The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-06-13
PEPPER is
P[PPERY
Declares That BaIIinser
on the Witness Stand
Proved UnfitnesS

"Wc trust that the committee VIII
record their definite conviction that
the immediate care of the public do
main is now IN unsafe hands, SAYS
Attorney George w. Pepper, counsel
for Clifford Pinchot In concluding his
brief
i Mr Pepper SAYS that the question
whether Pinchot has been right and
Ballinger wrong, IS loss important
than whether the administration OF
the interior department, under the
latter, has been marked by fidelity
TO the public interest He says that
when Mr.. Ballinger became secretary.
he had '1and office training that
! being equivalent. as Mt. Pepper Views
/ II, to a leaning toward a policy OF
distribution OF the peoples land; the
secretary's point of view was dis
tinctly. Mr.. Pepper says, that of
"distributionlst"
He appears 10 have known little
OF nothing OF forestry problems" the
brief continues with respect TO tho
policy OF power-site protection. Mr..
Balllnger testified that when he be-
came secretary he knew nothing
whatever about H.. He was accurately
informed respecting the work of the
reclamation service. But ii was not
merely that he lacked equipment. but
that he had a distinct hostility TO
the men in the government service
who stood for conservation and dis
tlpct prejudice against their views
HIS conduct and his testimony make
Ii clear that nc regarded reclamation
with ridicule and forestry With con"
tempt
What was impending when Balm
ger became secretary, says Mr.. Pep
per. was not conflict between the
forest service apd the Interior de
partment, but a conflict between dis.
tribution and conservation wherever
and whenever the two conceptions
might meet ~
The collision came quickly" he
adds, "and this investigation is one
OF the consequences
Mr.. Pepper refers briefly to the part
played by the forest service In the
inquiry, and then says This brief
proceeds upon the assumption that
there is a general recognition OF the
failure of the attempt to make case
against the forest service" He adds
that Mr.. Pinchot has no complaint 10
make because he was dismissed by
the President; but insists that the
former forester was not responsible
for the published attacks on the de
partment. Of which Mr.. Balliuger
complained.
DENYING the existence OF any con
spiracy TO secure the official decapi
tation of Ballinger. Mr., Pepper de
clared. however, that no one VII
have the temerity TO contend that II
Is unlawful 10 regard Mr.. Ballinger rs
unfit for office. Nor is IL Illegal fol
, number of people TO hold this view
Not only 1t Ia permissible TO hold Tho
view, but those who honestly enter
tain il, have the right TO say 40 pub
i, licly. Mr. Pinchot has long hold thii
opinion respecting MIR. Ballinger ant
he finally made up his mind to de
clare IT.
Mr.. Garfield from a position of con
, fidence in Mr.. Ballinger. came more
, slowly to similar conclusion. a
, cabinet officer who does what Mr.
Ballingcr has done, must be prepared
for protest and public criticism. Thos'
, whose policies no has attacked are In
eyitably driven together into de
: fensive alliance. Mr.. Ballinger ap
: Darently had no objection 10 warfare
AS long as he was the assailant, Wha
aroused bis Ire was the refusal o
I Mr.. Piuchot and others 10 act mcrcl!
, Oh the defensive. When they begaI
r TO opeu fire on him. he raised the con
: spiracy cry"
r Mr.. Pepper gives general and
I sueclfic answer TO the question as t
, what inference ought to be drawn re
spoctlng the administration of the In
r terror department since Ballinger be
came secretary The general anSwe
Is that there has been no administra
: tion worthy of the name but only
q series of acts unwisa in themselve
referable to no sound theory OF prin
= clple or action and that these act
: have been directly responsible ioi
2 embarrassment to the President ant
;. loss to the phinclple
t His specific answer is that tn
v testimony tnken in this iDVestigatio
r I establishes that the course pursue
l. by the department has been charaf
d terized by lack of fidelity to tn
: public interest; that Mt. Ballinger !
4 responsible, not merely technically
g and officially. but substantially an
- actually for "the entire series OF un
c happy events and that the Pres
n ident would never have found hin
n self irrevocably committed to an Ell
T. dorsemeut OF the secretary had n
l. lot. at critical points. been success
# fully deceived" as to the real sign
L flcance OF what was happening In IN
e department.. Although the adminit
IS tration, OF which Mr.. Ballinger wa
@ a party, was syowedly committed
the brief declares. "to a continua,lo
e OF the policy adopted under Presidcn
e Roosevelt OF protecting from monol
2 olistc exploitation the water powe
If sites belonging to the people, MI
l. BallInger wilfully struck that polio
ID q staggering blow by hastily restol
Ing to entry mower sites withdraw
A by Garfield, thus placing them WIZ
% in reach OF uncontrollable private az
e. quisition, where they would renal
e. today but for the Intervention OF tn
e. President"