The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-30
BALL|N GER SAYS
|. R. CLAWS LIED
DELIBERATELY
Secretary of Interior Testifes at Con-
gressional Investigation In Eff
fort To Defend Self Against
Many Accusations.
Roosevelt Urged Him To Favor Bill
Which Resulted in "Prosecu-
tons" Attack, He Declares.

WASHINGTON, April 29.-That l..
Il CLAWS deliberately lied to the
congressional investigating committee
was the accusation made today by
Secretary Ballinger, testifying in his
own behalf
Following are some OF BallingeT 5
main statements in his first round GU
the stand
That when he clear-listed the Gun
bingham Alaskan claims" he acted
properly and would DO it again.
That he never had any interest IN
Alaskan lands
That CLAWS was never "hampered
but was pampered" in his work.
That up to the time he became land
commissioner he never had one of the
Cunningham claimants as client
That Special Agent IL. T. Jones
swore falsely in his testimony before
the committee.
That he only teek the job of land
commissioner because Roosevelt and
Garfield practically forced him to ac-
Cept
That when he appeared before the
house committee in Iavor of the Gale
hill--an action cited by the 'prosecu-
ton" 10 show that he favored the sale
OF Alaskan coal lands rather than Gar
fields leasing plant was not only
with the approval. but even at the re-
quest OF President Roosevelt
Ballinger was perfectly at ease
when he began his testimony before
n crowded room He briefly outlined
his public services In the state OF
Washington. laying particular stress
upon the anti.vice crusade he led while
mayor OF Seattle They knew that
i Intended 70 enforce the law" he
observed in this connection, " and |
did"
He declared that II was only upon
the repeated solicitation OF Senator
Piles OF Washington; James X. Gar
icld. then secretary OF the interior.
aud President Roosevelt himself, that
~ consented 10 become commissioner
If the general land Office.
"They urged me 20 accept" he said,
appealing 10 my patriotism.
He said Garfield reiterated his APP
peal subsequently. President Roose-
,elt telegraphed:
1T is your duty to help me You
and Garfield will lift an immense bur
len from my shoulders.
my relations With MIR Garfield"
Ballinger said. were entirely friend
~. but not intimate. knew him in
college.
When Ballinger came 10 Washing
ton as commissioner he testified that
the members of his law firm agreed
that they were not 10 engage I'm any
ls,t ffghf IN l,u~ rsrf =
him. Re declared that he did not
even know there was any such group
rs the Cunningham claims at the
time he took the commissionership
subsequently he said he learned that
several persons with whom he was
gcGuainted were claimants He named
half a dozen OF these but stated that
he did not know Clarence Cunning
ham.
Il had no interest in Alaska in any
lands either directly or indirectly.
he asserted. and | have not any to-
day
President Roosevelt greeted him
with characteristic warmth. he said.
when he arrived i'm Washington. I'm
mighty glad TO have you here Bal
linger testified Roosevelt said. And
have not any excuses 10 offer for
taking you away from Seattle. Any
man who can clean up Seattle as you
did. can clean up the land Office.