Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-21
INTENDS TO Be HEAD
Commissioner BaIIinger Will
Revolutionize Methods.
SHAKE-UP IN LAND OFFICE
Bureau Affairs to Be Conducted in
Another Way.
RECENT IMPERATIVE ORDERS
Chiefs of Division to Be Restricted in
Decisions to Strictly Rou-
tine Business.
RECENT IMPERATIVE ORDERS

tine Business.
Commissioner Ballinger of the general
lanS office has issued imperative orders
that in the future no chief of division in
that branch of the service shall pass upon
any government business, except that of a
strictly routine character. without consult
ing him, and that all letters, routine and
otherwise. originating in the various divi-
sions must pass through his hands for sig
nature. Further than this, Commissioner
Ballinger. although he has been in office
little more than a week has already called
the various chiefs of division to him for
conference. and has made it plain to them
that he intends to be commissioner in fact as
we'll as In name. The commissioner told his
immediate subordinates that he had accepted
the Office at a great personal sacrifice, that
he did not expect to remain in the govern
ment service more than two years, and
during that time he intended to that
the general land office was conducted In a
radically different way from what has been
the case in the past.
Office Force Demoralized.
There seems to be no doubt that the per-
much demoralzed just now as it is pos
sble to conceive of. 1t seems to be the
general opinion in well-informed quarters
that had not the administration become
sick and tired of the never-ceasing cry of
fraud" in connection with the various
branches of the government service under
the Interior Department. sensational de-
velopmcnts would have followed Commits
sioner BallinGers induction into office.
The publication some little time ago of
the letter of President RooseEelt TO former
Commissioner Richards created the biggest
kind of surprise among the personnel of
the land office service, it being generally
known that former Secretary of the In
terror Hitchcock and Mr. Richards had
been on anything but friendly terms for
the past year or more, and the understand
ing being that Mr.. Richards would retire
without epistolatory recognition of any
kind.
Surprised at Recent Changes.
More establishment was manifested when
it became known that James 7. Macy,
who. since 1908. has been chief clerk of
the land office. at $500 year, had been
relieved of the duties of that position and
made an inspector of surveyors general and
district land offices at $1,000 a year. and
that George II. Pollock. who was ap-
pointed assistant commissioner of the land
office at $500 a year, had been reduced
To the position of chief clerk. to succeed
Mr.. Macy, at 81 800 year. The astonish-
ment that followed the announcement of
these changes was due, in part, to the
knowledge that charges had been made
against both the gentlemen in question
some time ago, and had been invest gated,
in part at least. by board appointed by
Secretary Hitchcock
There is no doubt that Mr. Ballnger will
have his hands full in putting the de-
moralized force of the general land office
in condition for efficient service and the
orderly conduct of government business
But those who know Mr. Ballinger, and
those who deplore the present condition of
affairs in this branch of the service, are
united in the belief that the new commits
sioner will be abla to bring order out of
chaos. to break up the rings without rings
and the wheels within wheels TO the exist
ence Of which, more than any other con-
trihuting cause, the present state of affairs
is due.
Office Run by Clique.
An official of the general land office,
whose name, for very obvious reasons Is
not used, remarked following the issuance
by Commissioner Ballinger of the orders
To division chiefs referred to above that
he considered this to be a long step in the
right direction. and believed that the pros
poets for honest and efficient methods in
The general land Office were better at the
present time than they had been in the
heretofore the land office had been prac-
ucally conducted by a clique of officials
who did just about as they pleased Mr.
Richards, this official said. did the best he
could under the circumstances but was
practically powerless
Under this SYSTEM said the official in
question. the negro messengers who sit
In the corridors on the second floor had
more authority than the chief of division
who was not on the inside and a member
OF what We have long called the big ring
conditions here in the general land office
during the past few years have been in
tolerab!e. can only compare the state
of our personnel with that OF the Pest Of
nee Departments personnel Immediately
following the discovery OF graft and Of
fetal corruption in practically every bureau
and branch of the postal service. The man
working at this desk is half inclined to be-
lieve the man at that desk a CRATER or
worse. The officials who have had the
management of affairs have not inspired
confidence and II has long been a case of
every man for himself, and may the devil
take the hindmost
Cases of Petty Graft.
From other sources and in other quar-
tiers corroborative evidence was obtained
which indicates that the official quoted was
not guilty OF exaggeration. 1t was learned
that during the investigation mentioned
the charge was made that one official of
the land office had taken honeymoon of
nearly month absolutely at government
expense; that another official had had sent
To his home table, a number of flower
boxes, and other articles, made by the land
Office carpenter at government expense In
government time. out of government lum-
ber Many other charges of similar
minor character, and others of a more
serious nature are heard on every hand
one official Of the bureau is charged with
having endcavored to suppress the report
of the inspector who first discovered the
great coal land frauds. and with having
endeavored to secure the destruction of
important affidavits.
Taken all In all. the greatest satisfsc-
ton Is expressed with Mr.. Ballinger's ac-
ton in issuing the order referred to above
and II is believed by those who have the
interests of the government service at
heart that as soon the new commits
sioner has had time TO get down to bust
ness sweeping reforms will be inaugural ted
and great good accomplished. 1t is the
general opinion that there is a vast
amount of room for intelligent honest eff
fort In this direction.