Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-18
Told President They Had Been
Used by Democrats in Ballinger-
Pinch0t Committee.
GOT VERY LITTLE COMFORT
Were Told by Taft Was Not for Him to
Indicate His Choice rs to Houses
Future Action.

Washington, Jan. 1S.-A new and de-
cidedly interesting turn was given To
the "insurgent" movement in the house
today. Representatives Hayes of Cali
fornia, Murdoch of Kansas and Gard
ner OF Massachusetts FASTENED to the
White House to tell the president iE
effect that they had been used" by tho
Democrats IN the Ballinger Pinchot
investigating committee and that the
Democrats took advantage of the op
portunity to put two OF their most
partisan members on the committee for
the purpose of making political capital
out of the affair.
Mr.. Hayes was the first OF the insur-
gents to reach the White House He
told the president that while he was
an insurgent he did not intend to be
placed in the positions of helping tho
Democrats to throw mud at Repu5-
lican administration" This he was
afraid was going to happen unless
some means Of changing the Demo-
cratic selections for the investigating
committee 1t is believed devised
Messrs. James of Kentucky ana
Rainey of illinois. we're selected by the
Democratic caucus for appointment
under the action of the insurgent-
Democratic combination, which took
the power OF appointing the committee
away from the speaker.
Hardly had Mr.. Hayes left the execu-
tive officers when Messrs Murdock and
Gardner walked in They reiterated
much that Mr.. Hayes said. but admit
ted they did not see exactly how they
were going to get out of the difficulty.
A statement was prepared by Mr..
Gardner and A1r. Murdoch. which said;
I'VE called on the president and
spoke to him about the personnel OF
the Investigating committee. but moth
ing dofinite was arrived at. The presi-
dent felt 1t was not for him to indicate
his choice as to the future action OF
the house In this respect. but urged
that 1t was of the utmost Importance
that the members of the committee
should be men recognized by both sides
of the house as fair and impartial IN
the Investigation
REPORT ADOPTED.
Washington, Jan 1S.-The conference
report on the Ballinger- Pinchot resolu-
tion was adopted unanimously by the
house today.
In a vigorous statement Secy. Bal
linger last night replied to the charges
made against him before the house
committee on expenditures in the in
terror department yesterday by Repre-
sentative Hitchcock of Nebraska. Mr..
Rallinger branded as "ridlculously
false" the allegations of extravaganza;
wrong doing and favoritism on his
part
AS result of Mr.. Hitchcock's tes-
timony before the committee 1t Will be-
gin an Investigation independent or
that to be conducted by the joint COM
m!ttee of Congress.
Those to serve as the six house men,
bers of the Ballinger Pinchot investl.
cation committee have occasloned
much talk on that side of the capitol.
but nothing definite will be determined
before the Republican caucus Is held
which will likely be tomorrow or
Thursday night. The selection by the
Democrats of Representatives James
of Kentucky and Rainey of Illinois as
the minority members has occasioned
an outburst in different quarters of the
Republican side, particularly on the
part of a few insurgents who very Bit
terly oppose the Democratic members
The house organization also does not
approve the choice of the minority. but
1t IS doubtful II the majority leaders
VIII undertake to defeat them or die
tate the appointment of others In
their places