The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-03-26
SURPRISE SPRUNG
EARLY IN THE DAY
Ballinger Pinchot Inquiry Re-
Sumed After Adjournment
of Two Weeks.
SCHEME OF Mr.. BRANDEIS
WANTED TO GET FIRST CHANCE
AT DEFENDANT.
SCHEME OF Mr.. BRANDEIS

Washington, March 2a-The Ballinger-
Pinehot inquiry was resumed today after
an adjournment of practically two weeks.
As soon as the committee met this
morning, Attorney Brandeis, representing
Louis K. CLAWS and others, sprang sur
prise BY requesting that Secretary Bal
nnger be called as one Of his Witnesses
MI Brapdeis said at first he wished to
identify by MIR. Ballinger, two letters he
desired II introduce in evidence at this
time. Questioned further by members of
the committee as to his intent, he ad-
mittcd he. desired to conduct a general
examination of th4 accused cabinet Off
cial
Counsel for Mr.. BaIIngar objected to
this and called forth from Mr.. Brandeis
the remark that from his letters he had
always supposed Mr.. Ballinger to be
ready TO appear whenever and as often as
anyone connected at the inquiry desired.
Soma members of the committee seemed
to think Mr.. Ballinger as the person most
interested in the inquiry should have OPP
pOrtunity to make his statement first in
lis own way ana not subject himself to
crOss-exa minauon before being exam
ined in chief. The matter was passed
over. to be decided later in executive
session
Guggenheims in Alaska.
The witness stand was occupied during
the entire day by Stephen Birch, manag-
ing director of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
syndicate in Alaska. 1t was thought at
first Mr.. Birch's testimony would be
largely perfunctory in character and
would follow thu lines of his recent state
mcnt made before the Senate committee
on territories. Members of the commit
tee, however. become deeply interested in
the operations of the Alaskan syndicate
and they piled the witness with questions
from every possible angle. Much of the
questioning was intended to show that the
Guggenhsims actically control Alaska
Mr. Birch stoutly denied this.
Well" he was asked by Representa-
tive Graham. IF the Guggenheims get
control of the coal lands in Alaska what
would there be left?"
Mr. Birch said he did not think this
was a fair question TO ask him. He ad-
mitted that the Guggenheim interests
were large, that they had invested some
sl5000,O00 already and had contracted. for
the expenditure of other millions There
had been nc returns from these invest
ments as yet. But the syndicate had
hopes
The Cunningham Claims.
As to the Cunningham claims, Mr.
Birch produced the option that a commit
tee of the claimants had given to Daniel
Guggenheim July 20. 1897 He declared
this option had been accepted by the Gug-
ganheims December : of that year. She
claimants. however, had never lived up
to its terms. Cunningham. he said in
January or February 1908 had contended
that the Guggenheims themselves had
VOided the option by changing their rail-
road base from Katalla to CordOva and
Furthermore the option was OF no effect
because a majority of the claimants had
never ratified it.
Mr. Brandeis sought sto show the Nor
ganS and Guggenheims. with their great
power and influence in this country, ."
must have brought pras'slre TO bear dur
ing the last two years to get patents
granted the Cunningham claimants Mr.
Birch declared however, that he knew of
no such efforts.
What could we have done?" he pro-
tested.
"AsI. Mr. Birch. Won can answer that
far better than l.. dramatically exclaimed
Mr. BTandeis.
As to his estimate that coal in Alaska
vas worth 30 cents a ton and therefore