Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-08
HIS ACCUsERs ARE CONDEMNED
Charges Founded on Animosity Due to
Differences Over Conservation,
EsTORATIONS IN GOOD FAITH
IN This Connection Committee Cen
sures Former Secretary Garfield,
EFFICIENT
8LIC OFFICER
In It's Specific Findings Committee
says There - NJ Ground for re-
RardinR Secretary ms In
faithful 90 IIia Duues.

Pnchott nvestgaung committee, after
eleven months work made IT'S final report
TO both houses OF congress today. In the
opinion Of seven republican members, a
majority Of the committee, Secretary Bal
llnger honestly and taljnrully performed
the duties Of his high office with an eye
single TO the public interest.
IN the opinion OF the four democrats MIR
Z Ballinger has not been true to tne trust
rcposed IN him as secretary Of the intericr
and should be requested by the propec au-
! thoriuCs to resign"
Both reports with the Independent reir'rt
of Representative Madison, republican. also
adverse to Mr. Balllnger, we're offered in
the senate by Senator Nelson and In the
house by Representative Mccall Their
presentation followed a meeting OF the full
! committee
Democrats OVerruIed.
The democratic members. led by Senator
Fletcher of Florida agreed to this method
of getting the reports before congress, after
| their motion to substitute their own report
had been rejected IN the committee Sem
ator Fletcher first raised the point OF order
/ that the committee had already approved
the report that was made public at Mr1-
/
Chairman Nelson.
A motion then was made to substitute
! the democratic report for the report agreed
upon by the seven republican members
This was voted down. to 8. Representa-
tive Madison voting with the four demo-
Gratis II was agreed after the majority
! report had been adopt ID that all three
should be presented at once IN each house
and printed together. UE1er this arrange
ment the dissenting :eaorts are given eVua'
standing with the majority report O,foie
the two houses An order for 10000 copies
OF the reports was made by the senate.
Senator Fletcher said later that steps viii
be taken by the democrats to brlng about
action In accordance with the rec vnmenda-
tlons contained in their report. The recon-
mendation in question: ehsHaateri5sa seeie-
tary BaiIinger as mot deserving OF me
public confidence. and recommends that
he should be requested by the proper au-
thority to resign his office as secretary Of
the interior"
The reports were received in both houses
without comment
Would Oust BaIlinEer.
The plan Of action to be followed by the
democrats has not been determined, but &c
Is understood resolution will be presented
TO carry out the recommendation made for
the secretary's removal. Such resolution
probably will call fatty upon the president
to discharge his cabinet officer.
The democrats held conference on the
matter today. They characterize the ma
jorlty report as weak" while the repub-
lican members Of the committee say II has
fully answered all charges made against
Ballinger and has disposed of all testimony
presented in the long hearings.
An effort undoubtedly will be made to put
the house on record as TO It's opinion Of the
majority report. Some of the democratic
house members favor demanding consldera-
ton of the report at the first opportunity.
following up their demand with an appeal
from the decision Of the chair should
Speaker Cannon rule them out of order.
Officials of the Interior department declined
to make any statement whatever on the
majority report.
IT have no comment to make on the ma
jority report" said Secretary Of the Interior
Bsllinger when asked regarding the find
ings.
In case the speaker permits matters to
take their course IL is held by pafliamen-
tarians that a resolution demanding a vote
would be necessary. Such a resolution
would have TO so to some standing commit
tee for report, and as DO such committee
would relish the responsibility the resoiu-
ton probably would be pigeonholed.
The general feeling Is that there will be
no action on the report at this session.
which means not at all, for the report
loses Is force with he expiration OF the
present congress In March.
How Committee is ALIGNED.
The report was signed by Senators Knuts
| Nelson, chairman; Frank p Flint. George
Sutherland and ElIhu Root and Represent
atives Samuel Mccall OF Maasachusetts.
vice chairman Marlin e. Olmstead OF
Pennsylvania and Edwin DENLY OF Miehi.
gan, all republicans. A few months ago
the democratic members Senator's d.. l..
Fletcher and Wiriam Z. Purcell and Rep
Fesentatives ollie James OF Kentucky and
James M. Graham OF Illinois, together with
Representative II, Madison OF Kansas.
progressive republican, put out another re-
port which they maintained to be the
majority opinion, condemning the conduct
Of Mr.. Baninser as secretary OF the in
terror.
This report vas made public following a
meeting OF the committee in Minneapolis
last September. which was not attended
BY some OF the republicans who have now
exonerated Mr. Baliinger and therefore the
natural minority became a majority and
/ the republicans who we're present with the
exception pf Mr.. Madison withdrew and
broke the quorum The members who now
sign the majority report formulated their
conclusions at recent series OF meetings
In speaking Of the "animOsity' created
by differences respecting the conservation
OF natural resources, the majority Of the
committee said that the accusers evidently
had this policy deeply AZ heart and Ayere
evidently disposed TO take a most unfayor-
able view OF the character and motives OF
any one whom they supposed 10 be opposed
to their views, They thus came TO regard
MI Bariinger with suspicion and 10 regard
| the most natural and Innocent acts oc-