Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-03
TENNESSEE MAN Is COMING
John ]. Vertrees May Accept Brief
for Taft and Ballinger.
REPORTS TO BE PROTECTED
President Does Not Believe Amend
ment to Corporation Tax Law
Necessary.

ton to consult with different persons
about becoming the attorney for the
.'other side in the Ballinger- Pinchot in
vestigation.
When he arrives in Washington, the
Tennessean will confer with Comis-
sioner bennett. Chief of Field Service
Schwartz and Attorney General Wicker
sham He will likewise see and talk with
President Taft as to the situation.
1t is not understood today that Mr.. Yer
trees has accepted the position Of counsel
for the interests opposing the Pinchot-
CLAWS people. He has been telegraphed
for and is on his way here to look over
the field. Mr.. Vertrees is longtime
personal friend of President Taft, and it
is said the President was consulted before
the TenneSsean was communicated with
The President regards Mr.. Vertrees as
having no superior at the bar. and, being
democrat in politics. he could not be
accused of partisanship in his attitude to
ward witnesses If he accepts the offer
that will be made to him.
Think Hearing Is Unfair.
The republicans on the investigating
committee have not felt that fair hear
ing was in progress. The Pinchot-Glavis
side of the matter is represented before
the committee by three lawyers. all un-
derstanding the case to the fullest de-
gree and all alert to bring out matter
prejudicial not only to Mr.. Ballinger and
others, but TO the administration. In
pursuance of that plan. the first wit
ness Mr.. CLAWS, it is pointed out, has
been allowed to give testimony based
upon hearsay and other grounds, that
would not be allowed to enter into
case in court of justice. but he has
got away with it. all without cross
examination To show up its alleged him-
siness and unrel1a Dillty.
So far as the President is concerned
he has nothing to do with safeguarding
the interests of government official un-
der charges, but wnen Mr.. CLAWS intro
duces testimony. second hand to him.
from man having no connection with
the administration. that the motive or
the President in not reappointing James
r. Garfield was more or less improper, II
is considered by cabinet officers and
others that there should be some one to
protect defenseless persons and expose
the real basis of insinuations.
Until Mr.. Vertrees gets to Washington
and confers with different persons The
outcome will not be known. As a strong
personal friend of the President 1t 10
possible that he may undertake to appear
before the committee to see that misrep-
resentatons of those not directly inter-
ested are promptly exposed.
Amendment Not Necessary.
President Taft does not believe All
amendment to the corporation law will
be necessary to protect information con-
tanned in the reports of corporations ID
the Treasury Department from falling
into the hands of other corporations that
may want to make improper use of it.
The subject. severa! times before i'm
pressed upon the President BY merchants
associations of different states, was
taken up with him again today by 5. Z.
Meade. secretary of the Merchants As
sociation of New York, accompanied bs
Representatives Olcott and Bennett.
The New York merchants think the pub
permitting the reports of corporations 10
be inspected almost as desired. would
give the big corporations chance TO find
out all about the business of the little
ones and later 10 invade their territory
and put them out cf business. The Pres
ident said today that he thought this
could be controlled by administration pol
icy and that change in the law was not
necessary. The administration can direct
the commissioner of internal revenue To
withhold these reports from the genera
public, .,>l1eepng the information contained
in them for the use and benefit of the
government.
J. j. Browne, representing the Western
League. with headquarters
at Spokane, has plan for conserving the
coal and timber Of the country. which he
laid before President Taft today, having
been introduced by Senator Jones ~
Washington. Mr.. Browne says that Sec
retary Ballinger has withdrawn from en-
try much OF the great water power or
the Pacific northwest This, he points
out. forces industries to use coal ana
wood in securing the power necessary 10
run their plants. If these water powers
were permitted development, Mr. Browne
thinks, coal and wood would be saved and
the business of the country increased.
In the Columbia river basin alone, Mr.
Browne said. there are 24.OOo.00O horse
power, according to the geological survey,
of which less than a half million Is in
use. Mr. Browne thinks that if the Presi-
dent would order the cancellation of the
Withdraw walls in many sections much good
would follow. The President said he
would consider the suggestion.
John Embry United States attorney Of
the western district OF Oklahoma, resigned
his position. to take effect February l.
rhe Oklahoma political leaders promptly
got into a snarl over his successor. Rep
resentative Mcguire having one candidate
and other leaders another To prevent
factional row the President today asked
Embry to continue on in Office indefinitely
and Embry consented. He was intro
drned by Representative Mcguire.
Public Buildings Bill.
Representative Bartholdt chairman OF
the House committee on public buildings
and grounds, is undecided whether pub
lie buildings bill will be passed by this
Congress. He is conferring with House
leaders and Saturday will talk with Presi-
dent Taft Mr.. Bartholdt is with the
administration in desiring appropriations
held down to the minimum SO as to pre-
vent a deficit in the next fiscal year, but
he said today that there is tremendous
pressure to have a bill put through.
An Arkansas delegation urging federal
of swamp and overflowed lands.
of which there are 5000. 600 acres in Ar
kansas, called on President Taft today.
The delegation will talk with members of
Congress on the same subject. The Presi-
dent will give the matter attention, as it
is claimed that drainage of averf1owed
lands could be accomplished at much less
cost than irrigation, and give the coun-
try better farm lands. The delegation