The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-05
BAL[|NGER CASE IN
WRANGL|NG STAGE
Day Is Chiefly Occupied With
Wordy Clashes Between
PinchOt and VertreeS.
SENATOR'S IMPATIENT At
THE LENGTH OF HEARING
PinchOt Admits His First-Hand
knowledge of Ballinger'S
Acts Is Little.

WASHINGTON, March 4-The Bal
lingerPinchot investigation dragged
through two sessions today. Mr.. Vert
rees. counsel for Secretary Balliuger
continued his DISCRIMINATION Of Gif
ford Pinchot. He elected some iuter-
esting facts from the former forester,
but, for the most part, the day was
taken up with wraugles between the
attorney and the witness aud someti
between Mr. Eertrces and counsel for
the other side Mr.. Piuchot complained
to the committee that IL was difficult
20 explain forest service matters TO
a man so little Informed on the sub
lect as Mr.. Nertrees appeared to be.
Senators Grow Weary.
The members of the committee showed
considerable Impotence during the day,
and Senator, Flint repeatedly urged
counsel to stop wranging aud try to
get down 10 facts. Many of Mr.. Vert
rees s questions were based upon docu-
lnentary evidence and he read copious-
~ from the record of the case. Sen
ator Flint declared that one letter had
been placed In the record at least
'wenty different times.
Mr.. Pinchot admitted that his first
hand knowledge of Mr. Ballinger's acts
was very little, but ne reiterated that
the secretary of the interior had de
ceivcd the president concerning the
Cunningham coal eases and had made
statement TO the president which was
| obviously untrue.
As to Rangers in College.
Mr.. Nertrees,. at the afternoon ses
sion, questioned Mr.. Pincbot closely re.
gardlng the sending of forest rangers
10 agricultural colleges, and brought
out that Mr.. Pinchot was under the
impression he had informed the secre
tary of agriculture Of what he was do
ing. but was not willing TO swear to it,
The attorney sought to slow that Mr.
Pluchot and former Secretary Of the
Interior Garfield were lu the habit OF
doing what they thought best. regard
! less of the law, Sud shat their aDtag
onIsm to Mr.. Ballinger was brought
| about by his determination 10 proceed
! wholly within the law.
Audience Of Women.
While interest In the Balinger- Pincho
! Investigation had already been attestet
! by large crowds a all OF the sessions
OF 'he committee, TIE crush to set into
| took the stand has been such that ever
the handling OF newspaper copy out of the
room has al times been impossible Nine
/
| crowded daily about the committee
table are women
Louis r., CLAWS was the hero OF the
throng While he Was on the stand accus-
| ing Secretary Ballinger but he has gone
into eclipse now that Mr., Pinchot. tho
deposed forester and friend of conserva,
ton, is holding the center of the stage
The Pinchot family has long been promi-
nent in the exclusive social circles of the
| capital and since Mr. Pinchot took tbs
stand many of the leaders of this SCI
have been present. Mrs. Pinchot, The
mother OF the former forester. has beer
/ at the hearings almost daily. She usually
is surrounded by halt score of friends
| When the committee adjourned Tues
! Mr.. l9inchot had Just been started by Al
toruey John j. Vertrees. representing Mr.
! Balnger and the other accused officials
I of the interior department.. Upon the re.
sumption of the hearing this morning
| there was every indication that Mr.. Pin
chot would be on the stand all day
As soon as Mr., Pinchot took the stand
BaIlinger asked him this question;
Mr.. Pinchot, please state one single
| fact of your own knowledge that reflects
upon Mr. Balllnger's conduct either as
commissioner Of the land office or sec
! retary CT the interior-not hearsay-noi
| what somebody else said or wrote-oi
your own knowledge
Refers to His List
The witness hesitated Then he adj
dressed Senator Nelson;
'Mr. Chairman, in order to answer that
question. because of the nice discrImina
tion it involves, | must ask your pcrms-
sion to refer TO q list have here Of the
things Mr. Ballinger has done
The permission was granted, and after
a perusal Of the list Mr.. Plnchot said;
The fact OF my own knowledge is Mr..
| Ballingers letter To the president Of No
vcmber 10, with which he inclosed Ron =
AIDS letter. THESE letters contain mis-
statements which I have already shown
and am prepared further to show"
Mr. vertrees You ~ 5aye testified here
state what you personally know MIR. Bal
Mr., pinchot: "rhe letter OF Novom-
bcr l5.'
Il never discussed the Cunningham
cases with Mr.. Ballinger. The only
knowledge have at first hand is limited
TO writings that are not disputed
Questioned as TO the reprlmand he gave
Assistant Law Officer Shaw and Assist
and Forester Price Mr.. Pmchot admitted
tives OF the two In doing what they did,
but did not approve of their method Of
doing it. lie denied that either he or
1ng OF his cos gs9ps G%mSd stock IN the
1.-THE family has some stock in a coal
company, in Illinois" he added. but
have not
he sent CLAWS to President Taft the
relatio between himself and Mr., Bal
linger had been, fairly friendIy-not
more than that"
He was not more. friendly because ne
knew Mir. Ballinger's Views as TO con-
servatism were different from his own.
"Then YOU were unfrlendly""
NO. I distrIsted him"
You mean distrusted his policics?"
'I distrusted his policies and what he
would do
$50 Mr. Plnchot." snid Mr.. Nertrecs,
"after all that statement YOU made 70
the committee when you took the stand.
all you can cite against Mr.. Ballinger
of your own knowledge Is the letter OF
November Il 10 the president?'
Expected Others to Help.
al said l expected to prove some OF
the things ] charged by other wit
ncsses.
Referring 10 his testimony that Mr..
Balllpgcr AS commissioner of the land of
flee protested against the creation
OF the Chug2ch forest In Alaska, IN which
some OF the Cunningham claims are To-
Continued on Page Two.