New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-16
TAFT EXPLAINS
BALL|NGER CASE
Assumes Full Responsibility for
Acts of LaWIer and
WickerSham.
SENDS LETTER TO NELSON
Attacks on President Bring Him
Support-Much Criticism
for Garfield in
Capital.

for Garfield in
Capital
Iron The Tribune Bureau
Washington, May 15.-President Taft
made public this evening letter which
he has addressed to Senator Nelson.
chairman Of the committee which is in
vestigating the BaIlinger-P inchot con-
trOversy. and which conveys to the COM
mittee in detail the circumstances at
tending the preparation OF the Presi-
dents letter generating Secretary Bal
Hnger. the LawIer memorandum and the
antedating of the summary of the At
torney General
Mr. Taft declares not only that LAWYER
did prepare such letter as Kerby said
he did, but that he did so by the Presi-
dents specific direction. When he re-
ceived il ne found, he says. that it was
not what he wanted to issue. and he
wrote the letter himself in the form in
which he desired it. using from LAWYERS
draft only one or two general statements
The President goes still further and
takes up the question of the back dat
ing of Attorney General Wickersham's
summary of the CLAWS charges, to which
Louis d. Brandeis has drawn attention
Mr. Taft says that the Attorney Generals
letter was in fact back dated" and that
this also was done by his specific direc-
ton
President Taft's Letter.
The text Of the letter is as follows:
The White House.
Washington. May 10. 1910
lily Dear Senator Nelson: In the hear ,
ings before the committee to investigate
the Interior Department and Forestry
Service reference has been made to my
decision upon the complaint and charges
of L. r. CLAWS filed with me on the 18th
of August last against Secretary Balm
ger and certain other officials of the In
terror Department. The ma jority of the
committee have decided that my action
in this regard was not within the jur1s-
diCtion of the committee to investigate
In spite of this ruling references TO the
matter have cTept into the record. For
this reason I deem it proper to write
you and state with such accuracy as my
memory permits what the facts are
Glavis's statement and charges were
left with me by him on August IS. 1909
turned them over to the Attorney Cen
eraI who happened to be in the neigh
bOrhOOd. and he made notes upon MS
reading We both had personal knowl-
/ edge in respect to Secretary Bal1inger5
attitude toward the Alaska coal claims.
which was the chief subject of fnnuendo
and complaint for Mr.. Ballinger had
very early in the administration con-
suited us both in regard to them.
Within two or three days after the
filing of the charges. in meeting at
which the Secretary of the Urea SsIry- the,
Attorney General and the Secretary OF
the Navy were present full discussion
of the CLAWS statement was had. IL re-
suited in a general conclusion that Jeal-
ousy between the bureaus of the Interior
Department and the Forestry Bureau
probably explained the attitude of the
interior Department officials, but that
the intirnationS of bad faith by CLAWS
against Mr. Ballinger and the others re
quired that the statement be submitted
TO them for answer. Accordingly copies
of the statement were sent to Secretary
BalIinger. to Assistant Secretary Pierce
to Commissioner bennett and TO ChIet
of Field Service Schwartz
Mr.. Bauinger was at Seattle. but upon
the receipt of the charges he came to
washington to prepare his answer on
Monday, September S. Mr.. Ballinger :
reached Beverly. accompanied by MI:
LAWYER the Assistant Attorney General
of the Department of Justice assigned TO
the Interior Department Mr. Balllnger
sent 70 my house on that day the an
swerS of the various persons concerned.
together with vOluminOus record or eX-
hibfts | had conference with him ths
evening of the day he came, September .,
and then on the following evening, Sep
TENDER :.
Exoneration of Mr.. Ballinser.
I talked over the charges with Mr.. Sal
Iinger the first evening. and asked such
questions as suggested themselves, with
out intimating any conclusion, and sald
that | would examine the answers and
u hi he Yersrf
day I sat up until o'clock that night
reading the answers and exhibits. so that
at nv next conference [ was advised or
the contents of the entire record and nad
made up my mind that there was nothing
in the charges upon which Mr.. BalllngeT
or the others accused could be found
guilty of either incOmpetency. inefhciency.
diSIoyaIty to the interests of the govern
ment or dishonesty
In the discussions of the second even
ing Mr. LawleT. who was present az my
suggestion. discussed the evidence at
some length. I said TO Mr.. LAWYER that
was very anxious 10 write a fun state
ment of the case and set out the reasons
for my decision. but that the time Tor
nv departure on a long Western trip.
occupying two months. was just one
week from that day; that had some SIX
or seven set speeches TO deliver at the be-
ginning of that journey. and that could
not give the time to the preparation or
such a detailed statement anu OpiIilOh a.
| would like To render in the matter
therefore requested Mr.. LAWYER 20 pre-
mare an opinion as if he We're President
During the Sth 9th and 10th / gave
such consideration to the CLAWS record
as was consistent with previous en-
eagements. but paid no attention To the
speeches on the 9Th I telegraphed the
Attorney General TO come to Beverly IN
order that / might consult him in re-
spect To the case. He arrived there sat
urday afternoon, September IL. and. pur-
suant to an appointment made by teie-
phone he came To my house early ON
SUNDAY morning. September - He then
delivered To me the draft opinion pre-
pared by Mr. Lawler and said that he had
had an opportunity in coming from New
York to read the answers of Mr.. Balm
ger and others. / then said To him that
4 had made up my mind as TO my con-
clusiOns, and had drafted part of my
opinion. but that / wished him TO eX-
anime the fun record and bring me his
conclusions before I stated mine He
took the whole record away.
During the day l examined the draft
opinion of Mr.. LAWYER, but its thirty
pages did not state the case in the way
i'm which | wished il stated. II contained
references to the evidence which were
useful. but its criticism OF Mr.. Pinchct
and Mr.. CLAWS I did not think il proper
or wise to adopt. I only used few para
graphs from IL containing merely general
statements.