The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-03-27
COMMITTEE REFUSES TO CALL
BAlLlNGER TO WITNESS
STAND AT ONCE.
BRANOE|S IS THWARTED
Attorney Vertrees Makes Opening
Statement in Behalf of Accused OF.
ficial and INDUCES in Giitterins Epi.
grams and Hurls Sharp Shafts Of
Sarcasm at the Officials Aeeusers.

Washington, March 26.-After the
pallinger- Pinchot investigating COM
mittec had twice declined to grant
representing Louis Il. CLAWS. and
others, 10 compel the immediate at
tendance of Secretary Ballinger as a
witness, John j. Vertrees late today
made the opening statement In Mr..
Ballinger's behalf and began the
presentation of testimony. Mr.. Ver-
trees declared that the testimony OF
CLAWS and others would be shown TO
be grossly false
There is no act of Mr.. Ballinger's"
asserted the attorney, ito which II IL
possible to ascribe an unworthy mo-
tive or improper purpose otherwise
than through the suspicion of a per-
verted mind or the resentment of
discharged public servant. or the pro-
gram OF an INSCRIPTIONS political in
trigue"
Mr.. yertrees' statement sparkled
with epigrams. In one of these. refer
Ing to the acts of officers of the last
administration. the attorney said:
1, 1909. came the reign of law
Although Mr.. Vertrees. was partic-
ularly referring to Messrs. Garfield
and Pinchot. some members of the
committee after adjournment were in
clined to construe the statement as
fling at Mr.. Roosevelt and 40 ex-
! pressed themselves.
Patriot Claws" came In for a
large share Of Mr. vertrees' attention.
CLAWS. suspicious by nature, became
perverted by detective service
"Glavis. believed To be honest and
known to be capable"
CLAWS refusal 10 speak IL to be
ascribed to a vanity that brooks no
suggestion"
Pinchot Service.
Mr.. Vertrees also dwelt at length
upon clifford Pinchot. and 1.-The Pin
chot service" az he chose to dcsig-
rate the forestry.
Mr.. Pinchot. vain and flattered by
his own publicity bureau
"Pinchot ceased to be the depart
ment OF agriculture
| He was exposed .and Mr.. Ballinger
had committed the objectionable sin
| of defeating the ambition of self
exaggerated man"
Here was the birthplace of that
spirit Of resentment and revenge to
assassinate the good name OF Mr..
Balllnger and bring reproach on the
president of the United States who
had not retained Mr. Garfield and had
dismissed Mr.. Pinchot."
or Mr.. Ballinger the attorney said.
Mr.. Balllnger holds that conserva- !
tlon IL not q thing OF caprice. but Of
law"
supporter than he
Those who have already been born
and now breathe, have rights as well
as the yet to be born and yet to
breathe"
Development ought not to be ex.
He'd by theorists and doctrinaries."
Thinks Hes Right.
"In restoring to entry vast areas OF
the public domain, which he believed
to have been Wrongfully withdrawn
Mr. Balllnger still believes he was
right, but If he erred he denies tina,
II was an error for which the good
faith of his official action should b,
questioned by those who would sub
stitute opinion for law"
mot site was lost"
He could have transferred Mr.
CLAWS at any time and obviousl,
would have done so had he beer
minded to bring about the improper
action which Patriot CLAWS was pre-
venting and thwarting where he was
Mr.. Vertrees' statement was a lonl
one, going into the details OF prac
tically every phase Of the case. II
said II would be shown that as re
CARDS the Cunningham claims and IL
all other matters Mr.. Ballinger wa
''clean handed" and that his action
had been those of an honest and up
right citizen and official
General Denial.
He denied that Secretary Ballinge
had ever drawn up an escrow agree
: ment or any other sort of agreemen
: In the Wilson coal land cases. II
' aSSVil'h lihh - nphih pt shoNii tAiu
q Mr.. Ballinger was in no way respon
T sible that the request for an opinio
e on the new coal lands act of 1908 ha
: gone first to Assistant Secretar
: Pierce rather than to Attorney Ger
: eral Wickersham. general denial {
n charges, references and insinue
n tions," was entered.
h 1.-THE evidence now being offered
$ said Mr.. Vertrees, will make all {
Continued on Page Seven)