The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-03-08
PINCH0I QUlzzED
Ballinger'S Counsel Asks
For Fraud Proof.
CITES LITTER TO PRtSIDfNT
Ex-Forester Had Little Personal
knowledge OF Any Facts That
Reflect On the Se,re-
taTy's Conduct.

Washington. March 5.-As soon a.
Clifford Pinchot resumed the stand il
the BallingerPinchot Investigation
Mr.. Nertrees. counsel Tor the secre
tary. said to him.
Please state one single fact OF your
own knowledge that reflects upon Mr.
Bsllinger's conduct either as comm: is
sioner OF the land Office or secretary
OF the interior-not hcarsay not what
somebody else said or Wro3e-of your
own knowledge
Witness hesitated. but after reading
over list he had. said.
The fact OF my own knowledge is
Mr. BSllincer's letter TO the prcsiden,
Of Nov. 10. with which he inclosed the
Ronald letter. These letters contain
misstatemcu's which havs already
shown ami AKA prepared further To
show"
Pressed 20 state further what H.
personally knew Ballingcr said or did
PlnChot said he had never discussed
the CUNNINGHAM case with Baliinger
The only knowledge he hsd at first
hand is limited TO writings thar are
row disputed
Witness said that mp 10 the t.sac hc
sent CLAWS 20 President Taft rela
lions between himself and NJ Ral
linger had been fairly friendly. not
more than that"
He Oistrusted Ballineer.
Piuchot said he WAS not unfrieuily
10 Bailingar but he distrustcd him
his policies. what he would do
Here Mr. Nertrees asked whether.
after "all the statements YOU made 10
the commit ee when You took the
stand Do an hc could cite against Bal
lingcr OF his own knowledge is that
letter OF Nov 10
Il said 2 expected To prove some Of
the things ! charged by other wiz
nesses" was the reply
Referring to his testimony that Mr
Ballinger as commissioner of the land
Office protested against the creation
Of the Chugach forest in Alaska in
which some OF the Cunningham claims
are located Mr. Pinchot said he had
never read Mr.. Ballinger's letter of
protest and did not know what rea.
sons he gave.
Had Nc Chance 10 Read Letter.
Asked g. he didn't think il only fair
to have read IL before submitting II
here with the differences that might
Pc drawn from his testimony. said his
knowledge OF Mr.. Ballingers position
was based on an interview with him
in Mr. Garfeld's Office.
lie understood IL to he hostile Ia
what has since come 20 Doe called con
servation
BY request, Pinchot read the letter
and said that In his Judgment IL indi.
rated hostility To the general policy
Of conservation.
He was asked 20 point out a single
statement To that eject and replied
that fl was impossible To make judg
ment on single statement The whole
thing had 10 be taken together.
Water Power Site Withdrawals.
Witness was asked II it was not
known when Mr. Garfield withdrew
the large tracts OF lands for water
power sites that nine tenths OF lands
so withdrawn were not needed and
would have 10 De- restored
Mr.. Pinchot said he did not know
the exact figures. He would not admit
that the Withdrawals were more than
necessary. however.
Witness frankly said II had been
his policy 10 withdraw lands for for
est ranger stations when they were
not needed 20 protect possible power
sites
so that was your policy and Secre
tary Garfeld's?~
Yes. and President Roosevelt's and
Secretary Wilson's"