Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-26
Deliberate Object to De-
spoil Resources, Says
Pinchot.
HEARD BY COMMITTEE
Asserts CLAWS Episode but In
Cident in History of Ex-
pIoitation of Lands.

Washington. Feb. 26.-Former For
ester Clifford Pinchot took the stand
this afternoon and proceeded with the
reading of a statement outlining the
testimony he expects to give to the
investigating committee.
Aim at Consecutive Story.
Pinchot made this statement of his
charges against Secretary Ballinger:
What 1 desire to lay before the com
mittee is a consecutive story of my ex-
perience with Ballinger in relation to
the conservation of natural resources.
Among several other matters there are
three of principal importance to be
called to your attention.
Had EVIL Designs from start.
THE first of these concerns the pol
icy devised and inaugurated by the last
administration of protecting against
monopoistic control water power sites
owned by the people. shall show you
that Secretary Ballinger entered his
office with a clear determination to
make short work Of that policy; that
he reversed it so far as he was allow
Gu " w 81 l1oI hC AOONOAC GU bAAC PO"
er sites to entry without the remotest
idea of Withdrawing them, and that,
finally, when 1 charged him last au-
tumn to the president with being the
enemy of the policy of conservation,
he capped the climax by giving to the
president himself an explanation of
his conduct that was essentially falsei
Refer. In Goal Cases.
THE second has to do with my con-
nection asa government officer with
the Cunningham coal cases and with
CLAWS charges. shall show you
how the forest service became involv-
ed in these cases and how CLAWS sub
mitted his facts to me. l believed
them. as 1 believe now that he told
the truth. l am convinced now, as l
was when he came to me, that CLAWS
was a faithful public servant and that
the facts which he presented proved
that Ballinger had been unfaithful to
his trust as a servant of the people
and as a guardian of public property
Of enormous value.
Has Kept Faith.
Il shall show you that since 1 learn
ed the facts you have heard from
CLAWS and others, which 1 am about
to lay before you, have acted stead
lily in the light of them, and as it was
my duty, both as a public officer and
as citizen to do. l shall show you
that in pursuance Of that duty, l laid
before the president both by word of
mouth and in a letter of Nov. 4, a
statement of my conviction that Sec
-etary Ballinger had been a danger |
ous enemy of conservation.
Took Letter to BaIIInEer.
81 shall show you that this letter .
was submitted by the president to Bal /
inger, and that, as part of his reply, +
ne laid before the president a state /
nent concerning the Cunningham coal /
Eases, which statement is shown by .
documentary evidence to .
De absolutely false in three essential 1
particulars. It will then appear that
3allinger wilfully deceived the presi
lent and was disloyal to him.
But One Small Chapter.
THE third principal matter is con-
,erned with the attitude of this gov
,rnment, in law and administrative
practice, toward the conservation of
natural resources belonging to the
people. l desire to show you that
he story of Claws courageous and
uccessfuI fight to protect the property
If the people, which ended in his dis
nissal without a hearing, is but sin
lie chapter in the history of public
ands l shall show you that, under
he present law and practice, the more
liff1cult task falls on those who would
protect public property and not on
hose who would despoil 1t, and that.
inder the present system, the betrayal
nto monopolistic control of what be-
ongs to all of US is made easy and
'ften. in practice, inevitable.
Must Change Laws.
"The imperative duty before this
country is not merely to get rid of
he unfaitnful public servant; a far
more important duty is to bring about
fundamental change in the law and
ractice toward conservation to pre-
ent for the future what has been in
he past the almost inevitable sacri-
ice of the public welfare and to make /
ossible hereafter the utilization of the
atural resources and natural advan- !
ages for the benefit of all the people
instead of merely for the profit of
ew
Committee VIII Realize. j
When this story has been told, and {
be witnesses Wham shall ask you to