El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-11-26
RALUNGER MAY BE FORCED
OUT IN FEAR Of DEMOCRATS

RalIinger- Pinchot matter will be the
big event when congress meets and
nobody can tell what ramifications II
will take but it is believed that Bal
Enger will resign before the Demo
cratic congress comes into power, to
prevent congress taking summary
action
History of the Case.
August 10, I9o9-Field agent L. r
CLAWS. who had been fighting the
patenting of the Cunningham coal land
claims in Alaska, consu1ts with Clifford
Pinchot, chief forested, who advises
him TO lay his case before the presi'
dent
August IS. I9Os-Glavis calls on pres
ident Taft at Beverly and presents
evidence tending to show that secre-
tary Rallinger and several other Off
Gals Of the interior department had
violated the public trust, in connection
with the Cunningham coal land case.
Sept 6, 1se9-Secretary Ballinger
visits president Taft at Beverly and
presents his side Of the case.
Sept Is, 1909-President Taft makes
public a letter endorsing secretary
Ballinger and authorizing the dismissal
Of CLAWS from the service.
Dec. q, I9O9-Secretary Jones, Of
Washington, reads letter IN the senate
from Ballinger asking for fun inquiry
into the interior department.
Nov. %, 190e-Secretary Ballinger in
his annual report asks for new laws
for the preservation of natural re-
sources.
Jan. 5, 191O-Senator Jones and
representative Humphrey, both Of
Washington, present resolutions in the
senate and house providing for a con-
gressional investigation of the interior
department and forestry service.
Jan. 6, 191o-President Taft sends re-
port of attorney general to the senate,
which endorsed Ballinger's attitude in
the Alaska coal land cases, and upheld
the president for dismissing CLAWS.
reads letter from Pinchot attacking
Ballinger-
Jan :, Ie10-Pinchot is removed from
office by order of president Taft
Jan 10, 1910-Resolution of inquiry
passed by congress, providing for
joint investigating committee.
Jan 90, 191O-Congression commit
tee begins its sessions.
Feb. 26, 191O-Pinchot issues state
ment before testifying before the com
mittee, calling Ballinger a betrayer Of
the public trust
May IA, l910-Frederick NJ. Kerby, a
Ballinger in a signed Statement de-
clared that president Taft's letter ex-
onerating Ballinger, was prepared by
Oscar Lawler, assistant attorney gen.
eral for the interior department.
May 20, 1910-Taking of testimony
came to an end.
Nay IS, 1sIO-Arguments by attor-
neys concluded and case went to the
committee
June Is, I910-Briefs filed by attor-
neys for both parties
June &c, 1910-Congress adjourned
without any report from committee.
Attracts Great Attention.
No congressional inquiry in recent
years has attracted SO much attention
as the investigation into the Ballinger-
Pfnchot controversy. The high official
position of the interested men, the
enormous interests involved, and the
sensational developments of the inves-
tigation were alone sufficient to at
tract national attention; but to this
has been added the fact that the whole
Taft conservation policy was prac-
tically on trial
Pinchot and other champions of the
conservation movement have declared
that Ballinger's conduct of the interior
department will undo all the good work
accomplished under the Roosevelt ad-
ministration. Ballinger and his sup
porters reply to the charges with the
argument that the large withdrawal Of
lands by secretary Garfield were lille
gal. and that the present administra-
ton, while in harmony with the con-
servation policy, will act within legal
bounds.
The Cannon Defeat.
The main issue has been clouded
number of different times by sensa-
tional episodes. The first of these oc-
CURED at the very beginning, when
speaker Cannon was defeated in his
effort to name the house members of
the committee and they were elected at
party caucuses.
Then came a sad blow to the conser-
vationists when Clifford Pinchot. the
former chief forester, failed to substan-
tiate sensational charges against sec
rotary Ballinger when on the witness
stand. The president himself and at
torney general Wickersham became
seriously involved when il leaked out
that the LAWYER memorandum" had
played a prominent part in the presi-
dents letter generating secretary Bal
linger. The testimony of Frederick NJ.
Kerby, confidential secretary of Mr.
Ballinger, caused another sensation and
made the public look with a skeptical
eye on the methods employed by the
president and his advisers to excuse
the actions of the secretary of the in
terror.
Origin of the Trouble.
Although the Ballinger- Pinchot con-
5roversy first came to public attention
when l. r CLAWS, the former field
agent, laid his charges against the Sec
rotary Of the interior before president
Taft on Aug. IS, 1909, it really had its
inception during the Roosevelt admin
istration. At that time Mr.. Ballinger
was at the head of the land office. A
group of men called the Cunningham
interests had filed q number of claims
to some very valuable coal lands in
Alaska These interests, according to
Pinchot and his followers, are con-
troled absolutely by the Guggenheims.
Charges Wiped Out.
Three field agents, including l. r.
CLAWS, chief of the field service of the
interior department, were detailed to
investigate the claims. One of the men
submitted a favorable report and Bal