The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-04-24
P|NCHOT PLOTTED
AGAINST BALL|NGER
Testimony Shows Former For
ester Threatened to "Get"
Secretary of interior.
ALASKA STORY PREMATURE
GEORGE OTIS SMITH REVEALS IN
SIDE HISTORY OF WAR.

Washington, April 2s.-An effort was
made by the defense" in the Ballinger-
Pinchot investigation today to show
that Clifford Pinchot and his assistants
had eOnspired TO overthrow Secretary
Ballirger because he opposed Pin
chot's way of conserving.
While the Ballinger side of the con-
troversy occupied the center OF the
stage, the other side appeared promi-
nently in the wings, Attorney Brandets
promising further revelations regard
ing Attorney General Wickersham' s
summary OF the CLAWS charges. which
he minated yesterday had been writ
ten two months after the date 1t bore.
Mr.. Wickersham would neither affirm
nor deny this when seen today.
at have something else TO do" he
said. There is enough irrevelant mat
ter going out now without my con-
tributing to it."
Pinchot Was Abusive.
George Otis Smith, director Of the
geological survey, occupied the stand
during practically the entire day. His
most interesting disclosure related to
q conversation he had with Mr.. Pinchot
last July, In which the latter is said to
have characterized Mr. Ballinger as a
''yellow dog" and to have threatened to
lead a fight against the secretary If
there was any criticism of former Sec
rotary Garfield at the Spokane Irriga-
ton congress. Mr. Smith also told of
a talk with Associate Forester Overton
w. Price last September, while the lat
ter was acting forester. Price is al
legged tC have said that 1--WE Will get
him (Ballinger) one way or another"
Following his interview with Mr..
pippbuf Mt. Smith said 10 uyaYff m r
tend the Spokane congress. where the
fight was precipitated over a charge
that Mr.. Ballinger had allowed the "a. l.
terests' TO grab a large number of
valuable water power sites.
Mr.. Smith excited great interest
among members of the committee by
reading a letter he wrote August 16,
1909. to subordinates in his office here
while he was on the way back from
the Spokane convention, describing the
fight
THE whole conservation movement is
now linked UP with Mr.. Pinchot's views
on the subject" wrote Mr. Smith, $50
that orthodoxy in the cause means
agI cement with Mr.. Pinchot.
Story Leaked Out.
"As 1 look at it, any issue is to be
raised that can be against Secretary
Balunger, not because or that Issue, but
because Secretary Ballinger is to be
OverthFoWn because he opposes Pin
chot's way Of conserving.
Now. there was no criticism Of Gar
field at Spokane, and yet the fight came
off as planned. The congress was or
ganized, the issues were shaped, the or
ators chosen, the newspapers primed;
in short, all guns were loaded. The re-
suit was that the power site grab
charge was defective, and the Alaskan
coal charge went off earlier than
planned
After commenting on the fact that all
the speeches made by those from whom
trouble had been expected were Sin
such good taste" Mr.. Smith wrote that
Governor Pardee had started the trou-
BILE by speaking on THE Sins of Bal
linger," instead Of Irrigation Interest
of the People" on which he was an
nOunced to speak
1.-The Alaska story leaked, much to
the disgust of Ballinger's enemies. am
afraid that the well-meaning conserva-
t5onists are using the DEVILS own wea-
pons TO fight the interests. Back of 1t
all, try TO hide it as they may is the
issue of whether control shSn be ex-
eeuted by legislation, and the making
or law, or by administration and the
construction of law. 1 have vet to
learn that any power sites have been
stolen