Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-06
Between Ba||inger and
Counsel for Claws
Committee Decides He Need
Not Answer More Fully.
BalIinger Says He Never Thought
Much Of Claws Ability.

sole 1Qea OF liuoI.
II defy anyone to put his finger on
anything that l have done while in
the public service which was not in
Inc with my duty and in accordance
with my trust" he said.
AS though in acceptance of the chal-
lengc, Attorney Brandeis. counsel for
l.. r. CLAWS, one of Ballinger's chief
accusers, then took w the cross-ex-
amin ton of the witness. Within five
minutes the expected clash between
them had taken place and on his very
first question. Mr.. Brandeis had to APP
peal to the committee to request Mr..
Ba!inGer to answer it.
The question involved Postmaster
General Hitchcock as the officials pie
Brandeis wanted to know Why Mr..
distributor" Of the administration. Mr.,
Ba!linger wired Chief of Field Division
Schwartz to wait until h" had talked
with Hitchcock before he made the APP
pointment of the special agents to be
employed i'm the Alaskan coal cases
investigation. Mr.. Ballinger said that
fact had no political significance and
declined to answer more explicitly. "A
wrangle between Mr. Brandeis and the
the result was record vote by which
the committee by vote of six to five
decided that Mr.. Ballingcr need not
answer more fully.
Mr.. Ballinger admitted the now ia
NOUS Associated Press interview in
which he declared after his return to
Washington. subsequent to the publi-
cation of CLAWS charges, that he
proposed to kill some snakes" He al.
son admitted that he had referred to
CLAWS, who. he had made up his mind,
Ought to be killed as d snake"
He said CLAWS "loafed on the job in
conducting the Alaskan cases and that
he never thought as much of CLAWS
ability as some others in his depart
ment did.
Early in the day Mr.. Ballinger con-
tradicted two statements made by Ex-
Sec. Garfield. He testified also that
since Pinchot'S dismissal there had
been a complete reversal of the forestry
policy of the government and he said
he believed it would keep a great many
Americans from emigratng to Canada
and would result in the development
Of many portions Of forest reserves. A
hitherto unpublished letter of the
President to Mr.. Ballinger. under date
Of Sept. 10, 1909, was read. In it the
President expressed a desire to retain
pinchot but said his weakness lay in
his inability to credit high and honor
able motives to those who differed with
him as to his method of doing things"
The President, in the letter requested
Mr. Ballinger to remain silent under
;1:c I.
was the reason he did not follow his
"atural impulse to answer the charges
against him.
Mr.. Ballinger again denied that he
had ordered or directed, as testified by
Mr.. Newell and Mr.. Davis. that the
reclamation service should recommend
the restoration of power sites with
rawn under Garfield.
Mr. Vertrees then asked the witness
TO explain why he had subsequently
withdrawn land he had previously
restored to entry.
My withdrawals were under no bet
ter legal authority than those of Mr.
Garfield" said Mr.. Ballinger. But
ordered them in fear that many of the
most valuable power sites would be
taken up pending action of Congress
giving the President power to with
draw lands"
He added that his course was fully
outlined in the Presidents letter to
Mr. Garfield. dated Nov. "a. 1909, in
which the President said:
when he (Ballinger) presented to
me, s. the danger that water
power sites might be taken up pend
ing the action of Congress. which was
needed to treat them on the basis, rec
commended by Mr. Roosevelt | con-
scented to a new order of withdrawal,
provided the place of the water pow
er sites was definitely fixed by the ge-
oiogical bureau which has the best
source of information as it turns out
in respect to places where they were.
This is considerable stretch of the
secrctary's power. but I have been
willing in view of it's previous exercise
to continue it with respect to more
definitely ascertain water power sites
until | can tring the matter sharply
to the attention OF Congress-
The President did bring this mat
ter SHARPLY to the attention Of Con-
gress" and the passage of legislation
vesting the President with power to
make Withdrawals his part of his legis- |
lative program of the present session. |
At the afternoon session of the inves- |
tigation MIR. Ballinger said that since |
Pinchot's dismissal there had been |
reversal Of the policy of the forestry |
bureau which held full sway when |
Pinchot was in charge.
Il think it had the effect of keeping a |
great many people from going to Can
ada because there is a great deal of land ,
in our reserves capable of being devel-
oped.'>
Explain what you meant when you
testified that you had your hands up and /
couldn't get them down. said Attorney |
Vetrees. land why you remained silent !
under criticism"
Had 1 followed my natural impulse,
said Mr.. Ballinger, raising his voice, II
would have made a strenuous effort at |
The outset, giving the absolute fact of
he conspiracy which existed against me,
and would have given to the public an
swers to all of the charges preferred
,Ca;pct Ruf 7 nhevo5 An, direction,