The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1910-03-28
BRANDEIS Gets
VERY INDIGNANT
Request to Call Secretary
Ballinger Denied.
SCORES CABINET OFFICER

Attorney for CLAWS and Others, Fol
lowing the Action of the Committee,
Protests Against Special Favors for
Head of Department and Uses Such
penunciatory Language That He Is
Called to Order by Some Of the
Investigators.
Washington, March 2s.-The prose
cution" has closed it's case before the
Ballinger-Pinchot investigating com
mittee. Attorney Brandeis, represent.
ing Louis r. CLAWS and others, made
an unsuccessful attempt to have Sec.
retary Ballinger called as one of his
witnesses. The committee unani
mously ruled against the attorney and
called out from him protest which
Mr.. Ballinger's lawyer later charac.
tsrized as most malignant and lep-
rous."
John H. Steele, counsel for the
Morgan-Guggenheim syndicate in Alas.
Ia, occupied the stand for several
hours. He declared that the Guggen-
helms had been unjustly abused ever
since they went into Alaska and as.
serted that they had never tried to
use undue influence In any direction
or to shut out competition. The de-
fense proceeded with its case late in
the afternoon. Mr.. Ballinger probably
will not be called until near the close
of the inquiry.
Committees Decision Announced.
In announcing the decision of the
committee Senator Nelson said Sec.
retary Ballinger would appear as a
witness during the present action OF
his side of the case and that ample
opportunity would be given all coun.
sci for thorough cross-examination.
Attorney Brandeis was on his feet
as soon as he caught the drift of the
committees ruling.
Il desire to protest." he fairly
shouted, against this action of the
committee, which seems to me to have
the effect of denying to the committee
and those who are carefully watching
the proceedings the best opportunity
to arrive at the facts"
The attorney was interrupted by
Chairman Nelson.
"Your protest will be entered; pro.
ceed with the case
Il desire to know when Mr.. Ballin.
ger will come and testify before this
committee. Will he follow Mr.. Steele
on the stand?" persisted Mr.. Bran.
deis.
II will answer that" said Attorney
Vertrees, representing Secretary Bal
linger. 'Mr. Ballinger will not come
at the end of Mr.. Steele's testimony
He will testify when l see fit to put
him on"
Brandeis Protests Anew.
"Then, with that statement in view
! desire to protest anew" resumed
Mr.. Brandeis. Il have refrained from
making specific charges against Mr.
Ballinger. But specific charges have
been made by others.
"The one question before this com.
mittee and before the country is
whether Mr.. Ballinger is unfit to oc.
cupy his position by reason of lack
of truthfulness and directness or not
Mr.. Ballinger has been charged by Mr.
Pinchot and by witnesses produced by
him with wilfully deceiving the presi
dent and having made statements that
are untrue"
ITO what proposition are you
speaking?" interrupted Senator Root
"The order and circumstances under
which Mr.. Ballinger is to testify are
Of paramount Importance, where
veracity and straightforwardness are
the issue. Why should he be protect,
ed from those ordinary tests OF verac.
ity to which other witnesses are sub.
jscted? Is he to be allowed to with.
hold his testimony and SO frame 1t as
to reconcile it with other testimony
that is first to be put in?"
Here the attorney was stopped
again.
"This Is an investigation, not an in
Quisition," said Senator Sutherland
"The committee has reached de
cision which 1t believes to be right
and foir