The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1910-09-15
anti BAL[INGER
DEMOCRATS AND lNsuReEN7
MADISON GIVE OUT THEIR
FINDINGS.
SUSTAIN CLAWS CHARGES

Committee Splits Up in Row and Re
pubiieans Will Meet In Chicago
Next Week, Without
Quorum.
Minneapolis, MINI. - An absolute
split has taken place in the member
ship of the Ballinger-Pinchot investiga
tion 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 separate
report by E. H.. Madison, the insurgent
Republican congressman from Kansas,
which is not materially different.
The Democratic Report.
The report Of the Democrats mem.
'bers of.the joint committee II a volum.
'tnous document of $4,000 words, GOV.
,sring SO typewriter pages.
In "a historical review OF the pro
;ceedings the report cites the appoint.
iment OF the committee, defines iits
powers and duties, names the princi-
pals and their attorneys and states
that the labors Of the committee me
confined to investigating and passing
upon, first, the administration, action
and conduct of the interior depaxt.
ment and its several bureaus, ufftmrs
and employees, and. second. The bureau
of! forestry and its officers and empDy.
rss relating to reclamation. eDnBerxa.
u ton management and disposal of pub.
4 lie lands or any lands heM I'm :na1st
blythe United states.
Based upon these two issues the ne.
port.in part follows:
Issue stzEsa.
Stated afiirmativefy the issue Gi
1.-The nrst branch IL that Secretary Bal.
linger is unflt to hold the ,uiace oi
secHetaIy Of the interior; thai Ae !has
been unfAl16fnl % His trust - G,iRa1l;
dian cGNpublic lands ana sspsclncalfy
that hSssanctioned the future convey.
.ance >o6. land not yet 9ole - uateut,
,wheretthe making OF necessary proofs
would Involve perjury; tiat he Clem
listed the Cunningham claims ana ,or.
ldered them to patent With evidence Df
their fraudulent character bef1ne him
:or accessible; that ~ comnassionermf
the land ONCE he prepared the Gale
'bill validating Alaska coal c11i1ns;
that later acted % attorney. for claims
before the land ONCE over which he
had presided; that when validity df
the act was questioned he sccephell
theerroneous opinion Of . subofdinne
agatnst the interest Of the eexem-
ment and the people; that he deceived
the president estto what took place m.
der his instructions TN his department;
that he construed the Cunningham
groupeof coal entries without regard to
the law covering such cases and that
he condoned improper conduct n N
.bordinstes in certain cases"
CLAWS 10 Eeraiasd.
CLAWS. summarily dismissed from
the service. is spoken eof sas "a plain
matter Of fact young American, with
very little imaginatinn, seeing only the
facts which confront him. with splen
lid recollection, aggressive integrity
and courage, such as few men possess
= courage which stood out against the
entire interior department in the fight
for the pubic interest and the per.
torrance Of his official AastW::"
Pinchot's high character and pur
pose are set out in the report by citing
from Z letter written by the president
both TO Mr.. Phchot himself and tc
Mr.. Ba11inger. Then this:
WE agree with the president that
Mr.. Pinehot's desire was to faithfully
serve the American people to the best
pf his ability. Not an act that he com.
mftted Is fraught with the slightest
suspicion. He was faithful public
Dmeial. just officer, vigilant and ccur.
lgeous defender of the public property.
He dared to be insuhordinate, II he
was, IN the interest Of his country. II
would be difficult to give too much
credit to Mr.. Pinchot for the work he
has done in the building up and de
velopins Of our national forest sys-
tenn" 4. ID
The Alaska question is then consid.
cred, first. as the most impdktant.
The act Of congress regarding Alaska
coal lands is set forth with al the
steps necessary from location to pat.
ent In the report certain words and
phrases in the law are emphasized,
such as Sin good faith; persons 10.
eating coal land "who entered into.
any agreement or association with
zach other" s 81
As to Ballinger's professional con.
nection with the Cunning CHAM claim.
ants while he was out Of ONCE, after
-.-..-.....Is.. -.
VIII vaeats, Fearing Flood. @
washington. D. G. Imminent dan,
ger Of foods In the Chagres river dur
Ing the rainy season IN Panama has
resulted IN the isthmian canal com
mission serving notices on occupants
e numerous buildings below the safe,
" point In many villages to vacats.
~