The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-26
WANTS bAL[|NGER
ON WITNESS STAND
Attorney for CLAWS Springs a
Surprise on Committee Con-
ducting Investigation.
NO DECISION REACHED
AS TO GRANTING REQUEST
Alaska Manager for Morgan
Guggenheim Syndicate on
Stand Entire Day.

WASHINGTON, March 25.-Ths
Ballinger Pinchot inquiry was resumed
today after an adjournment of prac-
tically two weeks.
AS soon as the committee met this
morning, Attorney Brandeis, repre-
senting Louis r. CLAWS and Others,
sprang q surprise by requesting Secre-
tary Ballinger be called as one of his
witnesses. Mr.. Brandeis said at first he
wished 10 identify by Mr.. Ballinger two
letters he desired to introduce in evi.
dence Mt this time. Questioned fur.
ther by members of the committee as
to his intent, he admitted he desired
to conduct a general examination of
the accused cabinet official
Counsel for Mr. Ballinger objected
to this and called forth from Mr. Bran
deis the remark that from his letters
he had always supposed Mr.. Ballinger
10 be ready 10 appear whenever and as
often as anyone connected at the in
quiry desired
Some members Of the committee
seemed to think Mr.. Balhnger as the
person most interested in the inquiry,
should have opportunity to make his
statement first IN his own way and not
subject himself to crossexsmlnatlon
before being examined in chief, The
matter was passed over, to be decided
later In executive session.
Birch a Good Witness.
The witness stand was occupied dur
ing the entire day by Stephen Birch,
managing director of the Morgan-Gue
genhejm syndicate In Alaska, IT was
thought at first Mr. Birch's testimony
would be largely perfunctory in char
acter and would follow the lines of his
recent statement made before the sen
ate committee or on territories. Mem
bers of the committee, however, be
came deeply interested in the opera
lions of tn Alaskan syndicate and they
piled the witness with questions from
every possible angle. Much of the
questioning was intended 10 show that
the Guggenheims practically control
Alaska, Mr.. Birch stoutly denied
| this.
"Well." he was asked by Represen
tative Graham. elf the Guggenheims
got control of the coal lands In Alaska
what would there be lefti"
Mr. Birch said he did not think this
was fair question TO ask him, He
admitted that the Guggenhelm inter
ests were large, that they had invest.
ed some $l5,000,000 already and had
contracted for the expenditure of other
millions There had been no returns
from these investments as yet but
the syndicate chad hopes.
Cunnin CHAM Option Void.
AS to the Cunningham claims, Mr..
Birch produced the option that com
mittee of the claimants had given to
Daniel Guggenheim, July 30 1907, He
declared this option had been accepted
by the Guggenheims December of
that wear. The claimants, however,
had never lived up to its terms. Gun
ningham, he said, in January or Feb
lruarv. 190S, had contended that the
Guggenheims themselves mad volde9
the option by changing their railroad
base from Katalla TO CORDOBA and FUR
thermore the option WAS of no effect
because n majority of the claimants
had never ratified II,
Hr. Brandeis sought to show the
Morgans and Guggenhelms with their
''great power and influence IN thls
TO bear during the last two years TO
get PATENTS granted the Cunningham
claimants. Mr. Birch declared, how
ever. that he knew Of no such efforts.
''What could we have done'' he
protested
"Ah, Mr., Birch, yo,n, s can !, answer ,GsvIn
ibat far better than IT, dramatically
exclaimed Mr.. Brandeis.
As 10 his estimate that coal IN Alas
ka was worth 30 cents n ton and there
fore the Cunningham claims represent
ed an actual value OF S25,OOO,OOO, Mt
Birch declared IL was just rs sensible
TO say the icebergs in Alaska were OF
inestimablc value. The lcebergs' 9e
said would be valuable if they could
he brought to market in this country
So II was with the coal, but first the
TRANSFORMATION facilities had 10 be pro-
Vided.
II was evident today members OF
the committee are growing lrrltaple
and this irritability extends 70 eouh
sci. There was frequent fiaSUes ns 49,
both Mr. Brandeis and Mr. Nertrees
anologjzed at the close of the session
for impatient remarks
Detail of Proceedings.
Immediately after the committee met
Mr. Brandeis said that when Messrs'
Birch and Steele of the Morgan.Gug
pcnhim syndicate had given their testi-
mony he desired to call Secretary Bal
liprer and would like to have hlm ap'
pear today.
Mr. Vertrees was on ms rect IN dh In
g. Mr.. Ballinger, he said, sis the
person most interested in this inquiry.
We ought to be allowed the discretion
as TO indicating when he should APP
pear. -.
Mr.. Brandeis said he desired from
Secretary Ballinger certain letters that
could be proved best by him.
''Mr. Ballinger has already contem-
plated appearing more than once befote
this committee, continued MI
Brandcis. FHis letters to the commit
tee show that he is ready to come at
any time
t'The committee will decide. this mat
ter in executive session, ruled Chair
man Nelson.
But desire to be heard, - protested
Mr. Brandeis.
Proceed then, - directed Mr.. Nelson.
HThis inquiry began, resumed the
attorney. with the explicit statement
ON our part that we would lay before
L. "A oil