New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-06
Iron The Tribune Bureau ]

washington May Sat the Bsllineer-
Pincbot hearing to-day the political game
being PLAYED in the name af conservation
WIS clearly disclosed. 1t WAS shown 10 be
no ioEEer = mere attack on Secretary Bal
Irger and his associates in the Interior De
ngr1ment Who refused 10 bow TO the Forest
service II now appears TO be The purpose
n the so-CallCd critics TO lay z broad foun-
aztiora FOR a general ettack on the Taft ad-
rliristratfon. a few weeks ago the name Of
ATTORNEY General Wickershsm was brought
into the investigation in way intended TO
reject on him and his department The
frst question asked Of Secretary BaIlinger
m cross-eEs rlinstion to-day was political
y its nature. and was intended to convey
10 the country suspicion against the
methods of another member of the Taft
Cabinet, namely, Postmaster General
Hitchcock
Louis =. Brandeis. counsel for CLAWS.
touched only the high places in his cross
examination. and most Of his questions had
2 political trend. Mr.. Brandeis directed at
,ertion 10 Z letter written by Secretary
FaIllnser on July =. 1852. to Mr. Schwartz,
in which the Secretary said he had Just
feen advised OF an increase Of fen men in
tho number OF special agents Of the except
&c class 1ar BaIlinger continued: Il de-
sire that you. in making any OF these ap
r,Jintr5ents. in addition 10 the President be
ing consulted. Postmaster General Hitch
rock be also consulted. provided the sp-
pointees are NOT directly suggested by the
President"
on this reg Mr Brandeis hung MS first
question He wanted 10 know why Mr..
E5irchcock was 70 he consulted. NJ. Bal
finger replied that if al applicants were
eouaFlv qualified he desired M Hitch
cocks opinion as 70 who should he ap-
r7ointed He denied that he contemplated
the appointment cf the special agents
merely for political reasons. Mr.. Brsndeis
insisted on having Mr.. Ballinger say why
Nr Hitchcock was 10 be consulted. 1tr.
Eaninger said ne had given all the reasons
he purposed to give unless otherwise Ill
recteo ny The committee. Mr.. Brandeis
made an argument in which he contended
that II was Of the greatest importance 10
the country 70 know whether the special
agents were being appointed merely because
~ their political scti-itv. He referred 20
the relations between Mr- Hitchcock and
NJ psIineer IN the last campaign. and
wanted the committee 20 direct the Sec
rotary 10 produce any letters or other
communications which passed between
him and M Hitchcock preceding the
nomina non II Mr. Taft for President
This request was not pressed when Rep
resentative DENLY objected on the ground
that this was private correspondence he
tween two men neither of whom az that
time was in The public service Mr. DENLY
thought that NJ BallinCer had fully an
swered the question Of Mr. Brsndeis. in
asrnuch IS no change had been MADE ,nat
The men appointed a special agents were
Uufr for the pubic service. Representative
Granal0s motion that Mr. BaIlinger he
-eoCeztc5 TO give any reason further than
The ore 10 nsd given for asking Mr.
Schwsrrz 70 consult with M Hitchcock
svaa defeated 20 D. Representatives. Nc
Gail and Madison voting with the Demo-
Gratis
M. BsiIinper Aggressive.
The direct examination o. Secretary Bal
finger was not finished until late IN the
afternoon Apparently M f2allinger was
expecting third degree tactics on The part
~ Mr.. s2rsudeis when the latter began his
CROSSES animation His answers were
sharp ar7 20 tho pcint and he did not per
l-it his inauisi;or 10 draw conclusions or
rrafe differences which ne DID not regard
warranted by his answers. The aggres-
eivc manner Of Mr. Ballinger enlivened the
proceeding and II seems certain there
"ii Ie many clashes before the cross-ex-
amina1ion IS concluded.
The dosing hours OF Mr.. BallinEers
aIrect examination were replete with strik-
ing TEXTURES. Proba5ll the most notable
was SIS production of q personal letter
written 70 him by President Taft on Ser
telnbor e. 1903, advising him OF the diz-