The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-04-16
Assistant Secretary of the In
terror Testifies in Pinchot-
Ballinger Controversy Be-
fore the Senate Committee.
HIS CROSS EXAMINATION
QUESTION FOR COMMITTEE
Witness Defends Department
Well and Takes Responsible
ity for Several Actions That
Are Being Attacked,
OTHER WITNESSES HEARD

Wv prosecution" in the BalIiRGer-
IinchOt controversy indicate cd
Ht tO1ay'S hearing by the congress
siOnal investigating committee that il
was holding its big gums in reserve
until Secretary BaIIinger takes the
stand.
Attorney B4aHdeis sought permission
10 acfer The erOss-eXaminatiOn of
frank Fierce, assistant secretary of the
interior. who concluded his testimony
today, until after he had an OppOr-
tunity 10 question Secretary BalIinger.
The committee appeared TO be di-
Vlded as to whether MIR. Braudeis
should be allowed to recall witnesses
for the sdefenseo after they had been
excused from the stand.
1t was decided to defer the decision
until tomorrow because of the scant
attendance of the committee.
When Senator Sutherland expressed
the opinion that the request was most
unusual one. Mr. Brandeis replied that,
as he had been denied the privilege
of calling Ballinger as his witness, he
thought it no more than right he
should be allowed to cFoss-examine Mr.
Ballinger before questioning his sub
ordinates. In his opinion Senator Pur-
cell heartily concurred, but other men,
bers, including Senator Root, strongly
dissented- Mr.. Brandeis added after
he had cross-exaLlined Mr.. Ballinger
he might decide 1t was unnecessary to
question Mr.. Pierce and others OF his
office.
Other Witnesses Heard.
Two witnesses besides Mr.. Pierce
were heard today. Francis Clements.
assistant law officer OF the interior
department, and Edward c. Finney, as
sistant to the secretary Of the interior,
both corrobOrated Mr.. Pierce's testi-
mOny in several particulars. Mr..
Pierce, carly II the hearing. contra
-dicted the testimony of l. r. CLAWS
that Pierce had sent for CLAWS to talk
over the constituting OF the new law Of
May %, 1908. regarding coal claims.
He denied he had any talk on the sub
jeet with CLAWS. Both Clements and
Finney denied CLAWS had said anythfn g
to chem about Secretary Ballinger hav-
ing expressed the intention of apply
ing TO the attorney general for an
opinion on this law. as CLAWS also had
testified.
Mr.. Finney took on his own shoulders
the responsibility for the letters writ
ten to Senator LaFollette, in which Mr..
Balllnger was quoted as saying the
water power sites withdrawn under
the Garfield administration had been
restored on recommendation of the
reclamation service. Officials Of the
reclamation service denied making such
recommendation. Mr.. Ftnney said he
had prepared the letters by the direc-
ton OF Mr.. Ballinger. but he did not
know whether Mr.. Ballinger had read
them. although they came from his
desk with his signature attached. MT.
Finney was still under examination
when the committee adjourned until
tomorrow
Defense of CLAWS.
Before Mr.. Pierce resumed the stand
Attorney Brandeis made a lengthy
statement. charging that the Interior
department had failed TO furnish GER
tain correspondence called for by him
in letter TO the committee dated jan
Continued on Page seVen.)