Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-16

Pinchot investigation. 1t was letter
from the chief executive to Senator Mel
son, chairman of the investigating COM
mittee of Congress, and explained, at
length, the writing Of the letter OF Sep
tember Is, generating MIR. Ballinger OF
the charges against him and directing the
dismissal of L. r. CLAWS from govern
ment service.
The Presidents letter last night was
prepared and given out after a long
conference with Attorney General Wick
ersham. Secretary Dickinson and Secre-
tary Nagel.
The President does not refer to the af-
iidavit of Stenographer Kerby, but says
that he directed Assistant Attorney Cen
erai Lawler to prepare an opinion as II
he We're President: that such opinion
was prepared and a few of the sentences
and ideas used by him in the letter he
dictated; that many portions of the
Lawler opinion were cut out because
they did not suit him.
The President also states that he di-
rected Attorney General Wickersham to
predate the opinion which has been dis
cussed in the committee and explains
why he did this.
Text of Taft Letter.
The letter. the first the President has
written on the subject since the Bal
linger-Pinchot investigation began, is
as follows:
My Dear Senator Nelson: In the hear
ings before the committee to investi-
gate the Interior Department and for
estry service reference has been made
20 my decision upon the complaint and
charges of l.. n. CLAWS filed with me on
:he 18th OF August last against Sec
retary Ballinger and certain other Off
cialS of the Interior Department. The
majority of the committee have decided
that my action in this regard was not
within the jurisdiction of the committee
To investigate. In spite of this ruling,
references to the matter have crept into
the record. For this reason l deem 1T
proper to write you and state with
such accuracy as my memory permits
what the facts are.
CLAWS statement and charges were
left with me by him on August Is. 1909.
/ turned them over to the Attorney
General. who happened to be in the
neighborhood. and he made notes upon
his reading. We both had personal
knowledge in respect to Secretary Bal
lir gers attitude toward the Alaska coal
claims. which was the chief subject of
innuendo and complaint, for Mr.. Bal
linger had very early in the administra-
tion consulted us both in regard to
them.
Decided Jealousy the Cause.
''Within two or three days after the fill
ing of the charges in a meeting at which
the Secretary of the Treasury. the At
torney General and the Secretary of the
Navy were present, full discussion of
the CLAWS statement was had. 1t re-
suited in a general conclusion that jeal-
ousy between the bureaus of the Inte
riOr Department and the forestry bureau
probably explained the attitude of the
Interior Department officials, but that
the intima tions of bad faith by CLAWS
against Mr.. Ballinger and the others re-
quired that the statement be submitted
to them for answer. Accordingly, copies
of the statement were sent to Secretary |
Ballinger, to Assistant Secretary Pierce, |
to Commissioner bennett. and to Chief |
of Field Service Schwartz.
Mr.. Ballinger was at Seattle, but upon |
receipt of the charges he came to Wash |
ington to prepare his answer. On Mon |
day, September 6, Mr.. Ballinger reached |
Beverly, accompanied by MIR. Lawler, the |
assistant attorney general of the Depart |
ment of Justice assigned to the Interior |
Department. Mr.. Bailinger sent to my |,
house on that day the answers of the |!
various persons concerned. together with !
a voiuminous record of exhibits. I had |
a conference with him the evening Of
the day he came, September 6. and then
on the following evening. September Z.
Had Ballinger on Grid.
Il talked over the charges with MIR. Bal
linger the first evening. and asked such
questions as suggested themselves. with
out intimating any conclusion, and said
that | would examine the answers and
the record and would see him the next
day. l sat up until 3 o'clock that night
at my next conference / was advised of
the contents of the entire record and |
had made up my mind that there was
nothing in the charges upon which Mr..
Ballinger or the others accused could be
found guilty OF either Incompetence. in |
efficiency. cisioyaity to the interests of
the government, OF dishonesty.
In the discussions of the second even |
inG Mr.. Lawler, who was present at my
suggestion. discussed the evidence at
some length. / said to MIR. Lawler that |
was very anxious TO write a full state
ment of the case. and set out the rea-
sons for my decisions. but that the time
ior my departure al long western trip, |
from that day: that / had some six or
seven set speeches 10 deliver at the be-
[ inning OF that journey. and that | could
not give the time to the preparation of
such a detailed statement and opinion as
/ would like TO render in the matter. l
therefore requested Mr.. Lawler to prepare
an opinion as if he were President.
Examined Full Record.
During the sth. 9th and 10th / gave
such consideration to the CLAWS record
as was consistent with previous engage
ments, but paid no attntion to the
speeches. On the 3th I telegra phed the
Attorney General to come to Beverly, in
order that | might consult him in respect
to the case. He arrived there Saturday