Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-01
.DEN|ESG|V|NG ORDER
BaIIinger Contradicts Testi-
mony of Reclamation Officials.
RESTORING POWER SITES
Declares He Didn't Direct Favorable
Recommendation.
FRIENDLY TO THE SERVICE
Admits to the Investigating Com
mittee That He Was Not in SYM
patty With System Prevailing.
FRIENDLY TO THE SERVICE

Secretary Ballinger continued to con-
tradict and deny statements and accusa-
lions against him from the witness stand
| in the Ballinger-Pinchot investigation
yesterday. He still was under direct ex-
| animation when the committee adjourned
until next Thursday.
Passing from the subject Of Alaskan
coal lands. Mr.. Ballinger launched into
a justification Of his attitude toward the
| reclamation service His most important
| denial was OF the charge made by d.
| rector F. H. Newell and Chief Engineer
| A. p. Davis of the service that he mis-
| represented to the President that the rec
lamation service had recommended the
| restoration of the water power sites with
drawn by Secretary Garfield
The reclamation service officials swore
that Mr.. Ballinger ordered them to recon-
mend these reservations. Mr.. Ballinger
swore just as positively that he made no
such order, although he felt the lands had
been illegally withdrawn and should be
restored to entry, and had so stated to
the reclamation officials.
Mr.. Ballinger made no secret of the fact
that he would like to see Mr.. Newell SUI
perseded as head of the reclamation bu-
reau. He told the committee he did not
have much confidence in Mr.. Newells
administrative ability, although he denied
hostility to the governments reclamation
policy and said many of the projects I'M
der way had great possibilities for the
development of the west.
Asked by his lawyer why he did not
make a change" in the reclamation serv-
ice, Mr.. Ballinger retorted sharply:
Because my hands have been up for
months and l have not been able to get
them down..
Attorney Vertress said last night he
hoped to finish the direct examination of
Mr.. Ballinger by midday next Thursday
when he will turn him over to the oppos-
ing counsel for cross-examination. Mr.
Ballinger probably will be on the stand
for three more days at least
Brandeis' Request Denied.
Two hours of yesterdays session were
consumed by the committee over the ques-
ton of granting Attorney Brandeis' re-
quest for papers and documents bearing
on the summary of the CLAWS charges
prepared for the President by the At
torney General The committee again de-
MED the request. though making one
small concession. The opposing attorneys
argued the question, and threw some
light on the controversy.
Mr.. Vertrees charged there was a con-
spiracy afoot against other advisers than
Mr.. Ballinger of a President who hap
pened to be distasteful to the conspira-
tors. He intimated that Former Secre-
tary Garfield and Former Forester Pin
CHOU were tfle C0lel COISpIIdlOIS
For the first time, Mr.. Brandeis openly
stated his belief that the Attorney Cen
eral had antedated his summary with
the Idea of making that appear proper
which was not proper when done; He
had reference to the dismissal of his eli
ent l.. r. Claws by the President Sep
TENDER 10 last. and was intimating that
the Attorney General, months after that
date, had drawn up summary In an eff
fort to justify an error Of the President,
and in order to make the deception COM
plete had dated it two days before the
Presidents action was taken.
Friendly to Reclamation.
At the opening of the afternoon ses-
sion Mr. Vertrees asked Secretary Bal
linger If he was friendly to the reclama
ton policy he found in operation when
he became secretary.
The witness said he was, and that he
regarded it important in order to secure
as great development of western states
as possible.
Mr.. Ballinger expressed his confidence
i'm A. p. Davis. chief engineer of the
service, who with Director F. H. Newell
was witness for the prosecution" in
the pending inquiry.
Il am frank to say added Mr.. Bal
linger. that 1 did not have and have
not had all along the same regard for
Mr. Newell, as I did not have full con-
handling the reclamation service. He
said he had known something of. Mr..
NeweIl's work while he CBallingeD WIS
commissioner of the land office.
Mr.. Pinchot had charged that Mr.. Bal
linger had been tearing down the work
Of the reclamation service and running
the esprit de corps of that bureau be-
cause of his hostility to Newell.
many of the twenty-seven reclamation
projects of the United States, Mr.. Bal
linger said that he had rendered all as
sistance in his power toward the COM
pletion Of projects begun before he as
sumed the secretaryship. and that he had
not assumed unjustly critical attitude
toward the reclamation service. He eX-
planned that some of the projects were
not feasible. but, inasmuch as they had
been undertaken. it was the duty of all
connected with them to do the best they
could. He said a majority of the prof.
ects presented great possibilities for de-
velopment when completed
Newell's Testimony Attacked.
Mr. Balinger attacked the credibility
of Mr. Newelrs testimony by reading an
affidavit of j. B. Griffith to the effect
that he had heard Newell declare in a
public speech that when completed the
Klamath project in Oregon would cost
land owners only $3.50 an acre, and GER
tanIy not more than $50. Mr.. Newell
had testified that he had made an exact
estimate as to the cost per acre. The
affidavit was admitted after spirited
argument between members of the COM
mittee and the attorneys as to its ad-
instability.
Il suppose it is admissible as nine
tenths of the documentary evidence that
has been accepted by the committee"
suggested Senator Sutherland.
Attorney Pepper cCntended that he
had taken the liberty of summOning Mr..
Newell he should have the right to pro-
tect his credibility from attack unless
the committee, which considered all wit
nesses as it's witnesses, should choose to
do So 1t was agreed that Mr.. Newell
could file as many affidavits as he pleased
in refutation of the Griffith affidavit.
Opposed the System.
At great length Mr.. BallirIger explained
why he was not in sympathy with the
prevailing system under which reclama-
| ton work was conducted He said he
did not think the Secretary Of the In
| terror had right under the reclamation
act to undertake any project without
| having sufficient funds in sight to COM
| plete it. He also thought the work should
stead of the government force system as
! this would enable the service to ascer-
| tain the exact cost before initiating it