Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-05-28
THE ARGUMENTS
Begun in the BalIingsi-
Pinchot Investigation.
Counsel for prosecution" BIZ
terIy Attack Secretary.
vsrtress Ably and EloqusntIy %.
tends That Official.

torneys on one side scoring Secretary
Ballinger as man unfit to be at the
head OF the interior department and
with the leading attorney on the other
side defending him and denouncing his
accusers, whom he termed the "Glavis.
Garfield Clifford group" the Ballinger-
| Pinchot investigating committee listen
| ed to summing up arguments by coun.
sci today. The arguments probably
will be concluded tomorrow.
Attorneys Branieis and Pepper told
the committee they had produced evil
dence which established that Baliinger
was not "Vigilant" and "Resolute" in
resisting the aggressions of special in
terests and that his course was char
acterized by lack Of fidelity to the
public interest.
Attorney Vertree's reply was that
Mr.. Ballinger was as much of a "Con-
servationist" as any one In proper
sense" but that he did not belong to
the "Pinchot brand of 33d degree con-
servationists who have gone to seed
on conservation"
The lawyers for the Prosecution"
finished their speeches but Mr.. vertrees
was not fairly launched in his argu-
ment when the committee adjourned
and he will conclude tomorrow. Bran.
deis and Pepper will make short argu-
ments in rebuttal.
Washington. May 27.-Lawyers for
the prosecution in the Ballinger-
Pincllot investigation made their sum-
ming up arguments before the Con-
gressional committee today and in no
a i'm RI I, -.
proved their case against Secretary
Ballinger.
His constant yielding under press
ure makes him unfit for the office of
secretary of the Interior" exclaimed
Sec. Brandeis. counsel for L. r. CLAWS,
He denounced the discharge Of CLAWS
without an opportunity to be heard on
the charges preferred against him.
He extolled CLAWS and Stenogapher
Kerby as two courageous young men
who had refused to be disloyal to their
government as to the price of loyalty
to their superiors."
% When Mr.. Brandeis had concluded,
the committee took the usual luncheon
recess. After the committee recon-
vened, Attorney Pepper, counsel for
Clifford Pinchot, made his address.
Senator Root, who departed for The
Hague peace tribunal last week, was
the only member of the committee alb
sent when today's session began. The
committee room was crowded and as
usual most of the spectators were wo-
men. None of the principals involved
in the controversy was present.
Before Mr.. Brandeis began his arcu.
ment. Mr. Pepper, counsel for Mr..
PlnCh0f tad Ia <5a1
or E. A. Braniff, who was in charge of
the forestry work done on the Mem
ominee, Wis, Indian reservation.
where 1T had been charged by the "de-
fence the forestry work had been
wasteful. He denied the charges
Chairman Nelson read a letter which
he said he had received from C. p Con-
molly of Golfers Weekly. Mr.. Con-
molly referred to the testimony OF As
sistant Attorney General Lawler to the
effect that on the deck Of the steamer
Republic he had trampled down wo-
men and children in an attempt to get
to lifeboat. Connolly wrote that he
was never on the Republic or any 9TH
er trans Atlantic liner.
Mr.. James then read a letter from
James r. Connolly, writer Of sea
stories. declaring that he evidently was
the man to whom Lawler referred to.
but that the charges against him had
been absolutely disproved" and that
the steward who had started the story
had fled to Canada and he had been
unable to prosecute him because libel
was not an extraditable offense.
Mr.. Brandeis offered in evidence q
letter which he said Ballinger had adj
dressed to Secretary Garfield at West
Wenton, Ohio, on Sept. 13. 1908. making
an appointment regarding q matter
pending in the Indian bureau, also one
in the government land Office" Mr..
Balliger wrote that he was "at present
involved in the pleasureable labor of
assisting Judge Taft's candidacy"
Mr.. Brandeis then made his argument
before the committee.
Mr.. Brandeis. counsel for L.
X. CLAWS. declared that II had been
conclusively established that Secretary
Ballinger is not man $50 zealously
devoted to the interests Of the COM
mon people, sovigilant and resolute, in
resisting the insidious aggressions OF
the special interests that he may safe.
ly be relied upon to carry forward the
broad policy of conservation Of our
national resources"
That he is subject to far severer
criticism we firmly believe" admitted
Mr.. Brandeis.
Mr.. Brandeis spoke for about two
hours, reserving half an hour for clos-
ing after Attorney vertrees had adj
dressed the committee on behalf OF
Mr.. Ballinger. He referred to CLAWS
as the ideal public servant and to
Clifford Pinchot as "a man Of characs
ter SO high as to be above even tho
suspicion Of self-seeking." He viguf.
ously defended the action Of steilog-
raphcr Frederick M. Kerby, in making
public confidential information OF tho
Interior Department bearing on tne
preparation of the LAWYER mefnor1ft-.
dunn and said:
ITO criticize Kerby for this act N
wolves a total mfsconceptiom o. the
nature Of our government: Z:
(Continusd On Iase 11ve