The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-01-05

IT'S Officers ana GLlDlU1 cS- dS II 4lEa-
said committee Is hereby empowered
10 sit and act during the recess OF Con-
sress and during the session Of either
the attendance Of witnesses. and the
production of paper< by subpoena OF
otherwise, to swear Such witnesses ana
take their testimony under oath, or IN
writing TO obtain documents. papers or
ether information from the several 0e-
uartmeuts Of the Government or any
bureau thereof, 10 employ a StenOgTa-
uher TO take and make a TecOTu or al
evidence, ana to employ such assistance
legal or otherwise. as may be deemed
An the costs and expenses Of said in
restigatfon shall be paid One-haf from
the contingent fund Of the Senate
and One-half from the contingent fund
of the House Of EepresentatIN Is
All hearings by said committee snaii
ne open 10 the public The committee
shall report 10 CoT-EreSs al the eVl-
deuCe taken and their findings and con
CIusions thereon. ANY person refusing
20 obey the process OF said committee Or
refusing 10 answer any questions pro-
pounded by or under the direction or
said committee. shall he deemed SuIlIy
or contempt and jurisdiction Is hereby
conferred upon the Court OF Appeals OF
the District Of Columbia. TO Try and de
teTTnine any such charges OF contempt
Senator Jones Speaks
On presenting the resolution, Senator
Jones addressed the Senate briefly n
support Of II. He said the charges against
Secretary BaIlinger ranged from petty
fnsinuations and iunUeudoes to direct
charges OF malfeasance and misconduct
in offce. which. II true. show that he
has most unworthily discharged his
trust He defended Secretary BaIlinger
and said the Secretary welcomed an IN
vestigatiOu- Senator Jones said
The Earious departments and bureaus
Of the Government are organized 70 do
Its business in the interest 81 the peo-
pIe Every official IS but the servant
snd agent Of the people TO act Tor
them under and within the limits OF the
ysE. The efficiency CT public service
depends much upon the confidence Of the
people ii the honesty and integrity %
their servants and agents
1T is a sad commentary upon The
state Of public opinion that the moment
q man accepts "a public office he be
comes a s-oundreI in the eyes Of many
Of our people and his previous life Of
honesty and reCtitUde is no warrant Of
official integrity His acts are miScou-
Et-ged and his motives questioned In
situations and iunuendOes are freely
made under the gulse OF the puoilc Vel
fare but IN reality 10 foster some pr
vaue interest Popular views are taken
advantage of 10 disCredit an Official
subject. may reach decision at var
lance with some private interest
Many do not stop 10 think how SCI
dom have Government officials gone
asrray COmpa red with their oppOrtuui-
ties and temptations for wron2doinE-
In the hundred and twenty-five years OF
OUT national life few OF the men I'm high
positions have been actua-ed by other
han the highest and most patriotic mo-
rives- This should cause our people TO
hesitate to accept charges OF base con
duct a Eaiust their public servants with
out investigation and proof
Filled With Charges
The press and ma gaines Of the coun-
tn for several months have been filed
with charges against the present Sec
rotary OF the Interior and his conduct
Of the office he holds. These charges
range rom petty insinuatiOns and IN
uuendos 20 direct charges Of ualfeas-
anCe and misconduct I'm Office which, z
true show that ne has most unWOTJhily
discharged his trust A moments
thought should cause an honest and
fafr-rniuded man 10 hesitate 10 accept
such charges against a man whose
whole life heretofore has Ebeen one OF
the highest TeCtitUde and against whom
no dishonorable charge has ever been
made in either private or public life
such a man is the present Secretary
Of the Interior He is over fifty years
Of age, an hOuored graduate OF VII
rfams College. and a lawyer OF dis
rfnctiou. He came 70 our State IN 1883
and has lived there ever since He vas
a superior judge for -FOUR years and
mayor Of the city Of Seattle, and his
administration Of that office has been
q model for his SUCCESSORS
He accepted the Office of Comu1is-
ei0uer Of the General Land once AZ
the urgent solicitation Of PresidenJ
Roosevelt and OF SecIetaIy C5'I Il'-e
who knew personally MS sterling cnaT-
srter and exceptional ability He did
NOT seek that office He accepted MS
present position only upon the earnest
solicitation Of the President He did
not seek it. II meant nothing 10 him
hut hard work and poor pay He gave
yp large and lucrative law practice
simply at the call Of patriotic duty
rs Il uOsSIbIe that he at once became
the Eco77udreI and arch enemy Of the
people that he has been depicted IN the
public preSsG ] cannot believe II = II
he has used his high Office 10 advance
special interests, # he has sacrlnced the
TeOule for private or personal gam lei
+ he shown II on the other hand, the
-,,o-re Tere rqGr deceived and he has
been unjust1v accused, that should bf
shown, not only that Justice may be
done him. but that the confidence OF the
public IN the honesty ana INTEGRITY OF
its public servants may be restored and
strengthened and the animus Of the at
tscEs disclosed
BaHinger's Views
Much has been said regarding his
views on the conservation OF our natural
resources This shall not discuss al
this time 7 believe that Il viii be
shown that his purposes and objects AT
substantially the same as those Of the
most radical cOnservatiOnist, and tht
main difference Is but one Of methods
Assuredly there IS room for an homes
difference Of opinion as 10 how our gTea
natural resources can best be conserved
81 may agree with some % the view!
Of those Who criticise the policies, TIT
methods. and proposals Of the SeCre
tary, but that ne Is honest and patriot,
fn his views 7 have not the slightes
doubt one thing IS sure. we have had
several years Of talk about cOnserva
ton, We have had platitude piled UDOI
plaiitude IN the most dramatic way, bu
no specific or detailed plans for con
servation have been presented
The present. Secretary OF the Interio
instead OF dealing In giittering general