Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-12
Davis Gives Most Damag-
ing Testimony of the
Hearing.
SERVICE IN DANGER
Reclamation Employees Made to
Play Into Hands of Harri-
man Interests.

Washington, March 12.-Chief Engi-
neer Davis of the reclamation service,
who yesterday fatty denied the truth
of many of the statements made by
Ballinger to President Taft and 9th
ers, continued today as witness before
the Balhnger- -Pinchot investigators.
Davis declared the reclamation service
had been in danger of disintegration
ever since Ballinger came into Office,
and that it still felt this danger and
many of its best engineers are con-
templating resignation.
Initiated Recommendations
Davis declared Ballinger ordered
the reclamation service to recommend
various lands for restoration to the
public domain, while he had reported
to the president he had acted in this
matter only because of the recommen-
dations made to him by the service.
Doomed Hartman Lines.
Davis said that under the orders OF
Secretary Ballinger, E. T. Perkins of
Chicago went through the west lectur-
ing in a black tent to advertise the
reclamation work. In addition to the
salary of $4,000 a year from the service
Perkins received $500 month from
the Hartman lines
Hill Lines Object.
The Hill lines protested on the
ground that Perkins was coming into
heir. territory lsetpriug about the pro-
jects OF the Hartman lines. Davis
recommended Perkins dismissal and
when Director Newell requested Per
kins' resignation Ballinger reprimand-
ed Newell for interfering in matter
which was being personally conducted
by himself.
All Wanted to Quit.
Davis declared he had a hard time
preventing all engineers in the SER
vice from resigning in a body as a
protest against the method pursued
by Secretary Ballinger in refusing
to promote them when promotion
was recommended.
Contradicts Statements.
Washington, March 12.-With eAr-
thur P. Davis, chief engineer of the
reclamation service. on the stand, the !
attack upon Secretary Ballinger con- |
tinued yesterday before the congress |
sional committee on investigation. |
Mr.. Davis contradicted fatty many !
statements made by Secretary Bal
linger to President Taft, revealing in
detail various interviews and talks
he had from time to time with the
secretary, and ending the day by
declaring that the reclamation SER
vice is still in danger of disintegra-
ton as a result of Mr.. Ballinger's
attitude toward it.
The witness declared that ''in Ian
guage as strong as politeness and
proper respect would permit" he had
told Secretary Ballinger himself that
his entire course had tended to a
decentralization of the service.
All of His Own Doing.
With regard to a statement by Mr..
Ballinger to the president that he
had restored many lands withdrawn
by Secretary Garfield on the strength
of recommendations from the recla-
nation service that these lands were
no longer needed for reclamation
purposes. Mr.. Davis declared that
all of the recommendations made by
the direct orders issued by Mr.. Bal
linger. These orders were repeated,
ne 5dlu, Luduy JlluSS, Out WCiC hONOl |
put in writing Director Newell of
the reclamation service protested Wig
orously against the secretary's ac-
ton.
BaIIinger Letter False.
Mr.. Davis said Secretary Ballinge.
had written a letter to DR. .Tromas
E. Will of this city repeating the ;
that lands had been re- ;
stored upon recommendation of the I
acting director of the reclamation
service that they were no longer
needed The witness said he was the
acting director referred to; that he
had never made any such recon-
The witness declared that early in
the present administration he had
found Mr.. Ballinger deeply preju-
diced against the reclamation ser
vice. He asserted that Mr.. Ballinger
had told him to prepare the list OF
ands for restoration slowly so as not
% attract public attention. The wit
ness said he had made no attempt c
% influence Mr.. Ballinger as to these
because he was always 4
net with the fiat statement that Mr..
iarf1eld's withdrawal of the lands
lad been entirely Illegal. T
Mr. Davis asserted that Mr.. Bal e
niger was wrong in stating to the s
president that Mr.. Garfield's with E
lragals did not truthfully show what g
Il rr-r-