The Washington herald., 1910-01-06
MAY ACT ON BILL
FOR PROBE TO-DAY
House Committee Changes
Humphreys Resolution.
SENATOR JONES' EXPLANATION
Congressional Board TO Investigate
the Ballinger-PinchOt Controversy.
Speeches Made in Demand for In
formation TO Clear the Charges
Against Cabines Official.

! Following a session that lasted al
I afternoon. the House Committee on Rule,
announced at > o'clock last evening that
it was found necessary TO make a mum
Der Of changes in the resolution intro
duced by Representative Humphrey. pro
viding for an investigation OF the Bal
/ linger- -Pinchot feud.
The same measure was introduced
simultaneously In the Senate by Senator
Jones, and was deferred for action until
to-day. II is expected both Houses viii
report the resolution this afternoon and
the personnel Of the board Of inquiry Will
then be announced.
Landed Mr.. BaIIinEer.
IN urging the Congressional probe OF
the Department Of the Interior, Senator
Jones lauded Secretary BalInger and in
tinated that the press and magazines OF
the country that have attacked him have
been unjust in their charges.
Conscious of the purity Of his motives
and the rectitude OF his intentions, the
Secretary Of the Interior welcomes this
investigation. The resolution Is not in
troduced in an unfriendly spirit TO any
one, but simply in the interest Of honesty.
decency. and good government" said the
Senator, in conclusion.
Representative Humphrey spoke in a
similar way Of the Cabinet official, and
he was given close attention by his col
leagues.
The resolution providing for a gen
eral and thorough investigation OF the IN
terror Department and its allied bureaus"
empowers a committee OF six Senators
and six members Of the House 70 con-
duct hearings and TO act with the author
ity of a legal tribunal.
Senator Nelson. of Minnesota. VIII
probably be elected chairman OF the So
called forestry inquisltion.
offered n Resolution.
In offering the resolution, Senator
Jones spoke In part as follows:
The press and magazines of the coun-
try for several months have been filed
with charges against the present Sec
retary of the Interior and his conduct
Of the Office he holds. These charges
range from petty insinuations and innu-
endoes to direct charges of malfeasance
and misconduct in Office which. II true,
show that he has most unworthily dis
charged his trust
"A moments though should cause an
honest and fairminded man to hesitate
to accept such charges against a man
whose whole life heretofore has been one
OF the highest rectItude. and against
whom no dishonorable charge has ever
been made, in either private or public
life. Such man is the present Secre-
tary of the Interior He accepted the Of
fee of Commissioner of the General Land
ONCE at the urgent solicitation Of Sec
retary Garfield, who knew personally his
sterling character and exceptional ability.
He did not seek that Office.
He accepted his present position only
upon the earnest solicitation of the Presi-
dent. He did not seek it. It meant
nothing to him but hard work and poor
pay. He gave up a large and lucrative
law practice simply at the call of pa
triotic duty. Is it possible that he at
once became theA scoundrel and arch
enen1y Of the people that he has been
depicted in the public press7 I cannot be-
lleve II.
Facts Are Sought.
IF he has used his high Office to ad-
vance special interests, If he has sacri-
fed the people for private or personal
gain, let It be shown. II. on the other
hand, the people have been deceived. and
he has been unjustly accused, that should
be shown, not only that justice NAV he
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