The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-12
He TALKS OUT
Chief Forester Pinchot Uphohs Claws
in His Late Se7e.e
ATTACK ON BALLMGER

ATTACK ON BALLMGER
Letter From the Chief Of the Blu.
reau Of Forestry to Senator Dol
liver Read in the Senate Causes
a Sensation, Sad Makes Friends OF
Prcsidcn, Taft Mad
In an unexpected manner :h- Bal
!inge--P!nchot controversy was made
doubly intense by tae reading IN the
senate Thursday Of letter ;.Gcrc"s-
ed by Mr. Pinchot to Senator Dol
liver, IN which the course adopted
by L. R. CLAWS with the assistance
OF Messrs. Prince and Shaw, OF the
bureau Of forestry, were warmly
approved. In this communication
the chief forester not only upheld
the criticism Of Secretary Ballinger.
but suggested that the president
himself had been mistaken in the
facts when he remor-i MT. Claws
from the public service.
Mr.. Pinchot's letter called Senator
Hale to his feet with severe re
buke 10 the chief forester for hav'
ing ignored a recent order by the
president directing that 40 suboT'
dinate officer should give informa'
ton concerning affairs Of the govern
ment except 10 his superior officers
The reading il the senate OF Mr
Pirchot's letter caused sensation
He said that Messrs. Price auc
Shaw had prepared an official repor'
upon their actions which he wa:
transmitting to the secretary Of ayr.
culture.
This report shows that Messrs
! Price and Shaw made public certain
Information regarding the so-callet
Cunningham claims for coal lands
IL Alaska" said Mr.. Pinchot. "Th'
effect Of the publication was to di
. rect critical public attention to th'
action Of the interior department
"It shows also that they counte
aanced the publication By L. R. Gla
Yis OF certain facts concerning thes
! claims after ne had been disnisset
from Office and that IN other way
they endearored to direct public at
tention to the imminent danger tha
the Alaska coal fields still in gov
ernnent ownership might pass for
ever into private hands with li,tl
or no compensation to the public.
This information. Mr.. Pincho
adds. was Of q nature proper to b
made public After saying tina
these officials had acted on intorma
ton they had concerning the DANCE
OF the loss OF the Alaska coal fields
ltE. ElUCuOl SOiilAI4oSS
Action through the usual ofic;a
channels and finally even an appea
to the president had resulted foe
cause Of what believe to have bee
| a mistaken impression OF the facts
in eliminating from the gorernneu
service in the person Gs CLAWS. tn
most vigorous defender OF the pee
ple's interest. Furthermore. the :e
fusal OF the secretary OF the interio
to assume responsibility in the case
had left their conduct wholly L
the hands OF subordinates. each o
whom was apparently committed !:
favor Of patentins these claims.
Price and Shaw. he said. delioer
ately chose to risk their official pc
| sitions rather than permit what the
believed to be the wrongful loss O
public property. Having violated
rule OF p-opriety as between the de
| partmens. Mr.. Pirchot said they de
served a .eprinand and had receiV
ed one.
Price and Shaw" Mr.. Pincho
said. successfully directed pu5lica
ton to a national danger"
price and Shaw conceded tha
what they did traHsgressed proprie
.y." continued Mr.. Pinctot- "Bu
measured by the emergency whicI
faced them. by the purity Of thei
motives and the results which the
accomplished. their breach OF propr!
ETY. sinks well-nigh to insignifi
cance''
Mr. Pinchot said he disclsime'
any intention or desire to shirk an.
part OF his own legitimate respon
sioility for what was done by tn
two subordinates.
While Mr.. Pinchot's letter was De
ing read and discussed the pTesi
dents message transmitting Alto
ney General W!ckersham's report up
on the Ballinger-P!nch = case wa
lying on the desk OF the vice press
dent. Upon the conclusion OF tn
discussion 1t was laid before th'
senate. but Mr. Wickersham's lon:
report was not read. Il was referred
70 the committee on public lands.
Senator Nelson. chairman OF tn
committee on public lands. has call
ed meeting OF his committee tol
1890 o'clock Saturday morning e
consider the several resolutions re
,ating to the investigation OF ta'
Baliinser-P;nchot controversy.
Commits Suicide.
ala