The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-03-11

that as to locations, made IN good
faith, the entrymen should have the
right to the $40 price"
COMMENDED BY ROOSEVELT.
My Dear Jim" and MY Dear Dick"
were the salutations used respectively
by Mr.. Garfield and Mr. Ballinger in
addressing each other in two letters
exchanged after Mr.. Ballinger left the
land Office in April 1908 and while the
coal bills were still pending. Mr..
Ballinger's letter concluded with the
statement that before leaving Wash
ington he had talked with President
Roosevelt about the whole matter and
that the president had commended
his action.
Replying, Secretary Garfield urged
Mr.. Ballinger not to be disturbed
about his position on the coal bills;
that he had always understood it and
had told newspaper men that there
never had been any misunderstand-
ing.
Mr.. Ballinger's testimony before the
congressional committee however I'm.
til he had gone out of office.
Senator Nelson questioned the wit
ness closely as to a statement that
Ballinger had been in error in stating
Mr.. Garfield's position as to the Alas
ka coal bills. Mr.. Garfield said his
recommendations cited by Mr.. Bal.
linger applied to a general coal bill
and not to the Alaska measure.
Replying to question by Senator
Nelson, Mr.. Garfield said:
THE effect of the section which /
recommended was that if the entire
coal bill passed and the government
adopted a new policy as to coal de-
posts. there should be a valuation of
all entries of a new classified price.
Up to 1850 acres | was willing that
claims should be considered and was
willing to condone prior frauds"
Mr. Garfield said the difference in
the price of SO an acre and classifi-
ed price might prove to be a differ
ence between $4,000 and 100000.
Attorney Pepper read from Secre
tary Ballinger reply to the president
concerning the charges against him,
Mr.. Ballinger's statement that Mr.
Garfield had made no real effort to
learn the facts or to understand his
position. He also said that Mr.. Gar
field had highly commended his course
while in the government service and
suggested that Garfield's mind had
poisoned by his mis-statements.
OBTAINED ALL FACTS.
"Mr. Eallinger was in error" said
Mr. Garfield. Il made every effort to
obtain the facts before writing to the
president"
In an exchange of letters between
Secretary Ballinger and Assistant Sec
rotary Pierce in August last it appear
ed that Senator Guggenheim asked to
have certain lands at La Junta, Cal,
set apart as an "arid park" the with
travail to be made under the super
visory power as with water power
site. Mr.. Ballinger directed that the
withdrawal De made.
What is an arid park?'" asked
Senator Root.
Il don't know"
Maybe it's the same as a dry
town" suggested Representative Ohm
stead.
Secretary Ballinger, acting under an
opinion of Mr.. Wickersham, stopped
the practice inaugurated by Mr.. Gar
field of giving certificates as evidence
Of work done on reclamation projects,
the certificates to be turned in in pay
ment of water charges when water
was delivered on the land. These GER
tifcates were known as Garfield cur
rency."
Mr.. Garfield charged today that
neither Mr.. Wickersham or President
Taft had complete information before
them on which to base a proper de-
cision as to these certificates.
Asked if the s3O.o0O.0O0 bond issue
recommended by President Taft was
not made necessary to relieve hard
ships growing out of the cooperative
plan, Mr.. Garfield declared this issue
would cover a much wider field of
reclamation than that begun by him.
In fact. y declared Mr.. Garfield. to
the surprise OF the committee. 81
don't believe it is necessary to issue
any bonds at ALL"
But aren't there hardships grow
ing out of the present status of the
prOiect?" asked Senator Suther-
land.
Mr.. Garfield admitted that there
were individual hardships, but main
tanned that they were due to entry