New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-02

but he could not forgive the aspersions OF
the President.
"Mr. Pinchot complains that he did not
get hearing by the President aaoeo
Secretary Wilson. He shut the door MN
self when he sent that letter to senator
Dolliver.''
Did YOU tell Mr. Pinchot regarding the
order or the President forbiddirg supor-
dinates IN give out information that you
and he would have no trouble about II
THAT is all new 10 me. I don't say
that / refused to concur in Mr.. Pinchot
request TO send letter regarding depart-
mental affairs"
Secretary Wilson was interroEated by the
Democratic members as to his recoliectoh
Of instructing Mr.. Pinchot to STRIKE oo'
of the letter Of transmittal all re1elehcee
to the Deliver letter. The Secretary Insist
ed that he did not remember thus ana ne
did not remember whether or not MI
Pinchot had dictated the letter over again
in his office.
Senator Purcell. of North Dakota asked
Secretary Wilson if he had not spec'hcdli!
talked over the Doiliver letter with MI.
Finchot. The Secretary declared he had
/ not.
DO YOU think I would have agreed. he
E
dent of the United States. and exercise inJ
authority over subordnates?'
Secretary Wilson acknowledged. under a
nerfect hail of questions, that he did talk
with Mr. Pinchot about letter TO sen
ator Dolliver but insisted always that he
sunposed the letter was to be simply about
departmental affairs
.sof course. Mr. Pinchot.' he added, may
have had things in his mind that l dlo'l l.
He was up in this work, and was not
He said he wanted to get something III
the Congressional Record al the same
time that the Presidents message trans
hitting Attorney General Wickersham
findings in favor of Mr.. Ballinger were
sent TO the Senate
What did you think Mr.. Pipchots let
ter would refer to?'' asked Senator Purcell.
TO conservation. perhaps replied MI
Wilson.
"6lanketina" Presidents Message.
Secretary Wilson said he advised against
the method of blanketing the Presidents
message which Mr. Pinchot proposed.
But you did acquiesce in Mr. Pinchot
writing a letter such as you understand ne
was going to writer" asked Mr.. Pepper
Not such letter as be did write
earnestly advised against that method OF
bringing things about" Nh. Wilson an
swered.
If Mir Pinchot wasn't going to send the
kind of a letter he did, what was 1t you
objected TOP Mr.. Pepper said.
Il have told you said the Secretary,
what objected to. I am not going to
contradict Mr.. Pinchot any more than |
have TO- But the truth is the. truth. |
have the same painful sentiment that he
expressed about this controversy
But how could a letter dealing with
simple departmental matters blanket the
Presidents message?' Mr.. Pepper insisted,
Il don't know how said Mr.. Wilson.
THAT was his proposition"
Secretary Wilson was excused, and the
DISCRIMINATION of Mr.. Pinchot was be
gun by Mr.. Vertrees.
MIR. Pinchot Cross Examined.
MIR. Vertrees sought to develop the IN
ference that Dir. Pinchot felt aggrleVed al
his dismissal from the government service
MIR. Pinchot objected 10 this line OF ques-
tioning. He said he was not lnsupofdlnate'
however and he felt that to that extent an
Injustice had been done HIM
Mr. Pinchot said that while ne believed
his, dismissal was not justified. 1t lett him
with no bitterness. He declared that a
great national question was at stake, ana
il far transcribed any question OF persona,
Injustice He insisted that ne old not olafne
Secretary Balinger for his dismissal al
thouch naturally the controversy with MI.
Ballinger had led to it.
/ Mr. yertrees read three statements from
= letter addressed by Mr.. Pinchot to Presi-
dent Taft when CLAWS was SEEKING an III
terview with the President.
! You state that by official achon your
ONCE stopped the issuance of patents to
the Cunningham claimants saio MI yer
! trees rs 3hat true
Pinehot Admits Mistakes.
! .oThat was mistake" said Mr.. Pinchot.
/ .s.rondly" said Nj Nertrees, you
stated TO the President that as result OF
/ Mr. Ballinger's action in restoring water
mower sites Withdrawn by Secretary Car
/ so1d valuable lands contai ming power sites
| had nassed from the government. Is that
! true?'
/ THAT was a mistake" answered Mr..
Pinchot.
.Isstly." said Mr. Vertrees, you told
the President that you had known CLAWS
! for several years. That also was mis-
! take, wasn't it,
u thought | had before seens him at
Spokane last August. I knew OF him.
/ Asked if the whole framework of his let
Ter n the President was not inaccurate.
/ Mr. Pinchot replied:
| The question whether l made mistakes
ar not is not essential. The President
would have seen CLAWS anyway
Mr.. Yertrees sought TO draw out from
the witness the fact that there was a gen
eral movement on foot to discredit Secre-
tary Ballinger
Il don't recognize movement against
Mr.. Ballinser.'' he said.
Are not you and Mr.. Garfield and Shaw
and Price and CLAWS and others i'll move
nent to cause the removal of Mr.. Balm
ger and 10 bring about his official de-
struction?'
IF YOU ask me II we are all in move
ment to conserve the natural resources. no
matter who the movement hurts, I will re-
ply yes"
And you say you regard Mr.. Balinger
as one of the chief obstacles to the conser-
,atfon mo cement, and you are trying to re
move him.
I'VE started in to reform him." replied
Nj Pinchot, amid laughter.
Failing in that you are goin, to try TO
re1nove him. are YOU
I'VE are going to try to place Inc facts
before the committee
Asked as TO what Mr.. Ballinsef lad done
to show himself an enemy to conservation,
Mr. Pinchot declared that ne had done this
by refusing TO create ranger sites on the
public lands. that he had restored water
mower sites TO entry and that ne had tried