The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-01
PINCHOT YIELDS.
Will Not Press for Putting Con-
versatiOn With Taft
Into the Records of the Bal
linger Investigation.
LETTER SUBMITTED
LETTER
Which Was Written to Him by
the President.
Denouncing CLAWS and Uphold
ing the Secretary.

Washington, March There was a
surprising development today in the
Ballinger investigation when
Clifford Pinchot announced to the
committee that he based his charge
that Secretary Ballinger had been guilty
of making statements to the president
that were absolutely false in three es-
sential particulars. not upon letter
from Mr.. Ballinger himself. but upon
a letter written by j. T. Ronald. a
former law partner of Mr.. Ballinger,
to DR.. Lyman Abbott.
Mr.. Pinchot said a copy of this let
ter, with annotations. was forwarded
by Mr.. Ballinger to the president.
He admitted that the three state
ments in the Ronald letter which he
claimed to be false had previously
been covered bv a letter written by
Mr.. Ballinger himself to the president,
in which Ballinger had stated what the
witness admitted was a true statement
of the facts.
Mr.. Pinchot said he did not attempt
to reconcile, these two facts.
Before this development, the inter
est of the morning session had CEN
tered in the announcement as to
whether or not he should be allowed
to give his version of the cOnversa-
'tions with President Taft and the in
PRODUCTION in evidence by Pinchot of
a. long letter written to him by Presi-
dent Taft in September last. In this
letter the president denounced CLAWS
as disingenuous, warned Mr.. Pinchot
against making Claws cause his own,
declared he was sorry Mr.. PinchOt did
not have the same confidence and
trust in Mr.. Ballinger as he did and
lastly declared that controversies be-
tween the departments in Washington
must cease.
a n 7aTfinn1aT
alleged interview with Ormsby Nc
Harg, former assistant secretary of
commerce and labor in which Mr.. Nc
Harg was reported to have said that
Theodore Roosevelt must have
thought himself the Lord
Taft's Letter to PinchOt.
The presidents letter to Mr. Pinchot
mentioned by the latter today, follows:
Beverly. Mass, Sept. 13, 1909.
my Dear GiffOrd:-I enclose here
with a letter which 1 am about to send
to Secretary Ballinger for such use as
he sees fit, in reference to the charges
made by CLAWS against Secretary Bal
linger, Pierce bennett and Schwartz.
I have reached this conclusion only af-
ter a full consideration of Claws state
ment and their answers to it; but /
never reached a conclusion based on
stronger conviction than this one is.
''GlaVis seems to be man who has
acquired but one idea and who has al
lowed his suspicious to grow to such
a point as to be altogether disingenuous
in the statement of evidence, which he
adduces to sustain his attack upon his
superiors
81 have made no reference to you in
this letter, which will probably be made
public because I do not wish to bring
you into the controversy at ALL have
advised Mr.. Ballinger and his Subordi-
mates that wish your name left out of
the matter in their answers and refer
enceS, should it become necessary as is
not unlikely to send the whole record
to congress.
'I am aware from the tone of your
letter and from your conversation with
me that you did not give to Mr.. Bal
linger the confidence and trust which
1 do; and in this respect / think you
90 Mr.. Ballinger injustice. I think you
have allowed your enthusiastic interest