The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-10
Continued from Page One.

| credit to Clifford Pinchot for the work
he mas done in the building up and de-
velopment OF our national forest sys-
tenn His part in this work would have
been impossible had he not been moved
by an enthusiasm which overcame oil
obstacles"
Secretary Ballingers visit to George
w, Perkins Is mentioned, and personal
and confidential letter and other cor
posed trip OF an engineer to Alaska are
quoted.
The report continues;
Relations With Morgans.
This correspondence dscloses things
which do no credit to the secretary-his
relations with the Morgan interests
way and his treatment of the matter of
exploiting the transportation and min,
eral possibilities Of Alaska on personal
and confidential basis"
Continuing. the report says,
"That while Mr.. Ballinger was in favor
OF following the letter of the law In
reclamation work and in the matter OF
Withdrawals. he was disposed TO ignore
the letter Of the law in the Cunningham
coal claims and take a liberal view IN
the rigid provisions of the law raised
an inference OF fraud In almost every
instance"
Referring to Mr.. Ballinger having act
ed attorney for Alaskan claims, the
''DId Mir. BalIinger act as counsel for
Alaska coal land claimants or other
claimants against the government. con-
cerning matters which were pending in
the interior department, while he was
commissioner?
''Mr, Balllnger says his work was all
done Gratuitously. and there Is no evil
dence 10 the contrary But II 1t was inn
proper to do 1t for fees il would hardly
he proper TO do 1t merely for accommo-
dation.
Low Standard Intimated.
''His connection with these matters
does not indicate that standard OF pro-
fessional honor TO be expected from one
OF the presidents Immediate advisers"
The repert continues:
trying to force Mi Newell (director of
the reclamation scrvlce) into reslgning
finds very strong support in the evidence
and is confirmed by the fact. for we
that he wanted TO appoint his friend, r,
H. Thomson of Seattle Uhe man whom
he recommended to Mr.. Perkins, manager
OF J. p. Morgan e Co, 10 help exploit
Alaska), as the head of the reclamation
service,
''He failed in appreciation OF the larger
to consider IL important TO create trouble
between the bureaus and TO devote his
energies to the killing OF few
snakes. -
The report mentions what the signcrs
believe 10 be deceptions practiced by Mr..
Rallinger on the president. and the con-
clusion is that in certain matters coming
within the scope of the inquiry Mr. Bal
state facts and deceived the president in
Official matters"
"His course In dealing with the recla-
nation service in the matter of restor-
ations and Withdrawals and his state
inent To the president In connection
herewith, which has been already no
ticed. Is equally uncandid, wherein he
specifically and contrary to known facts.
tells the president the Withdrawals were
recommended by the reclamation serv-
There are numerous instances. too.
where he contradicts or is contradicted
by other witnesses under circumstances
which forbid the acceptance of his YER
'Mr Ballinger as a witness fell far
short of what should be expected from
a man in his high position. He was
sadly lacking in frankness
Mr.. BallinSer professed to have but
In his department work. claiming to deal
with Them only from the broad admins
trative point OF view
His testimony differed radically from
That OF many other witnesses on matters
about which he should have knowledge,
and there were frequent and irrecon-
rilable differences In his own state
ments
''If the management Of the depart
ment Of the interior was such rs Justify
an Inference of bad faith In handling the
public domain, or any part of 1t. and the
secretary knew OF It.. he Is unfit for the
place: and II the department was man
aged In that way without his knowledge
he Is unfit from want OF capacity"
!, Inc hndlngs were prepared Jointly by
the signers. the matter relating to Pin
chot having been written by Ollie NJ
James OF Kentucky.
Mr. Madisons report also was filed with
Mr.. Slemann. A summary of It follows:
Madison's Report.
Mr. Madson's conclusions are:
THAT the charges made by L. r
CLAWS against Secretary Ballinger should
be sustained: that in the matter of the
disposition of the Cunningham coal lands
Mr., Ballingcr was not faithful trustee
OF the interests of the people and did
not perform his duty in such a manner
as propery to protect such interests.
That the charges made by Mr.. Pin
chot should be sustained: that Mr. Bal
linger's course in the administration OF
the department OF the interior has been
by lack of fidelity In the
public interest, That this has been
shown In his treatment Of the Cunning
ham coal claims. the restoration of the
water power sites 10 entry without in
tcntion to rewithdraw, and in his admin
istration OF the reclamation service. tho
latter resulting in unnecessary humilia-
ton TO the director and tending toward
the disintegration OF the service
He has not shown himself TO be that
character OF friend to the policy OF
conservation of our natural resources that
the man should be who occupies the i'm
portant post OF secretary of the interior
In our government and he should not be
retained in that office"
Summary of Findings.
a summary OF Mr.. Madison's findings
follows:
The investigation resolved itself into
two branches. the CLAWS and Pinchot
CLAWS charged that Mr., Balinger had
been an unfaithful trustee of the peo-
pies interests, that this was more par
ticularly demonstrated by his conduct
toward the Cunningham coal claims.
"Plnchot charged that Mr., Ballinger's
courJe as secretary of the interior had
beer. characterized by a lack OF fidelity
to the public interest; that he was an
enemy OF the policy of conservation OF
natural resources: that this was moro
particularly evidenced by his restora-
ton TO entry of the water power sites
Withdrawn by Secretary Garfield his con-
duct toward the reclamation service and
the Alaska coal fields"
Mr. Madison then described Alaska as
''the last great natural storehouse of nat
ural resources that TO a large degree be
longs to all the people of the United
States. that. the secretary OF the interior
should guard them against both fraud