Smyrna times., 1910-03-02
FINCHOT'S Lash
ON BALLINGER
Secretary Denounced as Secret
Foe to Conservation.
PLOT TO LOOT ALASKA

Clifford Pinchot Says He Tricked Taft
and Took Cabinet Place With De.
Ilberate Intent to Block Roosevelt
Measures.
Washington, Feb. 2S-With an open
ing statement of what ne expects to
prove to the committee respecting the
unfitness of Secretary of the Interior |
Ballinger for the place he occupies, in
which he charges that Ballinger has
not only striven to defeat the public |
interests in favor of corporate and in
Gividual greed, but that he has de-
ceived and misled the president by
false statements, Clifford Pinchot,
leader of the conservation movement
III the United States, began his testi-
muny before the Ballinger investigat-
ing committee.
Pinchot's story made profound i'm
preston on all who heard 1t and
brought home to the spectators and
nittee for the first time the immense
economic importance of the fight and
it's no less tremendous political i'm
portance to the Taft administration
and the Republican party. AS present
ed by Pinchot, the case dwarfed al
most into insignifcance the struggle
over the Cunningham coal land claims
| in Alaska and the relatively petty ir
regularities charged to the secretary
| of the interior and officials of the land
Office in connection with these. AS
disclosed in it's full scope by the de-
posed chief forester, the struggle was
for the loot of an empire practically
| incalculable in value and involving the
welfare not only of millions of living,
but of other millions yet unborn. Pin
cbot impressively declared that the
questions at issue were incomparably
the most momentous and vital that
now confronted the American people
or that would occupy the public mind
for many years to come.
Turning to a direct attack on Bal
lingers acts and motives, Pinchot ac-
cused the secretary of having made an
explanation of his conduct to the pres
ident that was essentially false" He
charged him with be'~~ a "dange-
Gus enemy to conservation" He charg,
ed him with having made a statement
shown by undisputed documentary
evidence ito be absolutely false in
three essential particulars" He charg-
ed him with having "wilfully deceived
the president" and of being disioyal
to the president.
Mr.. Pinchot followed up the vigor.
Gus attack made upon Secretary Bal
linger in his opening statement by an
nouncing that he fully believed in Spe-
t cial Agent CLAWS and was convinced
that all CLAWS said was true. He char
: acterized CLAWS as a faithful public
l servant" and declared that the facts
|. which he presented proved that Mr.
!. Ballinger had been unfaithful to hi7
= trust as the guardian of public prop
e erty of enormous value"
). Mr. Pinchot declared that Director
/ Newell. of the reclamation service
s would be called as one of his wit
e nesses to prove his charges agains
I0dllluSSl. HS SCClC
J. tery of the Interior. James R. Garfield
r it was announced, would also be oD'
J. of Mr.. Pinchot's hackers.
r One of tho most dramatic incidentl
d of the day was left for the last hal
n hour of the session, when Mr.. PinchO
l. declared that there was no such de
J. clsion by the comptroller of the treas
/, ury as had been cited by Presiden
Y Taft in his letter of Sept. 1S. 1909. t
r Secretary Ballinger, dismissing tn
t CLAWS charges and authorizing tn
q removal of CLAWS from the sercice
e Mr.. P'lchot's implication was tha
President Taft had either been misle
a. or utterly mistaken.
n Under a rapid fire of questions Nj
" Pinchot would not recede from thi
1t position.
le After his startling indictment {
t. Ballinger in his opening statemen
C. Pinchot proceeded under the skillfl
Re questioning of George Wharton Pei
e. per. of Philadelphia, one of his coui
!. sell to Civ. testimony orally and
the introduction of Official and otht
documents in support of his chars
lg that Ballinger nursed deliberate pu
n pose to overturn the policy of conse
II. vation and that he had deceived h
sh chief. President Taft, in pursuance
lr- this plan.