Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-20
THE BALLINGER CASE

w cation of the acts of Secretary
OF the Interior Ballinger, now
in progress in Washington, as one of
the most important proceedings ever
undertaken by congress. From the
record made by Mr.. Ballinger and the
evidence so far taken in this investi-
cation The Herald has no doubt that
Mr.. Ballinger is the chosen represen-
tative of the most daL-erous predatory
interests in our country today-inter-
ests which have heretofore in various
ways robbed the people of natural
wealth whose value is beyond compre-
hension, and which are determined to
continue such robbery unless re-
strained by the sentiment for the con
servation of natural resources to whose
expression the labors of Mr.. Roosevelt
and Mr.. Pinchot have given such en-
phasls in recent years.
So important do we regard the Bal
llnger investigation, and so vital do
we believe it that the public shall have
proper conception of Mr.. Ballinger's
character and record, that we today
article written by Stewart Edward
White and published in the current
number of the American Magazine, un-
der the title. THE Ballinger Case. A
study in Official Fitness" Mr.. Whites
contribution to this matter is unques-
tionably the most reasonable, logical
and conclusive thing that has appeared
on the subject and we trust every onel
Of our readers will carefully read and
ponder every word of the article.
It may be said that since Mr.. Whites
article was written Mr.. Ballingcr's
case has been made worse by the tes-
timony of Secretary of the Interior
Garfield and of Arthur B. Davis, chief
engineer of the reclamation service.
taken before the Ballinger investigating
committee. The testimony of Mr.. Gar
field showed that Mr.. Ballinger had
personally delivered to his office the
affidavit of Cunningham, the chief pro-
moter of the alleged fraudulent Gun
ningham coal claims, in which Cum
ningham stated positively that the
est directly or indirectly in the coal
claims that he was seeking to obtain
title to from the government. Mr.. Bal
linger, it appears from Mr.. Garfield's
testimony, delivered this affidavit to
the letter with the statement that he
had been asked as n friend to file It
with the department of the interior.
1t appeared. however, that the affi
davit was made out in Mr.. Ballnger's
law office in Seattle. It's absolute fall
sity has within the past two weeks
been shown by the testimony of a
representative of the Guggenheim syn
dicate, which showed that that syndi-
cate had an agreement by which it
was to become the owner of a half in
terest in all the Cunningham claims.
So Cunningham is put in the attitude
Of having perjured himself by swear
ing to a false affidavit, and Mr.. Bal
linger is put in the attitude Of having
placed this false affidavit, which had
been prepared in the offices Of his own
law firm in Seattle. in the possession
Of the department of the government
which it was intended to deceive.
In his testimony before the investi-
eating committee, Mr.. Davis, chief
engineer of the reclamation service
stated that Ballinger was deeply preju-
diced against the reclamation service
and that he had instructed him, Davis
ITO prepare the list Of lands for resto-
ration slowly, so as not to attract pub
lie attention.
The Herald does not desire to pre-
Judge Mr.. Ballinger's case; but to say
that no evidence which he can pro-
duce can by any possibility overcome
the damaging and damning effect of
the evidence Of Mr.. Garfield and Mr.
Davis. is only to state what every hon
est and unprejudiced man must recog-I
nize as the truth.
BY evidence which in the very nature
of things cannot be overcome, Mr. Bal
linger has been shown to be a disgrace
to the cabinet Of President Taft, an
unworthy public official, and an espe-
cially dangerous enemy of the rights
of the people, so long as he is permitted
to retain the position that he now oc-
cupies in the government If Mr.. Taft
desires to retain any of the respect
and goodwill of his fellow citizens,
which, unfortunately, he appears toI
have been losing somewhat rapidly of
late. he will make haste to rid his ad-
ministration of man whose actions
have disgraced his administration and
brought it INTO disrepute from the mo-
ment that he first became member
of the presidents cabinet.