The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-03-02
ATTEMPTED TO DECEIVE.
IN MAKING HIS DEFENSE
Ballinger Congressional Inquiry
Takes on Sensational Aspect
Baliinger Awaits His Turn
Before Replying.

Before Replying.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-with
Pinchot on the stand the Ballinger-
Pinchot inquiry entered it's second
phase today. The dismissed chief
forester, before being sworn, dram
atically declared that when his story
had been told the country would de-
mand verdict lin harmony with the
general conviction that the secretary
Of the interior had been unfaithful
to the public, whose property he has
endangered, and of disloyalty to the
president whom he has deceived" He
accused Ballinger of having made an
explanation of his conduct 70 the
president that was essentially false"
He charged him with being a dan
gerous enemy to conservation
Makes Serious Accusations.
Pinchot declared that less than a
month after Taft and Ballinger took
office, the latter had broken the back
bone of the central idea of the con-
servation movement by restoring pre-
viously withdrawn water power sites
to the public domain and placing
them open to private speculation and
monopolistic control. Pinchot de-
clared when the reservations were
made that Ballinger gave no hint that
he would re-withdraw the power
sites, and as a matter of fact, he did
not re- Withdraw any of them until
after Pinchot had gone to the presi-
dent and made vigorous protest.
Forced to Obey Against viii.
THE reservations by Ballinger
were made without any Investigation
of the subject whatever said Pin
chot. and he charged Ballinger with
having deliberately ordered the
officers of the reclamation service,
against their will, to recommend that
some of the reservations should be
made. Pinchot declared that Director
Newell, of the reclamation service
would be called and is one of his wit
nesses to prove his charges against
3allinger Former Secretary of the
Interior James r. Garfield, it was an
nounced. also would be one of Pin
chots witnesses.
Criticizes President Taft.
One of the dramatic incidents of
the day was when Pinchot declared
there was no such decision by the
comptroller of the treasury as had
been cited by President Taft in his
letter of September 10, 1909, to Bal
linger dismissing the CLAWS charges
and authorizing his dismissal. The
president had contended that Balling-
er had acted under a decision of the
comptroller, which permitted of no
l., l., 1 I
operative agreement with the agricul-
rural department whereby the forest
service was given control of the for
est reserves and Indian lands.
Pinchot admitted there was an
opinion of the comptroller which for
bade the detail Of clerk from the
forest service to the Indian office but
commended that it had nothing what
ever to do with the work of the for
asst service in the field.
Interested in Alaska Before
One of the minor charges made by
Pinchot was in effect that Ballinger
as missioner of the land office in
1907, protested against the creation of
Chugach forest reserve in Alaska.
This reserve was created over his
Of the Cunningham coal claims. The
forenoon session was devoted. in part,
20 the further examination of w. w.
Barr of Seattle. as to the agreement
now in effect between him and CLAWS
"a obtain timber lands in Washiu
Barr SAID CLAWS was able to give
him information as to the location of
available lands, which he had never
been able to get before and the effort
Of the committee men was clearly
directed toward bringing out the fact
that CLAWS, within two months after
he had left the government service.
was engaged in the misuse of know
ledge gained as "A public servant for
the benefit of private parties Just as
he charged Ballinser with doing after
retiring from the Office of comm is
sioner of the general land office. Barr
into was carried through CLAWS
would have prntited amounting to
100000
Ballingcr Replies GuardedIy.
Pinchors opening statement TO the
BalIinger-Puchot inquiry this after
noon was read by Ballinger in his
office las. today. In response to in
quiries as to- whether he intended to
make a reply, Ballinger wrote the
following for the Associated press.
I'm view of the fact that | will pres
emily have an opportunity to appear
before the committee TO acquaint
them with the truth, shall not reply
through the press to the mendacious
aspersions which Pinchot seeks to
cast upon me. He has attempted
without success to deceive the presi-
dent. He will find it will be equally
difficult for him to deceive the com
nittee.
obviously the only deception in
which he hopes TO succeed is tenn
porary deception of the public
through the press. This he has en-
ieavored to do by giving out in ad
vance, the Introductory statement
which has appeared, and which he
has been malignant enough to pre-
sent, but not quite reckless enough TO
state upon oath.
Fortunately, as already stated. |