something
about it in the papers and know what
the president has said. Mr.. Pinchot
wants you to believe that because l
raised no objection to his writing let
ters to Senator Dolliver regarding de-
partmental matters, he had a right to
write what he did. He had no such au-
it, The question before this committee
is, Did he have my consent to write
that letter.
He did not. / never saw it. l never
heard of it until 1 read it in the con-
gressional record
The cross examination of Mr.. Wilson
was begun by Attorney Pepper, but it
was soon taken out of his hands by
the four democratic members of the
committee. The republican members
took practically no part in the exam
nation.
In reply to Attorney Pepper Secre-
tary Wilson said he would forgive Mr..
Pinchot for his assumption of author
ity to discipline subordinates of sthe
forest service, but that he could not
forgive the aspersions on the president.
Pnchot to Blame Himself.
"Mr. Pinchot complains that he did
not get hearing by the president"
added Mr.. Wilson. He shut the door
himself when he sent that letter to
Senator Deliver"
did you tell Mr. PinchOt that you
and he would have no trouble regard
ding subordinates to give out informa-
tion?'
THAT is all new to me. i don't say
that l refused to concur in Mr.. Pin
chot's .request to send a letter re-
garding departmental affairs
Secretary Wilson was Intercepted
by the democratic members on his re-
collection of instructing Mr.. Pinchot
to strike out in the letter of transmit
tai all reference to the Dolliver let
ter. The secretary insisted he did
not remember this and that he did not
remember whether Mr.. Pinchot had
dictated the letter over again in his
office
Senator Purcell of North Dakota Ga
democracy asked Secretary Wilson if
he had not specifically talked over the
letter with Mr.. Pinchot. The
secretary declared he had not
Would Not Insult President.
do you think l would have agreed?"
he demanded, "that I should insult the |
president of the United States and
not exercise my authority over subor- |
Secretary Wilson admitted under a |
perfect hail of heterogeneous, that |
he did talk with Mr. Pinchot about a |
letter to Senator Dolliver, but insisted |
that he supposed the letter was to be |
simply about departmental affairs.
"Of course, Mr.. Pinchot,'' he added, |
may have had things in his mind !
that l did not He was up in his work |
and l was not. He said he wanted to ]
get something in the congressional re-
cord at the same time that the pres
ident's message transmitting Attor- |
ney General Understands findings in |
favor of Mr.. Ballinger were sent to
the senate
Senator Purcell: "To what did you !
think Mr.. Pinchot's letter would re-
fer?"
Secretary Wilson: "To conservation.
perhaps.
Secretary Wilson said he advised |
against the method of blanketing the |
presidents message, which Mr. Pin
chot proposed.
Attorney Pepper: But you did ac-
quiesce in Mr.. Pinchot's writing Il !
letter such as you understood he was
going to write?''
Advised Against Pinchot's Methods.
Secretary Wilson: Not such a let |
ter as he did write / earnestly ad- |
vised against that method of securing |
results"
Attorney Pepper: eff Mr. Pinchot |