The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-05-12
TWO REPORTS ON
SECY, BALL|NGER
ARE EXPECTED
Democrats and Insur-
gent Alone to Criti-
cize His Course
TO BE NO DEBATE
Believing Discussion Would
Be Endless, Leaders Will
Simply File Report.

Washington-It seems safe to pre-
dict hat the long drawn out Balm
ger-Pinchot investigation will not set
tie anything. In the very nature of
things it would be impossible for the
committee to submit a report that
would end the controversy hat has
been going on eve since Richard A.
Ballinger became secretary of the in
terror. Regardless of what the COM
mittee may report to congress, the
Ballinger partisans will continue to
applaud the secretary of the interior,
and the Pinchot partisans will not
lose any confidence in their idol.
The committee probably could
have reported weeks ago with as
much Intelligence as it will be able to
display when it does submit its re-
port. The hearings had not pro-
ceeded far until it became apparent
that thu, democratic members of the
committee, and at least one Republi-
can, Representative Madison, of KAN
sas, an insurgent, sym%pathized with
the Pinchot side of the controversary.
the committe, constituting a major-
i!ty, We're friendly to- the Baliihger ous
fit. Uader the circumstances, st
least two reports, ard possibly three.
seem inevitable. The regular Re-
publicans on the committee are ex-
pected to join in a statement fully
generating Secretary Ballinger. The
report they will make will probably
not differ materially from the find
ings of President Taft in the case
last September.
If the democratic members carry
out their present intentions, they will
argue in their report that, as the re-
suit of the environment from which
he came, Secretary Ballinger has pur-
sued a policy inimical to the advance
ment of the cause of conservation.
They may go as far as to hold that
special agent CLAWS was justified in
doing all he did to prevent the. Cum
nigham coal deal cases from going to
patent; that CLAWS was even justified
in appealing to the president of the
United States over the head of his
superior officer, the secretary of the
interior, Representative Madison's
friends understand he wants to write
a report of his own. His attitude, it
is generally understood, is about the
same as that of the Democratic mem
bers of the committee.
Congress Likely to Sidestep.
Congress may or may not take
any action on the reports submitted
by the committee. The outlook is
that the reports will simply be re-
ceived and placed on file. Each Of
the principals to the controversary
has his supporters, and a debate on
the merits Of the case once started
would, the leaders say, probably run
for weeks, and possibly months. So
the prospects is that congress will
sidestep the controversy.
Regardless Of what congress may
or may not do about the reports from
the committee, the Pinchot partisans
have no thought Of letting the con-
troversy die. The National Conser-
walton Association, which now has
something like 100000 members. is
busy organizing for an energetic cam
paign in favor Of the sort Of conserve
ton Clifford Pinchot stands for. The
former forester is expected back
from Europe any day now. and it is
generally understood that he intends
to throw himself into conversation
work with renewed vigor.
In the Eenemy's Country.
Anticipating that the Minnesota
senator will join the other Republi-
can members of his committee, with
the exception Of Representative Madi-
son, in signing a report generating
Secretary Ballinger, the Pinchot
conservationists decided to hold the
the national conservation congress in
the state which the chairman of
the committee halls. OF course SEN
ator Nelson will be invited to the con-