The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-02-21
Graham Declares Ballinger Was
Caught Red Handed in Act
ILLINOIS MEMBER IN HOUSE
Says the Secretary Is Untrue to His
Trust - Representative Graham
Contends That the Evidence Is
Sufficient to Remove the Cabinet
Oficer-Acts Against Newell.

Washington, Feb 20-Declaring
that Secretary Ballinger had been
caught "red-handed in exploiting the
very property he held in trust" Rep
| resentative Graham, of Illinois,
member of the special Ballinger-
Pinchot investigating committee.
made spirited attack on the official
conduct of the secretary of the in
terror in G speech on the house floor
Thursday night.
Mr.. Graham is one of the members
of the special committee who signed
a minority report when the majority
of the members of that committee
decided adversely on the. information
presented to it by Clifford Pinchot
and L. w. CLAWS.
Declared Unfaithful.
"An unfaithful public servant" has
been Mr.. Ballinger, according to the
Illinois representative in his bitter
arraignment of the secretary in con-
nection with the Cunningham claims.
'Is it not most humiliating situa-
tion," Graham said, that cabinet
officer, one of the presidents official
family, the trustee of public property
of untold value, should be caught
red-handed in the work of secretly
aiding selfish and powerful interests
In the work of exploiting the very
property held in trustg And then to
think that in spite of this exposure,
and in disregard Of outra ed public
eonscience, he is still permitted to
hold his position and continue to adj
minister trust he secretly endeavor-
ed to betray.
II have no personal feeling what
ever in this matter. I am influenced
only by desire for the public good,
by desire to see this great govern
ment of ours administered for the
benefit Of the whole American people.
poor as well as rich, rather than for
the benefit of great interests, already
too powerful.
Convinced by Evidence.
IF I have exhibited any feeling
in discussing this matter Il is only
because the evidence convinces me
that Ballinger has listened to the
siren song OF those who are seeking
to obtain property rights and public
advantages TO which neither the
moral law nor the law OF the land en-
titles them. and that he has adopted
a course Of policy in the administra-
ton of his great Office, which, IL fol-
lowed generally. would reverse the
wheels Of political progress, would
give the lie to the Declaration Of In
dependence. and eventually place the
American people in the position Of
drones producing wealth for the en-
ljoyment Of a favored few"
Acts Against Newell.
While referring to Secretary Bal
fingers general administration Of the
interior department, Mr.. Graham
lsaid:
"one OF Mr.. Ballinger's first off,
cial acts after he became secretary
of the interior was to call In Mr..
lDavis. the chief engineer OF the
PROCLAMATION service, and try to alien
late him from Director Newell. his
Immediate superior. The evidence
shows persistent and deliberate at
tempt on his part to undermine and
detriment OF the service. The heads
the service, and this to the great
dertiment Of fhe service. The heads
of II we're frequently ignored alto
gether, and orders issued direct TO
subordinates, OF which orders their
superiors had no knowledge until Il
came TO them incidentally or acci-
dentally later on.
The effect OF this conduct was very
demorallzin to the reclamation SER
vice, and It can be explained only al
an attempt TO force Mr.. Newell to re-
sign.
.sThe evidence shows II had been
Mr. Ballinger's intention from the
beginning TO dispiaee Newell and re.
place him by one r. n. Thompson, q
personal friend OF the secretary Z
\