Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-02


committee this morning it was an
| nonnced that counsel for Mr.. Pinchot
would not press for a ruling on the
point as to whether or not witnesses
should be allowed to testify as to
conversations with the President. The
When the public hearing began At
torney Pepper questioned Mr.. Pinchot
a; to the sequence of events following
July l, 1SY0S, when the former forester
said the first he heard of the Cunning
ham claims was through western for
est officials. When he heard what his
subordinates in Washington had done
at CLAWS request looking to a post
pOnement Of the hearings of the Cum
ningh"m CLAIMS, he approved thor
oughly.
Asked if there was anything unus-
ual in the interference of the forest
service, Mr. Pinchot read q letter
signed by President Roosevelt on May
II, 1905 directing the secretary Of the
interior to cooperate with the fores-
try service as to lands in forest re-
serves and to adopt the service find
ings us far as possible.
The witness then told of his interview
Will tIldNlS dl SpOhdHe, WdSIi, Oh
Aug 8, 1909 Mr.. Pinchot said CLAWS
laid all his evidence before him and
spoke of publishing the whole story.
Il was deeply impressed by what
CLAWS said and urged him to go to the
President. ] did this because / thought
scandal would arise as it since has
arisen anG l thought the President
ought to have an opportunity to pro-
tect himself and his administration"
AS to Law Officer Shaw going to
Chicago to assist CLAWS in the prepar
alton of his statement to the President,
Mr.. Pinchot said the impression had
gone forth that Shaw had assisted
Glayis in preparing an article pub
lished in a weekly paper. This was
not true, the witness declared, for
such an article could not have been
in contemplation when Shaw was with
CLAWS.
The witness here read into the evil
dence the full text of letter written to
him by President Taft from Beverly,
Sept. Is, 1908, at the same time he wrote
to Secretary Ballinger, generating him
from the CLAWS charges. In this letter
the President expressed renewed con-
fidence in Mr.. Pinchot but urged him
not to make CLAWS cause his own.
He referred to CLAWS as a man who
had let one idea run away with his
judgement. The President expressed
regret that Mr.. Pinchot did not share
his confidence and trust in Mr.. Bal
linger. Mr.. Pinchot also read his re-
ply to the President, dated Nov. 4,
1909, in which he renewed his criti-
cism of Sec. Ballinger. Mr.. Pinchot
said he talked with President Taft
about the Ballinger-G matter in
Salt Lake City last September.
Mr. Pepper mere announced that Mr..
Pinchot desired to acquiesce in the
view of Mr.. Vertrees that conversa-
lions with the President should not
be repeated.
Mr.. Pepper read letter written Nov.
6 to President Taft by former Secre-
tary of the Interior James r. Garfield,
in which he sharply criticised Mr..
Dallinger.
There was next read Secretary Bal
fingers reply to President Taft regard
ing the Garfield and Pinchot letters.
In this letter Mr.. Ballinger said:
II am convinced that much of the
animus against me is due to the fact
that I have had to find so many of
predecessors acts were without war
rant OF law.
Former Secretary Garfield was pres
ent at the opening of the afternoon
session.
Resuming his testimony, Mr.. Pinch
Ut read a letter from President Taft
dated Nov. "a, 1909, replying to the
witnesses letter Of Nov. 4. Mr.. Taft
said ne could not coincide with Mr..
Pinchot's views as to Mr.. Ballinger
and declared that the fact that Mr..
Ballinger differed with some Of the
things Mr.. Garfield had DONE did not
argue a lack Of friendliness on the part
Of Ny rallinger to the cause of con-
! servation.
There is expressed in this letter a
disagreement as between you and the
President as to what transpired at an