Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-08
Republican Members of Commit
tee Approve Actions of
interior Secretary
MINORITY READY TO FIGHT
Resolution Demanding Dismissal
of Cabinet Member May
Be introduced
Associated Press1

ger-Pinchot investigating committee,
after eleven months work, made it's
final report to congress today.
In the opinion of seven Republican
members, a majority of the committee,
Secretary Ballinger Honestly and
faithfully performed the. duties of his
high office, with an eye single to the
public interest"
In the opinion of the four Democrats,
Mr.. Ballinger has not been true to the
trust repoSed in him as secretary of
the interior, and should be required by
the proper authorities to resign.
Both reports, with the independent
report OF Representative Madison, in
surgent Republican. also adverse to
Mr.. Ballinger, were offered in the
senate by Senator Nelson and in the
house by Representative Mccall. Their
presentation followed q meeting of the
full committee.
The Democratic members, led by
Senator Fletcher of Florida, agreed to
this method of getting tho reports be-
fore congress after their motion to
substitute their own report had been
rejected in the committee. Senator
Fletcher first raised the point of order
that the committee had already ap-
proved the report that was made pub
lie at Minneapolis. This point was
OVcrrule0 DY CHAIRMAN 1NGlSoII" DhS
a motion then was made to substitute
the Democratic report for the report
agreed upon by the seven Republican
members. This was voted down, to D,
Representative Madison voting with
the four Democrats.
REPORTS ON EQUAL FOOTING
1t was agreed after the majority re-
port had been adopted that all three
should be presented at once in each
house and printed together.
Under this arrangement the dis
senting reports are given equal stand
| ing with the majority report before
the two houses. An order for thirty
thousand copies of the report was
made by the senate.
Senator Fletcher said later that
steps would be taken by the Demo-
Gratis to bring about action in accord
ance with the recommendation in their
report The recommendation in ques-
tion characterizes Secretary Ballinger
as mot deserving of the public conf
dence" and recommends that he
should be requested by the proper au-
thorities to resign his office of secre-
tary of the interior"
The reports were accepted In both
houses without comment. The plan or
action to be followed by the Demo-
Gratis has not been determined, but 1t
is understood a resolution will be pre-
sented to carry out the recommended
ton for the secretarys removal. SUCH
a. resolution probably will call fatty
upon the president to discharge his
cabinet officer.
The Democrats held a conference on
the matter today. They characterize
the majority report as "weak" while
the Republican members of the COM
mittee say it has fully answered all
charges against Ballinger and has dis
posed of all testimony presented in
the long hearings.
MAY FORCE VOTE IN HOUSE
An effort undoubtedly will be made
to put the house on record as to its
opinion of the majority report. some
of the Democratic members favor de-
manding consideration of the report at
the first opportunity Following up tnelr
demand with an appeal from the de-
cision Of the chair, should Speaker
Cannon rule them out of order.
Officials of the interior department
declined to make any comment on the
majority report.
The majority report condemns Bal-
linger's accusers as having been in
spired by deep feeling of luminosity,
built upon a supposed ditference III
policy respecting conservation.
After stating that the evidence pre-
sented related in the main to charges
of various kinds against Mr.. Ballinger
and that these came chiefly from two
sources-L. r. CLAWS and Clifford
Pinchot-the majority announced the
following concluSion:
"The evidence has wholly failed 10
make out a case. Neither any fact
proved, nor all the facts put together
exhibit Mr.. Ballinger as being any
thing but a competent end honorable
gentleman, honestly and faithfully per-
forming the duties of his high ofhce
with an eye single to the public in
terests."
ANIMosITY Is ASSERTED
In speaking on the "animosity" cree
ated by differences respecting the con-
serVation of natural resources, the ma
iority of the committee said the ac-
cusers evidently had this policy deeply
at heart and were evidently disposed
TO take a most unfavorable view of tho
character and motives of anyone whom
they supposed to be opposed TO their
views They thus came to regard Mr.,
Ballinger with suspicion and to regard
tho most natural and Innocent acts oc-
currlng in the ordinary course of de-
nartment administration as furnishing
evidence of some sinister purpose"
The report makes the following spe-
cidc findings on the more important
contentious:
"rhat the charges and insinuatons
against Secretary Ballinger in regard
to the Cunningham coal land entries or
other coal land claims in Alaska are
not justified, and his conduct in re-
spect thereto is not justly censurable.
'That he was fully justified in revok-
ing the Indian cooperative agreement
'That the restorations of water
power sites by Secretary Ballinger
were made in good faith and not In en-
nifty to the government, and that no
injury appears to have been done to tho
government and the cause Of conserve
tion by either the restoration or with
draYals.@