The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-15

The subject was on every tongue TO-
night in Washington, where almost
every man, woman or ehiid Is bltterly
either a Ballinger Or Pinchot partisan
The thing came to head today In
the publication Of q statement attrlDu-
ted to Frederick W. Kerby, one OF the
tary Ballinger, in which Kerby related
the circumstances under which he
alleged the Lawler draft to have been
prepared. Kerby asserted further that
the preparation OF the letter were
burned in a CRATE in the interior de-
partment at the suggestion and under
the supervision OF Don A Carr, Mr..
Ballinger's private secretary. Kerby
drew the Inference that the Lawler
draft had been adopted by the PTeSi-
dent essentially as his own; that Mr..
Ballinger and his legal advisers had
therefore virtually prepared the exon
Grafton which Mr.. Taft had issued over
his own signature
Almost simultaneously with the pub
location of the Kerby statement, Attor-
ney General Wfckersham sent to the
Ballinger- Pinchot investigation COM
mittee, then in session. a copy of the
TO Chairman Nelson, in which MIR. Wick
ersham declared the document had been
overlooked in sending the papers requi-
sitioned by the COMMITTEES at the behest
of Attorney Brandeis.
Statement From White House.
The publication of the Kerby state
ment evoked from the White house a
statement declaring that there was abb
solutely no foundation for the state
ment; that the Presidents letter Of
September Is, 1909, was substantially
prepared for the Presidents signature
by Assistant Attorney General Law
'the President dictated his letter, per-
sonally.ss the result of his own inVeS-
tiSatton of the records and eonsidefa-
Con OF documents and papers in his
TlncccGCin- ar inn and a
report OF the attorney general"
1t was further pointed out, both at
the White house and by Attorney Cen
eral Wickersham himself that COM
parison Of the Lawler draft and the
Presidents letter would show that the
differences Of the kerby- statement were
unwarranted Mr.. Wickersham alluded
to the practice common in the govern
ment departments of subordinates pre-
pairing letters and documents for the
consideration of their superiors, and
as they might see fit.
Secretary Ballihger and Mr.. Lawler
were. in conference for a long time this
afternoon with Attorney General Wick
at the department of justice, a mes
senger was sent out for copy of a
newspaper containing the Kerby state
ment.
BaIIinger Angry.
When Mr.. BaIiinger emerged from the
conference he showed signs of angry
concern, but declared veh emently that
there was nothing to be ashamed of. -
Mr.. Ballinger said that Kerby had
gone off on a vacation" today.
NO, he added IN reply to a ques-
ton, The has not been discharged"
BE said this with a grim smile.
Kerby is superintendent of a Sun
day school and head OF boys brigade.
He was absent from his post all day,
being. It was said, at a picnic of one
Of these organizations
Attorney General Wickersham de-
clared that IL was quite obvious that
Lawler did not prepare the letter
signed by President Taft.
Compare the letter written by Mr.
Lawler with that written by the Presi-
dent" said Mr.. Wickershan, "and you
will readily recognize the fact There
IL only one clause which, in a meas
ure, the President adopted.
mo. 1T was not regarding the dis
missal of Claws" he said. in Response
to further questioning.
What Mr.. LAWYER prepared was what
might be termed a suggested form of
letter which the President could adopt
IL he saw fit, a practice Of every day
occurrence in the executive depart
ments.
Mr.. Wickersham said he preferred
not to discuss the matter, as 1t would
be manifestly improper for him to do
| so before he had seen the President
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