Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-04-24
PLOT To
THROW DOWN
BALL|NGER
PlNCH0T POINTED OUT
AS CHIEF C0NSPlRAT0R
Yesterdays Session Of Inquiry
EnIhened by Serious Charges
Against Former Forester and
His Chief Subordinates,

iBy Morning Jouruai speeiaI Tsssss WIreI
Washington. Apru 23,--An effort
was made by the defense" IN the
Ballineer-pmchot investigation toda,
to show that Clifford Pinehot and his
assistants had conspired "a over
throw Secretary Ballinger because he
opposed 'Pinchots way OF conserv-
ing
while the Ballinper side ot the
controversy oceupied the center of
the stage, tho other side appeared
prominently IN the wings, Attorney
l5randeis promising the newspaper
men some further revelation regard
ina Attorney General Wickersham's
summary of the CLAWS charges which
he initmatcd Yesterday had been writ
ten two months aiter the date which
1t bore Mr. Wickersham would
neither affirm nor deny this when
seen todoy
II havo something else 10 do" he
eaid There is enough irrelevant
matter going out now without my
contrihutng 90 ~
Air Brandeis said today he could
not subpoena Mr.. Wickersham to
question him about the summary 80
he had 10 content himself with
questioning witnesses called ny the
defense who might know about i.
George Otis Smith, director OF the
geological survey, occupied the stand
during practically the entire day
Ills most interesting disclosure re-
lated 10 conversation he had with
Mr. pfnchot last July during which
the latter is said 20 have character
lied Mr. nallingcr as yellow dog
and 10 have threatened 20 lead fight
against the secretary il there was any
criticism of former secretary tar-
field AZ t1r Spokane irrigation com
press MT Smith also told OF q talk
with Assistant Forester Overton wlth
tt1foa mst Sepunfip,f wand tne ~
Ter was acting forester IN wnlch
Price Is alleged to have said that we
viii get him CRalllngcrl one way or
another.
Following his Interview with Mr.,
Pinchot MT Simth said he went 70
attend the spokane congress, where
the fight was precipittated over q
charge that Nh Balllnger had al
lowed tho Interests" to grab a large
number of able water power
sites
Mr.. smith excited great interest
among metnbors az the committee by
reading q letter he wrote August lO,
1909, 10 suhordinates in his olilcc
here While hc was on his way PACK
from the spokane convention. descflp-
Ing the fight
"The whole conservation movement
ts nov linked up with Mr. Pinchots
views on the subject wrote Mr..
smith. so that orthOXldN IN IN"
cause means agreement with Mr. PIN
chot As { look az It, any issue Is to be
raised that can he used against Secre-
tary Ballingcr not because of that
issue. but because Secretary Ballinger
is TO be overthruwn because he op
poses pnchot's Wny OF conservation.
Nov there was no criticism ol
Garfield at Spokane ana yet the fight
came Off as planned The congress
was orpanized. the issues were
shaped the orators chosen, the news
papers primed in short all guns were
loaded The result was that the
power site grab was defective and the
Alaskan coal charge went OF earlier
than planned.
After commenting on the fact that
all the speeches made hy those from
whom trouble had been expected
were in such good tnstc' Mr. smith
wrote. that Governor Pardee had
started the trouble by spenking on
the sins of Rallinger instead of
IRRIGATION interests OF he people on
which ne Was announced to speak
Though he (pardee) told me that
he intended nothing personal SAID
Mr.. Simth in his letter "hc insinu-
ltcd chat Ballingcr was either a tool
,r tnavo and rather intimated the
atter as his favorite hypothesis
~The Alaskan story leaked out
much 10 the disgust of Ballineer's
,ncmies ! am afraid that the Wen
meaning cunsorvationists are using
N. devils own weapons to fight the
The committee decided today 10
I'D another hearing day each week
n order 10 expedite the inquiry Ses-
lions VIII bee held on Thursday, Fri
lav ana saturday next week, ana IL
nay he necessary TO hold night ses-
ions Ia order TO get through with IN"
investigation before hot weather.