Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1909 — BALLINGER ASKS FOR AN INQUIRY [ARTICLE]

BALLINGER ASKS FOR AN INQUIRY

Chafes Under Alaska Coal and Water Power Accusations. PRESIDENT WITH SECRETARY Taft Regards as Outrageous Some of the Ineinuatlona Made Againat Member of Hta Cabinet—Attack in House by Representative Hitchcock Spur That Made Official Determine to Look to Congress For Vindication or Condemnation. Washington, Dec. 21.—Richard A. Ballinger, secretary of the interior, has reached the point where he has determined not to remain quiet any longer under the charges and insinuations that have been made against him in connection with the water power site policy of his administration and the Cunningham coal land cases In Alaska. Ballinger now Is seeking an investigation by congress into his official conduct. The way has been paved for such an inquiry and those informed believe it Is certain that either the senate or the house will appoint a committee to look into the allegations involving the secretary. After the holiday recess a resolution for an inquiry will be presented in the upper house by Senator Nelson of Minnesota, who is chairman of the committee on public lands, or Senator Jones of Washington, Ballinger’s own state. President Taft is in thorough sympathy with Ballinger’s desire for probing into the coal lands cases and the water power site controversy. He believes that the attacks on the secretary are the most outrageous ever directed against a public man and has expressed indignation on account of them. The attack made on Ballinger by Representative Hitchcock, a Nebraska Democrat, is regarded as having had much to do with the decision of the secretary of the interior to ask conegress to take action.