Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-26

Washington, Feb. 26.-Former For
ester Clifford Pinchot took the stand
.nis afternoon and proceeded with
reading of a preliminary statement,
outlining the testimony he expects to
give to the investigating committee Of
congress.
Overthrow Roosevelt Policies.
Pinchot made to the Ballinger-Pin-
:hot investigating committee this
statement of his charges against Sec
retary Ballinger:
what I desire to lay before the COM
nttee is consecutive story Of my ex-
perience with Ballinger in relation to
The conservation Of natural resources.
Among several other matters there are
three of principal Importance to be
called to your attention.
"The first Of these concerns the policy
administration of protecting against
monopolistic control water power sites
owned by the people shall show you
that Secretary Ballinger entered his Of
fee with q clear determination to make
short work OF that policy; that he re-
yersed it SO far as he was allowed to
do so; that he restored the power sites
to entry without tho remotest idea OF
4 withdrawing them. and that finally.
when CHARGED him last autumn to tho
president with being the enemy OF the
policy Of conservation, he capped tho.
climax by giving to the president him
seaf an explanation Of his conduct that
was essentially false.
Baliingsr Betrayed the People.
'The second has to do with my con-
nection as government officer with
the Cunningham coal cases, and with
the CLAWS charges. shall show you
how the forest service became involved
in these cases, and how CLAWS submit.
ted his facts to me- believe then, as
believe now, that he told the truth.
amy convinced now, as was when he
public servant and that the facts which
he presented prove that Ballinger has
been unfaithful to his trust as a SER
want Of the people and as a guardian
Of public property of enormous value"
BaIlinser Deceived Taft.
II shall show you that since I
learned the facts which you have heard
from Claws and others, which I am
about to lay before you, have acted
steadily In the light of them, as it was
my duty, both as a public officer and
as citizen, to do. shall show you
that in pursuance Of that duty laid
before the president, both by word Of
mouth and in letter Of Nov. 4,
statement Of my conviction that Secre-
tary Ballinger has been a dangerous
enemy to conservation. q shall show
you that this latter was submitted by
the president with statement con-
cerning the Cunningham coal cases,
which statement is shown by undis-
puted documentary evidence to be abb
solutely false in three essential par
ticulars. It will then appear that Bal
linger wilfully deceived the president
and was disloyal to him.
Says System is Rotten.
''The third principal matter is con-
cerned with the attitude Of this gov
ernment In law and administrative
practice toward the conservation Of
natural resources belonging to the peo-
pie. desire to show you that the story
OF Glavis' courageous and successful
fight to protect the property of the
people, which ended in his dismissal;
without hearing, is but single chap
ter In the history Of public lands L
shall show you that> under our pres
ent law and practice the more difficult
task falls ON those who would protect
public property and not on those who
would despoil it, and that under the
present system Of betrayal into mon
opolistic control OF what belongs to all
Of US Is made easy and often in prac-
tice Inevitable.
"The imperative duty before this
country is not merely to get rid Of an
unfaitnfui public psszsssi;c sssTTv ant. e. more
important duty is to bring about q
fundamental change in law and prac-
tic6 toward conservation, to prevent for
the futurs whatshas been -in-the past