Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-13
Disclaimed Any Insinuation.

er had done wrong He referred only
to his acts, he continued, and not his
statements. for many of them were
wrong. He did not indicate whether he
thought Mr.. Ballinger had Intentionally
or consciously made a misstatement.
Mr.. Davis concluded his testimony be-
fore the committee yesterday, and was ex-
cused at the end Of the afternoon session.
He fatty contradicted Secretary Ballinger
In several statements, and said the two
did not agree on many reclama ton mat
ters. although both had been and he
hoped stu were good friends.
Mr.. Davis on the Stand.
At the beginning OF the afternoon
session Mr.. Davis told of the dissatis-
faction existing among the engineers
of the reclamation service because of
the "unsympathetic attitude Of the
present Secretary of the Interior" in
failing to promote them. although
recommended for promotion by the su-
pervising engineers. He said that it
unless they were treated more fairly
by the Department Of the Interior. He
said that on one occasion he had had
gineers in the service from resigning
In a body as a protest against the
sued by Secretary Ballinger.
Attorney Vertrees then took UP the
Of the witness, ques-
tioning him about the conference he
had with Mr.. Ballinger at the Shore
time Baliinxer told him Of the nom
plants which had reached him about
the reclamation service, and that he
intended to reorganize the service.
ment on this subject.
DO you stand for that statement"
asked the attorney.
ooh, Of course, you don't approve Of
all of his acts, but you don't believe he
has Intentionally done any wrong?'
'I simply disclaim any desire to ques-
ton his motives said the witness.
did Mr.. Balinger at any time ever re-
feet on the efficiency and uprightness of
the reclamation service as whole diff
ferently from his public utterances?'
''Oh. yes, very differently. He never
said in a public utterance what he said
to me at the Shoreham.''
"Since then he has become more friend
ly to the service, hasn't he?"
"He don't regard the service as EN-
Gent
.'Well, you admit yourself that the serv-
ice now is not efficient, that 1t is de-
moralized. don't your
Eyes
Regarded as Success.
Senator Sunderland interrupted to in
quire If the witness did not regard the
Umatilla project In Oregon as failure.
IT certainly do not"
"Well, 1 understand the people out
there think so,' said Senator Sunderland.
'They think the land Is worth from
S175 to $500 an acre. was his tart reply.
Mr.. Davis said Secretary Ballinger re-
garded this project as a failure, and this
was one of the many instances In which
he disagreed with him.
Mr.. Vertrees read into the record a
letter written by Director Newell July
II to Senator La Toilette. in which Mr.
Newell said he had recommended to
Secretary Ballinger that certain lands
withdrawn under the Garfield admins
tration be restored slowly so as not to
attract public attention. He sought TO
draw from the witness the admission
that 1t was upon this recommendation
that Mr.. Ballinger had instructed him
to withdraw lands slowly, but the wit.
ness insisted that there were two dit.
ferent instances.
Taft-Ballinger Letters.
Mr.. Vertrees also read into the roc.
ord letters exchanged between Secre-
tary Ballinger and President Taft. The
letters showed that the Secretary mad
written to the President in regard to
reclamation work. but that
the President had advised him to hold
down on reclamation work in the In
terest of economy and that when Con-
rress met he would take the matter
up.
INQUIRED Mr.. Vertrees, why did you
show such reluctance to testify when
It afterward developed that you were
fully prepared with facts. figures anu
even maps. expecting to be calledo"
'It is not my choosing that 1 am here.
/ would rather not have taken the wit
ness stand"
The so-called 'black tent" affair figured
in Mr.. Davis testimony He
said that E. T. Perkins, purchasing agent
went through the west lecturing In a black
tent to advertise reclamation work under
orders of Secretary Ballinger. The officials
of the service were subsequently inform
ed. he said, that Perkins was getting an
allowance of $500 a month from the Har-
riman railway lines In addition to his
s3. 200 salary Mr.. Davis said Perkins
proved his fidelity to the Hartman lines
BY shipping 30 per cent Of material from
Chicago to MeZa, Ariz., where the recla-
nation service has been engaged in q
pro iect, by way Of their lines. which made
the longest and most expensive route.
The committee will be In session next
Friday and Saturday. It Is expected that
Newell of the reclamation serv-
ice will be called as the next witness
Mr., Davis added that when he had
been summoned by Attorney Pepper he
had told Secretary Ballinger of the fact
and had conferred with counsel on both
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