Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-05
BALLINGER HITS
At MR. GARFIELD
Says Part of Ex-Secretary's No
vember Letter to President
Neither Fair Nor Truthful.
POWER SITE WITHDRAWALS
Believes They Are Illegal and THAT
His own Withdrawals
Are Also.

Washington. May SIT was not a
fair or truthful statement" exclaimed
secy Ballinger during the BallinEer-
Pinchot investigation today referring to
sentence in former secy. Garheld's
letter 90 the president last Novem-
Der which read.
"He tBallingcr) directs the reclama-
tion service 20 prepare lists for restor-
ing the Withdrawn lands but TO do SO
slowly In order not 20 attract public
attention"
MI Balungor said that while he had
no desire 90 reflect on the previous
administration. which had withdrawn
the lands nlawfully he believed he
had issued no such order and that all
the lands actually had boen restored
within the period Of three weeks.
Another statement in the same letter
was disputed by Mr.. Ballinger Near
the end Of his letter Mr. Garfield said
the plan Of reclamation service FOR the
issuance OF cooperative certificates
had been approved by the senate com
mittec on irrigation Nj Ballinger
read an AFFIDAVIT from the secretary
Of that committee To- the effect that he
had failed 10 ind any such approval
in the records OF the committee Tor the
last seven years.
As the reason for his having re-with-
drawn power sites be had previously
restored Mr. Ballinger said he feared
they might be taken up pending action
by Congress giving the president the
power 20 again withdraw them. He
admitted he had no more legal au-
thority for his cotton than had Mr..
Garfield.
BALLINGER ON STAND.
Washington. May 5-secy BalHuger
took the stand today 20 complete his
direct testimony In the Ballinger Pin
chot investigation.
The inquiry has now reached its
most interesting stage-the cross-eN-
animation OF Mr.. Ballinger by the at
torneys for the prosecution Lewis
Brandeis. attorney for Brandeis, viii.
Dee the first 20 take the witness I'm hand
He win question Mr. Ballinger about
his connection with the Cunningham
coal claims and his professional ana
official relations with the claimants. At
least three days are expected 20 be
occupied in cross-eNamination OF the
secretary. and he may not be excused
until Friday or Saturday OF next week.
For more than an hour the commit
tee questioned MT Ballinger this morn
ing about the method pursued IN en-
tering on new reclamation projects II
was brought out that many OF the
states had not had their equitable
share Of these projects.
Senator Flint sought TO ascertain
who was responsible for this condition.
The witness admitted that probably
former Secy Hitchcock, under whose
administration most OF the existing
projects were initiated, was response
BILE. and not Director Newell Of the
reclamation service. Mr. Davis was az
that time chief engineer OF the serV-
ice.
A long discussion among members OF
the committee ensued as 20 the feas-
ibility Of various reclamation projects.
Mr. Flint wanted 20 know if IL were
not a fact that a great many OF the
projects had been initiated without re-
gard to their feasibility. but In order
10 give various states their proportion
Of the money they had paid into the
reclamation fund through the sale OF
public lands
Nr Balmger was not able 20 give
a direct answer but said IN answer 70
"a question by Atty. Ncrtrecs that ne
had not been able to get either OF the
ngrials m the reclamation service TO
express any doubt as TO the teasiplilly
OF any projects.
CoNTRADICTs GARFIELD.
Mr. Rallinger contradicted two state
rpents made bv Secy Garfield iu his
letter Of Nov. 8. 1909. to President Tart.
In that letter. which is boz evidence. ~.
Garfield said that the cooperative
certificate plan OF the reclamation
service had been approved by the SEN
ate committee on irrigation ana MT
Ballinper read "a certificate from the
secretary Of that committee stating
that "a careful search OF the minutes OF
the committee since 1903 had failed
10 show any reference To the co-opcra-
tive certificates plan.
I'm the same letter Mr Garfield told
the president that SeCy Balungcr had
instructed Director Newell and En-
gineer Davis of the reclamation scrN-
ice 20 make the restoration Of lands.
withdrawn under Garfield. slowly in
order not 90 reflect on the previous
administration. Mr. BallIng r said ne
gave no such order and recalled that
no such suggestion had been made.
II there was any suggestion" con-
tinued Mr. Ballingor go was no the In
stance Of Mr. Newell iu letter 20
Senator IaFollette suggesting such
course The fact is that restoratious
woro not made slowly. but were made
In the course Of two or three weeks ne
fast as they came down from the
reclamation service n Was not "a fair
and truthful statement ] had mo- de-
sire 90 reflect on tho previous a1mnis-
tration. however. and did what I could
Ia avoid it.'
secv Ralluger read 10 the commit
tee "a letter received from the prgsi-
dent last September in which Mr.. Taft
said the weakness OF Pinchot lay In nis
Inability 20 credit high and honorable
motives 90 those who dlffcr with him
as to his method Of doing things
PtNCHOTs POLICY REVERSED
At The afternoon session Mr. BALM
ger said that since PinChots dismissal
there had been "a reversal OF the policy
of the forestry bureau which held fun
sway when Piuchot was in charge