Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-01

! Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson clash
ed before the Investigation committee
this afternoon. Pinchot asserted he
secured Wilson's permission to write
to DoIIIver. Wilson, taking the stand,
declared with great emphasis he never
did and never would have consented 70
the writing Of such letter. He never
saw the letter or heard Of Il until II
was read In the senate.
Washington, March 1.-when the
public hearing of the Ballinger-Pinchot
case opened today Attorney Pepper
questioned Pinchot in continuation OF
the story told on the stand by the
former forester when the hearing ad-
journed Saturday. Pinchot told OF
meeting CLAWS last August and that
the latter presented the facts concern
ing the interfering with the service
and threatened to publish the story,
but he urged him TO see the president,
as he thought Taft should have op-
portunity to protect himself and the
administration.
write Two Letters.
Witness here read a letter from
President Taft from Beverly Sept. 10
last. At the same time he wrote Bal
inger exonerating him from -Glayis'
charges. In this letter the presiden.
expressed confidence in Pinchot but
urged him not to make CLAWS cause
his own. He referred to CLAWS as dis
ingenious and as a man who had let
one idea run away with his judgment
Regretted Lack of Confidence.
The president expressed regret that
Pinchot did not share his confidence
and trust in Ballinger Pinchot also
read a reply to the president Nov.
in which he renewed his criticism OF
Ballinger.
Based on Ronald Letter.
There was a surprising development
when Pinchot announced to the com
mittee he based his charge that Bal
linger was guilty of making statements
to the president that were absolutely
false in three essential particulars"
not upon the letter from Ballinger
himself, but upon a letter written by
j. T. Ronald, former law partner CT
Ballinger, TO Dr. Lyman Abbott.
Pinchot said a copy of this letter, with
was forwarded by Ballin-
ger to the president.
Had Told the President.
Pinchot admitted the statements in
Ronald's letter which he claimed to
be false had previously been covered
by letter written by Ballinger him
self TO the president in which Ballin.
ger had stated what the witness ad.
mitted was a true statement OF facts.
Tlg,, l.
recognize these two facts.
Garfield smeIIed Fraud.
Pinchot declared former Secretary
Garfield often had told him he had told
Ballinger he believed the Cunningham
claims fraudulent, whereas Ballinger,
according TO the witness. sought to
give the impression Garfield had not
made any such statements
Led Up 90 Dismissal.
At the afternoon session Pinchot
read other letters. One was from
Taft. dated Nov. "a, last. still favoring
Ballinger as against the statements OF
Pinchot and Garfield. Late in the
session Pinchot's testimony tended to-
ward the incidents attending his writ.
ng Of the letter to Dolliver which re-
suited in his dismissal.
Drop Concentrations with President.
Washington. March AT an execu-
i've session of the committee this
morning counsel for Pinchot would
lot press for a ruling on the point az
o whether or not witnesses should be
illowed to testify as TO conversations
With the president. The matter there
lpon was dropped.
New, Sneaker of Reichstao