The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-12

drawal made by Secretary Garlield's or
dcrs and asked for a comment on each,
do you want one TO draw inIerences?
asked MIR. Davis
That has been the style here to
date" remarked Senator Nelson.
Mr.. Davis said he thought the Garfield
plan of making wholesale Withdrawals,
which could be pared down by suoseqnent
examination. was preferable to the BAL
lipger plan Of restoring all the lands and
later Withdrawing the smaller areas actu-
ally necessary for power site purposes
He thought the first method a better pro-
lection OF the governments interests:
When the technical features OF his tes-
timony had been exhausted Mr. Davis
was asked to tell Of H. an interview he ,n0a had
The secretary tclephoncd to mo TO
come to his hotel.' said the witness. We
talked for two hours discussing prinGio fio
criticised the conduct of the reclamatio
service and snid that the withdrawal OF
the large areas was Illegal. He ALSO said SAID
there were many settlers on lands In the
west who had been promised water and
had nothing but promises to live on,
Basis of Criticism.
He criticised our system OF force ac-
counts or the direct employment OF labor
and said we ought TO have everything
dono by contract. ~,
told h.m II was for the purpose OF dis
seminating information as to various pro.
jects that 1t saved time for officers and
prevented inaccuracy in newspaper ac-
counts. He criticised what he termed our
oppression OF contractors. and sold he
h adheard much complaint on that score
any oppression but that / had always
tried 10 do Justice TO them:
Il defended. all the things he criticised
did not show any great familiarity with
the work of the service. He seemed in
tcrcsted in all l said, and when was
Ill, rtag tYnrx. 1nf,ly bad
better TO him. He said he wanted me
TO help him get acquainted with the
work and promised TO do so.
Ibid you know he had previously gone
over these matters with your superior.
Director Newell?" asked Attorney Pepper.
II did not"
did Mr.. Ballinser make any reference
to Mr.. Newell?''
HE expressed a lack of confidence in
him. I had also seen newspaper clip
pings which said Secretary Ballinger In
service and TO eliminate Mr.. Newell"
what impression did Mr.. Ballinger's
comment on the power site Withdrawals
leave with you?'
No Great Harm Done,
HE spoke as though great crime had
been committed by these Withdrawals l
said / did not think it SO serious,
that the lands could be readily restored,
and that no great harm could be done.
He asked me specifically II could segre-
ton OF power from the others. l said
could. He told me to go ahead, but that
he did not care TO have 1t done sudden
ly. I got the impression that he wanted
II done slowly. but did not attach any
significance to It,"
Didn't Mr.. Ballinger say he wanted II
done slowly so as not TO attract public
attention."
"Yes. that Is my recollection"
did Mr.. Ballinger: in speaking or his
intention TO restore the Withdrawn lands.
u it,,r <tyrT han S,f n
''No. He said the Withdrawals were
entirely, Illegal and could not DC sus~
tained."
Mr.. Davis said that on March IS he
and Mr., Newell had a further inter-
view.
.'Mr. Rallinger" continued the witness,
"again said the Withdrawals were illegal.
Mr., Newell defended the Withdrawals
and said many OF them had been made
under the supervisory power OF the sec
rotary, 10 which Mr.. Ballinger added,
Which he doesn't have declaring the
Withdrawals were all In violation Of the
law and must be restored. He directed us
TO proceed with the preparation OF lists
for restoration, l can't say that he told
him.
Newell Made Protest.
''Mr. Newell protested vigorously at
this time and at other times. Nothing
any intention on Mr.. Rallngers part to
rcwithdraw the lands he proposed to re-
store. Mr.. BallinGer left the impression
that he would give the instructions as 20
the Withdrawals in writing, but he did
not do THIS.
Every time we talked on the subject.
however, he always gave the impres-
writing: also got the impression that
as to the legality OF the Withdrawals he
would take the matter UP with the at
torney general. II he did so, however.
l don't know Of It,"
But In preparing these lists for
restoration. you understood that you
were carrying out mandatory order?
II did"
Representative James; Then II 1t had
been left TO you. you never would have
restored these lands?"
Mr. Davis: II would not have with
drawn them in the first place"
Plenty of Explanation.
The witness explained this answer.
however, by saying he did not want the
reclamation service 30 Initiate" the
withdra walls He wanted II TO be an
administration measure. He declared
the reclamation service had multitude
nous enemies" in the west, was con-
stant target of attack and he did not
want to do anything to make it any
more unpopular
Mr.. Davis took especial care to say
that he thought Mr.. Garields with
drawals were wise and Mr.. Ballinger's
ever, for the reclamation service to die
tate the policy OF the administration.
and he did not want the service TO be
used as n buffer between tho people
and the interior department.
The prosecution" claims that Secre-
tary Ballinger gave President Taft tho
impression that in restoring lands with
drawn under the previous administration
he acted wholly under the recommended
tion OF the reclamation service. II says
this is indicated in the presidents let
ter of eXoneration in which he declared
;'cruel injustice had been done in the
criticisms OF the secretary on this score"
Mr.. Davis said he thought the people
In the west would favor the wholesale
withdra walls made by Secretary Garfield
II they had the matter fully explained
to them.
The 'multitudinous enemies" of the
service. he declared, were the special
interests" and the people who were try
Ing to avoid proper payments to the gov
ernment
Attorney Pepper read TO the witness
letter from Secretary Ballinger dated
April IS. 1909 TO Thomas E SSyill of this
city. In which Mr. Ballineer said in re-
lands.
What Ballinger Said.