Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-05-01
DIRECT
RECLAMATION
SERVICE
THIS Is FIRM OPINION OF
SECRETARY BALLINGER
Cabinet officer Continues His
Series of DoniaIS Before Com
mittoe With Three Days Or
deal Still Before Him,

t"ff NA"f SfN+ fNtftfff F'f'iAi -NiishN hlFcl
Washington Aaril 30--SecretarN
, Ballinger continued to contradict and
deny statements ana accusations
against him from the witness stand
in the Rallinger- -Pnchot investigat on
today lie was still under direct ex-
animation when tho committee Jd
lourncd until next Thursday
Passing from the subject of Alas
6an coal lands Mr Ballingcr launched
into "a justification Of his attitude to-
ward the reclamation service His
most important denial was Of the
charge made by Director f. II Newell
and chief Engineer A. F. Davis. Of
the service. thnt ne misrepresented to
the president that the reclamation SER
vice had recommended the restoration
of the water mower sites withdrawn
by Secretary Garfield.
The reclamation service officials
sWore Mr. Balinper ordered them to
restorations. MI Ballinger swore las.
as positively that he had made ~
such order, although he felt the lands
bad beou illegally withdrawn au
should he restored to entry and had
SO stated te tho reclamation oificials.
Mr. rallinger maac no secret OF the
TACT that be would like to see AR
4 Newell superseded as head Of the
4 reclamation bureau. IIo t0ld the
+ committee he did not have much con
+ fdencc in MIR Ncwell's administrative
ability, although he denied hostility
10 tbs governments reclamation pol
icy and said many of the projects un-
der way had great possibilities for the
development Of the west
Asked by his lawyer why he did
not make change" in the reelama-
tion service Mr.. Rallinger retorted
sharply;
"Eecaasc my hands have been up
for months and | have not been able
70 get them down"
Att0rneY Ncrtrees said tonight ne
hoped go finish direct examination oa
Mr Baiuser hy middle mSt fhurs-
dan when he win turn him over To
the opposing counsel for cross-eXam-
ination. Mr. Ballingcr probably will
be on the stand for three more days
az lane'
TWO hours OF toduys session were
consumed by the committee over the
question rl granting Attorney Bran
dcis' request for paners and docu-
mcnts bonring ON the summar, of
The CLAWS charges prepared for the
president By the attorney general
The committee again denied the re-
quest though making one small con
gucd the question and threw some ad
ditional light on the controversy
Mr Nertrees charged there was
conspiracy afoot against othcr advis
crs than AR. I}allinger Of "a president .
who happened 10 be distastelui TO the
conspirators
For the lirst time Mr Brandeis
openly stated his belef that the at
torncy general had ante-datcd his
summary with the idea of making
that appear proper which was moi
proper when done" He had refer
euce 10 the dismissal OF his client. l..
r. CLAWS, bv the president on Sop
tcmber % last and was intimatng
hat the attorney general, months af-
ter that date had dra Wn rp the sum
mary in an effort 10 justify an error
Of the president and la order to make
The deception complete had dated it
'wo days before the presidents action
WAS ta',en.
At great length Air Ballinger cx-
pl1incd why he was not in sympathy
Ni;h the prevailing system under
~ hich rcrlama tion work was conduct
,d. He said he did not think the see
'etarT OF the interior had right un-
Ter the reclamation act to undertake
my project without having sufficient
'unds to complete IL. lie also thought
ne WORN SntuIh bF N0Ht NllN'I Aiit
'ontract system instead OF the gov
'rnmcnt force system. as this would
nable the service to ascertain the eN-
lct cost before initiating it and would
'udhls settlers to determine at the
,utsct just what they would have to =
lay MIR Ballinger said he had spent !
great deal of time in studying the
ystem and had travelled more than
10000 miles during the past summer
n visiting various projects.
TIC said he had submitted plan fot
h" reorganization of the service to
,hief Engineer Davis as "a result of his
INVESTIGATIONS.
one of Mr. laningcr's objections to II
he present system no said Was that =
ndcr ID the director was practically +,
he vhule thing. and although the ~
ecreury Was responsible all he bad "
70 do With The work was to sign per "
unctorily whatever the director q
rouGht him W
The so-caned black tent affair" p
'gs hrpurht e. Mr. Ballinger's at !"
-ntion Both Director NeVell and
'nginccr Davis had testified that T. =,
D. Perkins. purchasing agent at Chi =
ago tor -he Service. had received $500 -
month foF IT period oi four months u
-pm the Hartman interests Tor de- ~
Nering lectures nnl that other fail u
,ads had complained about IT, They al
aid the matter Was called to MIR IL
allingers attention aud that he sent p'
80 men 10 Chicago TO Investigate but az
iat IL resulted not only in Perkins 81
.,eution inn in his being ,l,.sd '.f al
head of the office Mr Newell
AL testified that Mr.. Ballinger had
,huked him for writing to Perkins
irgesting his resignation.
Mr.. Newell has stated that you i'm -
ructed him that nothing should bee p'
one which reflected ON Perkins Is ~
lat true asked Mr.. Nertrees of the W
itness. y;
There Is not "a nar.isi. OF truth ia III,
replied Mn Haliinper II had no
sire whatever 20 shield Mr Perkins. ha
sent out two competent men from m
Ie department ia Investigate the
after and a. result of their in da