The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-09-16
DEMOCRATS AND INSURGENT
MADISON GIVE OUT THEIR
FINDINGS.
SUSTAIN CLAWS CHARGES
Committee Splits Up in a Row and Re-
pubIicans Will Meet in Chicago
Next Week, Without
Quorum.

Minneapolis, MINI. - An absolute
split has taken place in the member
ship of the Ballinger-Pinchot investiga-
ton committee. After a day Of jock
eying for position, Senator Knute Mel
son., as chairman, adjourned the meet
ing to Chicago, on next Tuesday, and
the Democratic members refused to
concur, deciding to take no part in
the further deliberations Of the COM
mittee.
The Democratic members made pub
lie their findings in the Ballinger-Pin-
chot case, supplemented by a separate
report by E. H. Madison, the insurgent
Republican congressman from Kansas,
which is not materially different.
The Democratic Report.
The report of the Democratic mem
bers of the joint committee is a volum-
nous document OF $4,000 words, Gov
ering 80 typewriter pages.
In a historical review Of the pro-
ceedings the report cites the appoint
ment of the committee, defines it's
powers and duties, names the princi-
pals and their attorneys and states
that the labors of the committee are
confined to investigating and passing
upon, first, the administration, action
and conduct of the interior depart
ment and it's several bureaus, officers
and employees, and, second, the bureau
of forestry and it's officers and employ
es relating to reclamation. conserva-
ton management and disposal of pub
lie lands or any lands held in trust
by the United States.
Based upon these two issues the re-
port in part follows:
Issue Stated.
Stated affirmatively the issue of
the first branch is that Secretary Bal.
linger is unfit to hold the Office of
secretary of the interior; hat he has
been unfaithful to his trust as custo-
dian of public lands and specifically
that he sanctioned the future convey
ance of land not yet gone to patent,
would involve perjury; that he clear
listed the Cunningham claims and or.
dered them to patent with evidence of
their fraudulent character before him
or accessible; that as commissioner of
the land office he prepared the Gale
bill validating Alaska coal claims =;
that later acted as attorney for claims
before the land Office over which he
had presided; that when validity OF
the act was questioned he accepted
the opinion of a subordinate
against the interest Of the govern.
ment and the people; that he deceived
the president as to what took place un
der his instructions in his department;
that he construed the Cunningham
group of coal entries without regard to
the law covering such cases and that
he condoned improper conduct in SUI
bordinates in certain cases"
CLAWS Is Praised.
CLAWS, summarily dismissed from
the service, is spoken of as "a plain
matter of fact young American, with
very little imagination, seeing only the
facts which confront him, with splen
did recollection, aggressive integrity
and courage, such as few men possess
a courage which stood out against the
entire interior department in the fight
for the public interest and the per
Torrance of his official duty"
Pinchot's high character and pur
pose are set out in the report by citing
from a letter written by the presidenr
both to Mr.. Pinchot himself and tt
Mr.. Ballinger. Then this:
1--WE agree with the president thai
Mr.. Pinchot's desire was to faithfully
serve the American people to the bes
OF his ability. Not an act that he com
mitted is fraught with the slightes
suspicion. He was a faithful public
ageous defender of the public property
ile dared to be insubordinate, if h.
was, in the interest of his country. l
would be difficult to give too mucl
credit to Mr.. Pinchot for the work h
has done in the building up and de
veloping of our national forest sys
tenn"
The Alaska question is then consid
cred, first, as the most important
The act of congress regarding Alask;
coal lands is set forth with all tn,
steps necessary from location to pat
ent. In the report certain words AM
phrases in the law are emphasized
such as "in good faith persons lc
eating coal land "who entered int
any agreement or association wit
each other"
AS to Ballinger's professional cor
nection with the Cunningham claim
ants while he was out of office, afte