The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1910-09-16
ANTI: BALL|NGER
DEMOCRATS AND INSURGENT
MADISON GIVE OUT THEIR
FINDINGS.
SUSTAIN CLAWS CHARGES
Committee Splits UP in Row and Re
pubIicans Will Meet in Chicago
Next Week, Without
Quorum.

Minneapolis, Mimi An absolute
split has taken place in the member
ship of the Ballinger-Pi inveSuga-
ton committee After day of jock
eying for position, Senator Knute Mel
son, as chairman. adjourned the meet.
ing to Chicago, on next Tuesday, and
the Democratic members refused to
concur, deciding to take no part in
the further deliberations of the com
mittee
The Democratic members made pub,
lie their findings in the Ballinger-Pin.
chot case, supplemented by a separate
report by f. II Madison, the insurgent
Republican congressman from Kansas,
which is not materially different.
The Democratic Report.
The report of the Democratic mem
bers of the joint committee is yolum-
inous document Of $4,000 words, Gov
ering 80 typewriter pages.
In a historical review of the pro,
ceedings the report cites the appoint
ment of the committee, defines its
powers and duties, names the princi-
pals and their attorneys and states
that the labors of the committee are
confined to investigating and passing
upon, first, the administration, action
and conduct of the interior depart.
ment and its several bureaus, officers
and employees, and, second, the bureau
of forestry and it's officers and employ,
es relating to reclamation. conserva
ton management and disposal of pub
lie lands or any lands held in trust
by the United States.
Based upon these two issues the re
port in part follows:
Issue Stated.
Stated affirmatively the issue OF
/ the first branch is that Secretary Bal
! linger is unfit to hold the Office OF
secretary of the interior; that he has
! been unfaithful to his trust as custo
dian of public lands and specifically
| that he sanctioned the future convey
ance of land not yet gone to patent
where the making of necessary proofs
would involve perjury; that he clear
listed the Cunningham claims and or
dered them to patent with evidence OF
/ their fraudulent character before him
or accessible; that as commissioner OF
/ the land office he prepared the Gale
! bill validating Alaska coal claims
that later acted as attorney for claims
I l. l.. I,
/ had presided; that when validity OF
the act was questioned he accepted
! the erroneous opinion of subordinate
against the interest of the govern
ment and the people; that he deceived
the president as to what took place un
der his instructions in his department
that he construed the Cunningham
! group of coal entries without regard tC
the law covering such cases and thai
he cOndoned improper conduct in sil
bordinates in certain cases"
CLAWS Is Praised.
CLAWS, summarily dismissed from
the service, is spoken of as "a plain
matter of fact young American, with
Ii
facts which confront him, with splen
Gid recollection, aggressive integrit,
and courage, such as few men possess
courage which stood out against thu
entire interior department in the figh
for the public interest and the per
formance of his official duty"
Pinchot's high character and pur
pose are set out in the report by citins
from letter written by the presiden
both to Mr.. Pinchot himself and tt
Mr.. Ballinger. Then this:
1--WE agree with the president tina
Mr.. Pinchot's desire was to faithful.
serve the American people to the bes
of his ability. Not an act that he com
mitted is fraught with the slightes
suspicion. He was a faithful publi
official, just officer, vigilant and cour
ageous defender of the public propert.
lie dared to be insubordinate, if h
was, in the interest of his country. l
would be difficult to give too mucl
credit to Mr.. Pinchot for the work h.
has done in the building up and dc
veloping of our national forest sys
tenn"
The Alaska question is then consid
cred, first, as the most important
The act of congress regarding Alask
coal lands is set forth with all tn
steps necessary from location to pa,
ent. In the report certain words an
phrases in the law are emphasized
such as ''in good faith" persons le
eating coal land 'who entered int
any agreement or association wit
each other"
AS to Ballingers professional cor
nection with the Cunningham claim
California Oil Wells on Fire.