The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-12-14
PAINT HIM White.
Republican. Pul On a Thick Csai Of
Rhitewash on BaAiussr.
SCORED BY DEMOCRATS

His Duties, While the Democrats
Say He Has Not Been True to the
Trust Repused In Him.
The Ballinger-Pinchot Investigate
ing committee, after eleven months
of work, made its final report to both
houses Of the Congress Wednesday.
In the opinion of seven Republican
members, q majority Of the commit
tee, 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 Demo
Gratis, Mr.. Ballinger, has not been
true to the trust reposed in him as
Secretary of the Interior and should
be asked by the proper authorities
to resign"
Both reports, together with the
independent report of Representative
Madison, (Republican) also adverse
to Mr.. Ballinger, were offered in the
Senate by Senator Nelson, and in the
House by Representative Mccall.
Their presentation followed a meet
ing OF the full committee. The Dem
ocratic members, lead by Senator
Fletcher, Of Florida, agreed to this
method Of getting the reports before
Congress, after their motion to sub
stitute their own report had been
rejected in the committee.
Senator Fletcher first raised the
point Of order that the committee had
already approved the report that was
made public at Minneapolis. This
point was overruled by Chairman
! Nelson. A motion then was made to
substitute the Democratic report for
the report agreed upon by the seven
Republican members. This was voted
down 7 to S, Representative Madi-
son voting with the four Democrats.
1t was agreed by the committee
after the majority report had been
adopted, that all three should be
presented at once in each house and
printed together. Under this ar
! rangement the dissenting reports are
! given equal standing with the ma
jority report before the two houses.
An order. for 10000 copies OF the
report was made by the Senate.
Senator Fletcher said later that
steps will be taken by the Democrats
to bring about action in accordance
with the recommendation contained
in their report. The recommends
ton in question characterizes Secre-
tary Ballinger as mot deserving OF
the public confidence" and recon-
mends that he should be requested
by the proper authority to resign his
Office as Secretary of the Interior"
The reports were accepted in both
houses without comment. The plan
Of action to be followed by the Dem
ocrats has not been determined upon,
but it is said a resolution will be
presented to carry out the recon-
mendation made for the Secretary's
! removal. Such a resolution probably
! will cal uatly uron the President
to discharge his Cabinet officer.
The Democrats held a conference
on the matter today. They chara"-
terize the majority report as weak"
while the Republican nnmhers nj the
committee say it has fully answered
all the charges made against Bal
linger and has disposed Of all testi'
mony presented during the long
hearings.
An effort undoubtedly will be
made to put the House or record as
to its opinion Of the majority report.
! Some Of the Democratic House mem
: bers favor demandin? consideration
OF the report at the first opportunity,
following up their demand with an
! appeal from the decision Of the
chairman should Speaker Cannon
rule them out of order. Officials of
the interior department declined &c
make any comment whatever on the
majority report.
Il have no comment to make on
the report of the com ittee." said
Secretary Of the Interior Ballingcr,
when asked in regard to the findings,
In case the Speaker permits mat
ters to take their course, 1t Is held
by parliamentarians that a resoln-
tion demanding a vote would be nee
essary. Such a resolution would
have to go to some standing COM
mittee for report, and as nc such
committee would relish the RESPONSE
b;lity thus thrust upon 1t. the resi-
luton probably would be pigeon.
holed. The general feeling Is tina,
there would be no action on the re.
port at this session. which means
not at all. for the report loses its
force with the expiration Of the pres
ent Congress In March.