Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-27

dent had contended that Mr.. Ballinger
had acted under a decision of the con-
troller. which permitted OF no appeal,
when he had abrogated cooperative
agreement with the Agricultural Depart
ment whereby the forest service was
given control of the forest reserves on
Indian lands. Mr.. Pinchot admitted that
there was an opinion by the controller
which forbade the detail OF a clerk from
the forest service to the Indian office, but
contended that II had nothing whatever
TO do with the work-of the forest service
in the field.
Mr.. Pinchots implication that President
Taft had either been misled or utterly
mistaken brought about a rapid fire of
questions from Senators Root. Sutherland
and other members of the committee.
cisions of the controller. which they con-
tended had bearing on the matter. but
Mr.. Pinchot would not withdraw from his
position that there was absolutely moth
ing In the decision which President Taft
must have referred to which in any way
warranted the abrOgation of the cooper
alive agreement by Secretary Ballinger.
He declared. in fact. that a previous
opinion specifically held that the agree
ment was lawful.
This feature Of the testimony was tenn
porarily passed over. but II was very evil
dent from the statements made by mem
DeTS Oh the committee IlIdt IIlcy WOulO
take 1t up more fully before Mr.. Pinchot
was excused as a witness. The indications
were. when adjournment was taken until
Tuesday next, the former forester would
be on the stand for some time to come.
One of the minor charges made by Mr..
Pinchot was to the effect that Mr.. Bal
linger as commissioner of the land off1ce
in 1907, protested against the creation of
The reserve was created over his protest.
however. and includes most OF the Cum
ningham coal claims.
The forenoon session was devoted In
part TO further examination OF w w.
Barr of Seattle as to the agreement now
in effect between him and l.. r. CLAWS
as to securing timber lands in Washing
ton. Barr said that CLAWS was able to
give him Information as to the location
of available lands, which he had never
been able to procure before. and the ef-
forts OF the committeeman were clearly
directed toward bringing out the fact that
CLAWS within two months after he had
left the government service was en-
gagged In making use of knowledge gained
as a public servant for the benefit of prt
vate parties. just as he charged Secre-
tary Ballinger with doing after retiring
from Office as commissioner OF the general
land Office.
1t was stated by Barr that II the deal he
and CLAWS had entered into was car
ried through CLAWS share In the profits
would amount to about $4,000.
Mr.. Pinchot's Testimony.
When Mr.. Pinchot had concluded his
statement he was sworn. His counsel.
George F. Pepper Of Philadelphia. under
took the direct examination. 1t began
with a statement Of Mr.. Pinchot's serv-
ices to the government. The witness told
of the growth of the forest service since
he was first connected with 1t. Mr.. Pin
chot said he first entered the service In
1896, under Secretary Hoke Smith, as q
special agent in the land ONCE to in
Mr. Pinchot said that Mr.. Bal1nger. as
commissioner of the land office. in 1907
protested against the creation Of the
Chugach forest reserve in Alaska. This
forest as finally created included most
of the Cunningham coal claims
The contract or cooperative agree
ment" calling for cooperation between
the Interior Department and forest serv-
ice, arranged by Secretary Wilson of
the Department Of Agriculture and for
nier Secretary of the Interior Garfield.
was introduced in evidence. This con-
tract was abrogated by Secretary Bal
hnger last year.
Mr.. Pinchot proceeded to tell at some
length the story Of the conservation
movement, which received its first great
impetus at the meeting Of governors cali
ed by President Roosevelt early In 1908
He told of his own efforts to secure the
withdrawal OF water power sites because
OF his fear that these sites might pass
into ''monopolistic control
Attorney Pepper said he would prove
by former Secretary James r. Garfield.
who viii be called as a witness. that at
one time prior to March 4. 1909. he with
drew 1,S34,5O acres and at another time
1,615.94O acres Of land from the public
domain as available water power sites.
Mr.. Pinchot referred to his own activ-
ity and that of former President Roose-
Welt in the conservation movement and
In chronological order came down at last
TO the inauguration of President Taft.
Up to the time he was inaugurated
had President Taft made any declaration
as to conservation" asked his coun-
sci.
Yes" answered Mr. Pinchot He
inaugural address and several times be-
fore"
Mr.. Pinchot then read from one of Mr..
Taft's speeches prior to his election in
tecting the natural resources of the
country.
Reversed by Ballinger.
Mr. Pepper asked Mr.. Pinchot to tell
what the status of the conservation
movement was at the time President
Taft came into Office.
1T had grown from practically moth
ing little more than a year before, until
to my mind il was-and still is-the most
powerful movement traversing the minds
of the American people, said the wit
ness. 1T had reached the point where
We were all ready for action-the founda-
ton work had been DONE"
And then what happened?"
MIR. Ballinger reversed the central
idea-the withdrawal of the water power
sites-and threw the lands open to pri-
waite appropriation"
Mr.. Pepper here stated to the commit
tee that the action of Secretary Bailinger
IN restoring these lands would be shown
by competent witnesses and documents
lie declared Mr.. Ballinger announced that
the Garfield Withdrawals were illegal and
that when he announced his purpose of
restoring the lands to entry he made no
reference to any rewithdrawals.
Mr. Pinchot read list of reservations
made by Mr.. Ballnger, but i'll response to
questions by members OF the committee
he said he knew very little of the reasons
for the large amount of acreage with
drawn except that the maps did not show
definitely the locations of the streams
and the Withdrawals were made suffi-
GENTLY large to be sure to take in all the
power sites.
Attorney Pepper said he would prove by
officers of the reclamation service that
the reservations made by Secretary Bal
finger were made without further investi-
cation OF the lands, and that the officers
we're compelled under written instructions
Of the Secretary to recommend the res
torations.
Mr.. Pepper called the attention of the
committee TO a number of papers already