Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-03-10
Doesn't Believe S3O,oOO,000
Bond Issue for Irrigation Work
Recommended. Is Necessary.
TOOK A SLAP AT BALLINGER.
Intimatcd secretary Had Not Fur
nished Executive and Attorney
General Proper Facts.

mendcd by President TAFT 20 Congress
is necessary for the proper forwarding
of irrigation work ln the west"
This statement by James r.. Gar
field. former secretary Of the interior
Too tesufyrg before the Balnger-Pin-
chot investigating committee today
greatly enivened the hearing
Mr. Garfield said this in defense OF
the cooperative agreements he entered
into with water users associations and
Of the reclamation certificates hc issued
In evidence of work performed and
witch have come to be known as Car
field currency.
Mr.. Garfield declared IL was evident
Atty-Gen. Wickorsham and President
Taft did not have the proper facts be
fore them when they reached opinions
al, erse 10 the legality Of the recelama-
ton certificates.
The witness Immediately implied that
Mr. BllHnger might have been respons-
ible in this connection. but he aid not
make an outright statement to that
effect
Mir Garfield took issue with Mr.. Ball
finger as 10 certain statements made
by the latter in his reply to President
Taft regarding the yariouy charges
made against him lie said he could
not recall any conference with Mr.
Ballmgcr regarding the Cunningham
coal claims. although Mr.. Ballinger
Hf.IN To- Nh
Mr. Garfield after the receipt OF ella
,is's protest against the clear listing of
the Alaska claims
Mr. Garfield admitted that in urging
general coal legislation by Congress
early in 1908 he had made the statement
that he was willing to condone fraudu-
lent entries in Alaska provided the
entrvmcn were compelled Go pay an IN
creased price for the land Co the gov
eminent
some Difficulty was experienced In
getting auoum Of the committee to-
gcther. u was not until Senate Root
arrived 81 1880 o'clock that seven
members were present
Former Sccy. Garfield. resuming his
testimony. explained the Alaska coai
hills introduced I'm Congress during his
administration OF the Interior depart
ment on the hearings on these bills,
Mr. Garfield said. he and Mr. Balm
ger. who then was commissioner OF the
land office. differed on the question as
TO whether proposed future classified
ton Of coal lands I'm Alaska and an
increase Of price over $40 an acre
should apply 70 locations already made
and entered.
Tho witness said Mr. Baungcr
thought lands already entered should
DE allowed patent at the $40 an acre
provided by the old law. This would
have allowed the Cunningham claims
90 be paid for at that price.
QUESTIONED BY SUTHERLAND
Questioned by Senator sutherland.
Mr. Garfield said he believed himself
that as to locations made In good
faith tho entrymcn should have the
right to the so price"
Mr.. Garfield then read an exchange
Of letters between himself and MI
Bauingcr after the latter had left the
land Office I'm April 1908, and while the
coal bills were still pending. Mr.. Bal
Hnger addressed Mr Garfield as MY
Dear Jim and the letter replied My
Dear Dick
Mr.. Ballingcr's letter was evidently
called out by some criticism OF his
course before the committees of Con-
press and he detailed his position at
some length, concluding with the
statement that before leaving Wash
ington he had talked with President
Roosevelt about the whole matter and
that the president had commended his
action
In his reply 10 Mr. Ballinger Secy.
Garfield urged him not TO be disturb
ed about his position on the coal
bills. that hc had always understood
GO and had told newspaper men there
never had been amy misundorsnnd-
ing
AU Garfield said be had never read
Ar paUueers testimony before the
congressional committees. however,
until he had gone out NJ office
senator Nelson questioned the wit
ness CLOSELY as 20 a statement that
Rnllinger had been in error in stating
Mr. Garfeld's position as 10 the
Alaska coal bills Mr. Garfield said
his recommendation cited by Mr.
BaUinger applied TO a general coal bin
and not to the Alaska measure
But as matter OF fact. didn't
YOU say YOU were willing to condonc
fraud n the fraudulent claimants paid
y higher price based on the classinca-
ton Of the coal2" asked Senator Nell
son
WHAT GARFIELD RECOMMENDED
''Thc effect OF the section which I
coal bin passed and the government
adapted "a now policy az 20 coal
dcpnsits there should be
valuation Of an entries at new
classified price IN TO 1850 acres T
was willing that claims should ne con-
soldotcd md was willing 20 condone
prior frauds"
Mr. Garfield said the difference in the
old price NJ $40 an acre and a classified
price might prove Ia he "a difference he
tween $4,000 and $500 600
ATTY Pepper read To- the witness q
portion OF Secy Ballinger's reply 90 the
president concerning the charges
against him. wherein Mr. Balinger de-
clared that Mr. Garfield who had writ
ten President TAFT himself had made no
real effort 90 learn the facts or TO I'M
dorstnnd Mss position. He also said
that Mr. Garfield had highly commend
cd his course while I'm the government
service and that he could only explain
his change OF spirit by the fact that his
mind had been poisoned against him by
niastatemeuts.
Mr. Ballnger was In error said Mr.
Garfield II made every effort tn OBJ
tain the facts before writing 10 the
president"
BALLINGEB- PIERCE LETTERS.