The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-02

|
neither disrcspcctful nor insubordlnate
and thus could have avoided the ncces-
! sity which he felt OF relieving me OF the !
public service"
The cross examination of Pinchot was
| DELAYED until Secretary Wilson. who de-
sired to take the stand at once, could
be heard.
Wilson Is Agitated.
! The crizzled old Official who holds the
record for cabinet service was plainly
agitated when he took the oath as a Wit
ness ness; and Wnsn T,an1 he began 70 testify his
| The secretary proved impatient of
questions put TO him on cross-examina
iion and became somewhat mixed as to
just what letters were being referred TO
Iby his questioners and resentfui Of any
inference other than his own that they
| wished 10 draw from his testimony.
/ Mr. Fertrecs, counsel for Secretary Bal
! linger, conducted the direct examinations
| You have heard what Mr.. Pinchot
has said; Have you any statement to
make" he asked.
Some of the things Mr.. Pnchot has
said hcre-a good many OF them" be-
| gan Secretary Wilson. "are correct But
there are other things that not cor
rect
The secretary brought his fist down on
the table with resoundine whack He
continued:
Denies Giving Consent.
He never got my consent To send that
! letter TO the senate There arc two
| things in IL that would have made it inn
possible, for me to have given my con
| semi. He attempted TO review and Judge
the mental processes OF the President. He
assumed the authority that mine 10
discipline officers OF my department Mr..
Pinohot says II was January that we
! talked of this matter. There is no use
making a point TO dates, IL may have
have the talk
Ever since that order by the Presi-
dent IT has been the custom when con-
erGessmen ask for information, for the
n f,I .i6r. sfT,t.,
me and tell me that Congressman
wanted 10 know this or that have
always told them to go ahead and give
the necessary information. Nobody ever
came to me, however as Mr.. Plnchot
says he did. to get a general order TO
send in anything they pleased don't
remember ever having refused any Off
GERS request TO give specific Information
as TO departmental work.
Direct Contradiction.
Mr. Pluchot did not tell me he Was
going TO send a letter, dealing with the
President, lie said he was going to
garding departmental matters. II he had
said he was going 10 pass upon the Prcsi-
to him by Mir. Price, ! don't think he
would have ever sent that letter They
kept this Shaw business from me.
did l.nTS,d mot know v;iagg qing1hing ABOUT it ,o
for two months to get a report from Mr..
Pinchot on the alleged activity OF the
forest service in the Claws matter, lie
said Mr. Pincbot kept delaying the re-
port.
"And what did he finally bring mc?"
The Witness said.
"tIc set shaw and Price TO work 10
prepare report TO him for some reason
Or another. The report was nothing but
their opinion OF their own work.
Delegated No Authority,
Now. gentlemen, know comparatively |
nothing OF what YOU arc considering
Voc n
In the papers and know what the Presi !
dent has said. Mr.. Ppchot wants YOU
To believe that because raised no Oh |
lection 10 his writing letters 10 Senator |
Doiver regarding departmental matters
lie had right to write wha, he did. He !
had no such AUTHORITY from me ! know
nothing Of IL. The question before this !
committee is Did he have my consent 10
write that letter.
"He did not. l never saw IT, I never
heard of il until | read IL in the Con- |
gressional Record
The cross-examination of Secretary |
Wilson was begun by Attorney Pepper |
by the -four Democratic members Of the
committee. The Republican members
took. practically no part in the cNam-
natioD.
In reply TO Attorney Pepper. Secretary
Wilson said nc would forgive Mr.. Pinchot
for his assumption of authority 10 dis |
clpline subordinatcs OF the forest service. !
but that he could not forgive the asper- |
sions on tho president
MIR. Pipchot complains that nc did not |
gel hearing by the president added |
Secretary Wilson. He shut the door |
himself when he sent that letter to Sena- !
tor Doliver"
he would have no trouble regarding the |
order OF the president furbiddug subor |
dinates to give out Information"
THAT is all new TO me. | do not say /
tina refused to concur I'm Mr.. Piuchot's
request 10 send a letter regarding depart |
mental Affairs
the Democratic members on his recollcc-
tIon of instrucune Mr.. FIncbot TO cut
out of letter OF transmittal all ref
srsnof TO- The n9lliTsr i Letter The se[rG ere,
and that he did not remember whether
Mr. Pmchot had dictated The letter over !
again i'm his office
Senator Purcell of North Dakota Dem |
ocraD. asked Secretary Wilson ii hc had |
not specifically talked over the Dolivcr
letter with Mr., Pinchot. The secretary |
Vigorous Denial.
''Do YOU ihink ] would have aGrcad"' |
he demanded. chat 7 shonld insult the !
precedent OF the United States and not
exercise my authority over subordinates?'
Secretary Wilson admitted. under a |
perfect hail of intcrroEa lions, thnt he did |
talk with Mr., rinchot about a letter 10
Senator Dollvcr. but insisted .iat lie
supposed the letter was TO be simply |
about departmental affairs
"Of course. Mr.. Flnchot' he added. |
may have had things In MS mind 5hat |
did not. He was mp in his work and | !
was not. lie said he wante:i To get |
something in the Congressional E"cor0 IT
tho same time that the presidents mes
age transmitting Attorney General Wick
ersham's findings In favor Of NJ. GailIngec
were sent tu the senate"
senator Purccll-To what did YOU
think Mr. Pinchot's letter would refer
Secretary Wison--To conscrVat ton, per
haps.
Secretary Wilson said he advised
against the method of hiSulSetinE ihc
presidents message, which Mr.. PincbUJ
proposed.
Qualified Answer.
Attorney Prppcr-But YOU did acqui-
eECc iu Mr. rlnchors writing II letter
such as YOU understood he WAS going to
uriisp