The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-05-27

tor Root, who departed for The Hague
peace tribunal last week, was the
only member of the Ballinger- Pinchot
investigating commission absent when
today's session began. The commit.
tee room Was crowded and. as usual.
most Of the spectators were women.
None of the principals involved In the
controversy was present. Before Nh.
Brandeis began his argument Attor.
ney Pepper. counsel for Mt Pinchot.
submitted lengthy affidavit of f 4.
Braniff. who was in charge of the
forestry work done on the Mcnominee
(Wis) Indian reservation, where 1t
had been charged by the defense
that the forestry department had been
wasteful
BranIff was present and ready To
testify in refutation OF the charges.
but 1t was decided To dispose Of tho
matter by printing BranlfT'S affidavit
In the record
Chairman Nelson read a letter
which he said he had received frora
c. P. Connolly of Golfers Weekly.
The Connolly letter referred TO the
testimony of Assistant Attorney Gen
eral Lawler, that. on the deck Of the
steamer Republic, he had tramped
down women and children in an al
tempt 10 get TO a life boat Connolly
wrote that he was never on the Re
public or any other transatlantic
steamer.
No incident OF my career has Civ
en- the slightest foundation or the re-
motest warrant for this unjust state.
mont" wrote Connolly.
Mr. I1upco ,hap raad .. io,.z-
James b, Connolly, writer of sea
stories. declaring that he evidently
was the man TO whom Lawler re-
ferred. but that the charges agains t
him had been absolutely dispruved, ="
and that the steward. who had started
the story, bad fled TO China and he
had been unable 10 prosecute him be-
cause libel was not an extraditable
offcnsc.
Attorney Brandeis offered in evil
dcnce letter which he said Ballin-
ger bad addressed to Secretary Gar
field at West Mentor. Ohio. on Sep.
tember 13, 1908. making an appoint
ment regarding matter pending In
the Indian bureau, also ono IN the
government land Office"
MI BalllDgcr wrote that he was
'at present involved In the pleasur-
able labor OF assisting Judge Tsfts
candidacy"
Mr.. Brandeis then began his argu-
ment before the committee.
Washington, May 27.-In summing
up the case OF the so-called 'prosecu~
tlon" before the Ballinger- Pinchot in
Nestigaung committee today. Attor-
ncy Louis ID Brandeis, counsel for L.
IL. CLAWS. declared that 81 has been
conolusively established that Secre-
tary BalliDeer is not man so zeal
ouSlv devoted TO the interests OF tho
common people, so yigilant and reso
lute In resisting the ;nsldious aggres-
sion of special interests, that he may
safely be depended upon to carry for.
ward the broad policy of conservation
OF our natural resources
That he is subject to far severer
criticism. we firmly believe" added
Mr.. BraDdeis
Mr.. Brandeis spoke for about two
ing after Attorney Vertrees had ad-
dressed the committee on behalf OF
Mr. Balllnger He referred TO Mr.
Claws as the Ideal public servant" :"
and To Clifford Pinohot as man OF
Character so high as TO be even above
the suspicion OF selrscekIng"
Defends Stenoeraphcr kerby.
He vigorously defended tho action
OF Stcnograpber Frederick NJ. Kerby
IN making public confidential informa-
tlon of the interior department bear
Ing on the preparation OF the I-awler
memorandum. and said Ito criticise
kcrby for this act involves a total
misconccption of the nature Of our
government"
Tho secretary OF the interior, the
trustee for the people OF the public
domain, should have the ability to
stand UP against every one and should
be vigilant," declared sir. Brandeis
Would YOU think of clubbing our pres
ent secretary 'Stonewall Ballinger?'
Instead Of being unswerving. he yields
10 pressure. Yields TO IL not only in
acts, but also in statement, be IL writ
ten or spoken.
Struggle for Equality
This Investigation has been re.
ferred to as a struggle for coneerva-
ton. struggle against the special In
terests. 1t Is that, but II is lar more
Its essence Is the struggle for democ.
racy. the struggle for the poor man
against the overpowering influence OF
the big, politically as well as nnan'
ciaily. The struggle 10 establish that
every American is entitled to equal
justice-in the public service as vel
as In the courts-tbat no Official is sc
highly stationed that he may trample
ruthlessly and un1ustly upon even tho
humblest American citizen. The cause
| OF CLAWS Ia the cause or the common
l people and moro especially the cause
Of hundreds OF thousands Of govern
ment officials"
| Alaska Coal Lands.
Mr. Brandeis gave chronological
resume OF the Alaska coal land situa
l tion. from the time the Cunningham
claims were first fled upon in 1906
He laid particular stress upon tne
contention that Mr. Bnllinger. as com
missioner OF the land Office. was fully
acquainted with the situation and spe
cialIy directed the procedure OF thu
land office, whereby the claims wer:
scrut1Dized He declared that OF 46