The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-02-28
CALLED FOE OF
CONSERVATION
PinChot Scores Secretary of
Interior Ballinger:
STATEMENT TO COMMITTEE
Former Chief Forester Appears Be.
fore Congressional Investigators
and Holly Denounces Taft's Cabinet
Member-Brands Latter's Letter to
President as False in Essential
Particulars.

Washington, Feb. 2S.-In his open.
Ing statement before the congression-
al committee Investigating the Balm
ger-Pinchot controversy Mr.. Pinchot
denounced the secretary of the in
terror as an open foe of the principles
of conservation and branded state
ments made by Mr.. Ballinger to the
president in. explanation of his acts
in throwing open withdrawn water
power sites as absolutely false. r.
Mr.. Pinchot asserted his faith in
CLAWS and said he believed him a
faithful servant of the people who
has been most unjustly treated.
Mr.. Pinchot made to the Ballinger-
Pinchot Investigating committee this
statement of his charges against Sec
rotary Ballinger:
What 1 desire to lay before the
committee is consecutive story of
my experiences with Mr.. Ballinger in
relation to the conservation of natural
resources. Among several other mat
tiers there are three of principal i'm
portance to be called to your atten.
ton.
Opposed Roosevelt Policies.
"The first of these concerns the
policy; devised and inaugurated by the
last administration, of protecting
against monopolistic control of the
water power sites owned by the peo-
pie. I shall show you that Secretary
Ballinger entered his Office with the
clear determination to make short
work of that policy; that he reversed
it so far as he was allowed to do so;
that he restored the power sites to
entry without the remotest idea of
rewithdrawing them, and that, finally,
when I charged him last autumn to
the president with being an enemy of
the policy of conservation, he capped
the climax by giving to the president
himself an explanation of his conduct
that was essentially false.
1.-THE second has to do with my con.
nection as government officer with
the Cunningham coal cases and with
the CLAWS charges. I shall show you
how the forest service became in
volved in these cases and how CLAWS
submitted his facts to me. I believed
then, as believe now, that he told
the truth. I am convinced now, as l
was when he came to me, that CLAWS
was faithful public servant and that
the facts which he presented prove
that Mr.. Ballinger has been unfaithful
to his trust as servant of the people
and as the guardian of public property
Of enormous value. r..
Secretary Foe to Conservation.
II shall show you that since
learned the facts you have heard from
CLAWS and others, which am about
to lay before you, have acted stead
lily In the light of them, as it was my
duty, both as public officer and as a
citizen; to do. 1 shall show you that
In pursuance of that duty laid before
the president, both by word of mouth
and in letter of Nov. 4, a statement
of my conviction that Secretary Bal
linger has been dangerous enemy to
conservation.
Il shall show you that this letter
was submitted by the president to Mr..
Ballinger and that as part of his reply
he laid before the president a state
ment concerning the Cunningham coal
cases, which statement is shown by
undisputed documentary evidence to
be absolutely false in three essential
particulars. It will then appear that
Mr.. Ballinger wilfully deceived the
president and was disloyal to him.
"The third principal matter is con-
cerned with the attitude of this gov
eminent In law and administrative
practice toward the conservation of
the natural resources belonging to the
people. desire to show you that the
story of CLAWS courageous and sue
cessful fight to protect the property
Of the people. which ended IN bis dis