Show SENATOR SENATOR PILES EXPLAINS PART HE PLAYED I IN SECRETARY BALLMER'S BAllINGERS APPOINTMENT WASHINGTON May fa 1 12 Rising to a question of personal privilege Senator Piles Plies of or Washington explained to the senate nato the circumstances under which Secretary Ballinger had received his appointment as secretary of the into into- nor lor and also those under which he had been appointed commissioner of or tho the general genrl gen- gen era I rl land Jand office The explanation was wa called forth by the tho intimation of ot Attorney Brandeis counsel coun- coun Sf sel el for tor L. L R. R Glavis at tho the Ballingor- Ballingor Investigation to today that Mr appointment as commissioner md had been Influenced by Mr Plies at t tho the of persons who were Interested 1 In n the tho Cunningham coal cases No man In tho the state of ot Washington or r elsewhere over ever suggested to me that I 1 should select Judge Ballin er for either cither position said Id Mr Piles Plies Pile He Ho He said that some some omo time before the tho appointment of a commissioner President Koose Roosevelt's private ato vate secretary telephoned him to come cometo cometo to o the White house He wild said when he arrived there the president asked him If Ifo ho he o know Judge Ballinger well B Sacked Backed ked by Garfield q I qI II I responded that I 1 saId sald Mr Plies Mies Piles and ho he questioned me concerning his Is character I 1 told him what I 1 thought of f him and ho said that If It Mr Ballingers Ballinger's Bal Bal- lingers inger's appointment would not be objectionable objectionable ob- ob to me mo he would be glad t to have ave me wire him because as as' ho he said Mid Secretary Garfield who h had d been a schoolmate of or Mr Ballinger cr was waa most moat anxious to obtain his services Mr Piles said ho he had told the president president dent ent he would take pleasure In forwarding forward orward ing ng the tho tele telegram nm but he did not nol believe that hat Mr Ballinger would abandon his law business to accept tho the office He asked me to urge him strongly continued Mr Piles Plies because he said ho really needed such Ruch a a. man In that office Complying with the presidents president's request I 1 sent a telegram strongly urging Mr Ballinger s acceptance pa tho the next day I received a message message message mes mes- sage from Mr Ballinger declining tho the appointment When I showed the telegram tole- tole gram to tho the president ho said Mid that Mr Ballingers Ballinger's refusal was very regrettable I because both ho and Mr Garfield wanted him dm for tor tho the position Ho He added that he ho himself would wire Mr Ballinger er and I 1 understood that both he and Secretary Garfield had hl sent telegrams pleading with him to accept the appointment nt al although although although al- al though such an act might entail a personal personal per per- lIonal sacrifice Finally Takes Position Two or three days later Mr Piles said ald he ho received a message from Mr Ir Ballinger announcing his acceptance because of ot tho the urgency of the president These aro are tho the facie facca absolute facts and the they would bo be verified vented by Mr Roosevelt under oath assorted the tho sena sena- tor Jor In respect to tho the appointment of oC Mr Ballinger as secretary b by President Taft Mr lr Piles said It was as through tho the newspapers newspapers newspapers news news- papers he had received his first Intimation intimation tion that such appointment might DO be madeI made I 1 subsequently saw MW Judge Ballinger he said and I asked him If ho desired tho the appointment He replied he did not explaining explaining he hoped his friend Mr Gar Gar- field would bo be Subsequently I heard Mr Ballinger was to be called lute Into tho the cabinet but when I spoke to tom tomy tomy m my colleague Senator Jones on the subject subject subject sub sub- I found he ho had not been consulted an any more than I had been We came cam cameto cameto to the conclusion the selection of a 3 cabinet cabinet cabi cabi- net officer was a n. family matter with the president and no concern of ours I Iwas Iwas Iwas was much gratified that one ono of ot whom I thought so o highly was to be bo given so high a n. position and I am still gratified I over oyer his appointment Mr Plies Piles concluded with tho the statement the tho president himself would verify all aU he be Mr Piles had said f |