The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-03-16
RICH AND RACY
Secretary Ballinger Dealt a Telling Blow
- by Arthur P. Davis.
TOLD DAMAGING STORY

Says Raliinsrr Opposed Publicity
Bureau, and Wanted Restoration
Made Quietly SO as Not to Excite
Public .at,ention-!slso Says Bal
linser Deceived Taft About 1t.
Arthur P. Davis. chief engineer OF
the reclamation service. testified be-
fore the Ba!linger-Pinchot !nrestiga-
ting committee that In preparing
lists OF lands to be restored 10 the |
public domain by Secretary Ral!in-
ger. he felt that he va. acting under
mandatory orders from the secretary. |
These lands had been withdrawn.
the witness said. by Former Secre-
ta-y Garfield for conservation OF Wa
Ter power sites. Ballinger. according |
10 Mr Davis. repeatedly gave verbal
orders that the lands SO withdrawn
should be prepared for restoration.
and that their withdrawal had been
in direct violation OF Law and could |
not be sustained. No written orders.
however. were ever issued.
Mr.. Davis let 1t be known that be
took the stand reluctantly and de.
clared he cid not wish TO testify
unless specifically directed to do so
by the committee. Chairman Nelson
;old him he had been officially sum-
moned and would have 70 give any
information he had. A-. Davis IS sn
elderly man. who has beer n re-
clamation work for more than twen-
ty years. He accompanied Mr.. Taft.
then president-elect. 20 Panama IN
January. 1909. as member OF the
board OF constructing engineers on
the canal works
Mr.. Davis thought the Garfield plan
OF making Wholesale ,withdra sals
which could Dc pared down by SOB
segment examination Was pre;s 'ahl:
TO the Ball:reer plan OF restoring all,
the lands and later !ewithd.ir.a%
the smalla- a.-as actually nece.5sar,
ror power SIT, purposes re thought
the first method a better protection
Of the governments interest. 0f m
interview he had with Secretary Bal
!inger il Washington on the evening
OF March II. 1909. .he witness said:
The secretary te!ephoned NJ 10
come 20 his hotel. We talked iosetn-
n for two hours. He criticised the
past conduct OF the reclamation SER
vice anJ .aid :b'.c the wi;hd-swa.
OF the large areas was Illegal. Ee
said that there were many settlers
on lands in the west who hal Deen
promised water and had nothing
but the promises to live on Hc crit
icized our system o: force ac:"uTts.
or the direct employment OF labor.
and said We ought 10 II . every
thing done by contract.
He criticised our publicity bu
| reau told him tha: Il was for the
purpose OF disseminating info-ma-
ton as TO "arious projects. that it
saved the time OF officers and pre-
vented !aaccuracy II newspaper ac-
counts. He criticized what ne term
| ed our oppression OF contractors and
| said he had heard much complaint on
that score. told him ] was en-
| tirely responsible for any oppression.
but that I had always tried TO dc
| justice TO them.
II defended all the things he crit
!cised TO the best of my ability.
Mr.. Ral!inser didn't show any great
familiarity with the work OF the ser
vice. He seemed interested in all
said and when I was through he
declared that the matter looked bet
ter to him. He said be wanted me
to help him get acquainted with the
work and I promised to do So
Mr.. Davis did not know that Mr.
Ballinger had previously gone over
these matters with Mr. Newa!i. who
was Davis superior. He said thar
Mr.. Ballinger expressed lack OF con-
CCsQCe II MI. .Ne"sii-
What impression did Nj Ball!o-
gers comment on the power site
withdrawals leave with you?" Mr.
Pepper asked
He spoke as though great crime
h1d been committed By these with
drawais. said that the land could
be readily restored and that no very
great harm could be done. He ask
ed specifically !. I could segregate
the Withdrawals made FOR conserva-
ton O. power from the others.
said I could. He told me to go
ahead but that he didn't care 70 have
It done suddenly
Didn't Mr.. Balliage- say he wanted
It dom slowly 50 as not 70 attract
public attention.
Yes. tha: is my recollection.
Mt. Davis said that Mr. Rall!nger
in speaking OF his intention 10 re-
store the lands did not say anything
about a purpose Of re-w!:hdrawal
When Mr Newell claimed tha: r."
Withdrawals had been made under
the supervisory power OF the secre-
tary. Mr.. BaliiHsHr said the secretary
did not have such power Mr.. Davis
reiterated that every time he talked
with MI Rallinger about the resto--
alton he gained an impression tha;
The orders would b. issued IN writ
ing. The witness understood. al
though no written order was issued.
that he was carry out a mandatory /
order in preparing the list for restor-
alton
II also got the impression" said
Nr. Davis. that as to the legality OF
che Withdrawals. he iMr. 8ai,inCerl.
would take the mater M with the
attorney general II Ne did so. how
ever. don't know OF il.
NJ. Davis took especial care 10