The Washington herald., 1907-02-24


from President-whHt lie May Do.
For a number of years I've had an
overwhelming desire to meet a man who
had actually been pursued by public
Office, Recently I met the rara avis
whom an Office has sought, says arthur
A. Greene in the Portland Oregonian.
His name is Richard A Ballinger and
he halls from that ohstreperous rival
town Seattle. OF which he was some time
mayor. and for several years a prominent
and properly respected citizen, In spite Of
the fact that he was mayor
Judge Ballinger. as is of common
knowledge, has just been named as Com
missioner of the General Land Office in
spite of his efforts to side-step the place.
He is now on his way to Washington
City, where he will assume his new duties
on March 4, and he tarried for the day
at the Portland Hotel, where it was my
good fortune to meet him. He is the
type of man who accomplshes things
energetic but deliberate. well-poised, con-
fldent inquirlng, with a conservatism
born OF years of varied experience on the
bench and at the bar.
Judge Ballinger is still on the sunrise
side of fifty, but is already quite gray III
the matter of mustache and hair. lie
came to the Northwest in 1899. and has
been closely identified with the State OF
Washington since that time. He located
at Port Townsend and shortly afterward
Il. .F u
and his opinions are held as models
among the legal fraternity of the State.
lie codifed the laws Of Washington in
such admirable form that his code is
accepted generally as well nigh a perfect
arrangement
Never a Politician.
In 1897 he removed to Seattle. his term
as judge having expired, where he entered
the practice of the law. the style of his
firm being Baninger & Battle. He very
soon became a leader Of the Seattle bar
and built up a lucrative practice. In 1904
he was elected mayor OF the city. his
term having expired last spring His
career as an officeholder is limited 10
three public positions First rs city at
torney Of New Decatur. Ala. in the latter
SOS; judge OF the Superior Court Of
Washington. and mayor of Seattle He
isn't a politician and office-seeking has
been his last consideration. These three
jobs came 10 him naturally because peO-
pie wanted him, just as President RoOse-
welt and Secretary Garfield. that-is-to-be,
wanted him al the head of the govern
ment land department.
The judges father, Dick" BaIiager
who read law in Abraham Lincolns Of
flee and was a leading abolitiOniSt before
the civil war. removed with his family
10 Western Kansas in the early 7G's. The
new commissioner grew up in the atmOs-
phere of the frontier. which had its
margin at LaTned then-befOTe Dodge CITY
and Bat MastersOn figured on the map.
Later the young man was sent to
freshwater college at Topeka, and still
later TO Williams College. where he grIdu-
ated in 1854. At Williams he was
schOOlmate of James r. Garfield, who is
soon To become Secretary of the Interior.
Garfield graduated q year later, but they
We're closely associated, and "a friendship
was then formed which has continued un-
iuterruptedly during the score and more
of years that have elapsed In 1850 Judge
Ballinser was admitted TO the bar at
Chicago, and after practicing for a time
at Kankakee, in that State, he went 70
Alabama.
He has been a consistent Republican,
during all the years Of his manhood, hav-
ing in many campaigns repledged his
loyalty TO the party which his father
helped to organize
Took Office Under Pressure,
1t is an absolute fact that the Judge
took the commissionershfp under pres
sure: it might almost be said under
duress. When originally offered the place
by the President he declined; later Mi
Garfield wired him at the request Of Mr.
Roosevelt to reconsider and he asked for
time TO think it over. Then Mr.. Roose-
Welt sent Linn d telegram 100 words long
calling him 10 the post, and urging him
to serve as a matter Of duty
Now, Judge Ballinser had law prac-
tice worth several times the $500 per
aunum which the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office takes down from the
National Treasury. Being also a man of
sundry other business interests. among
them q place on the directorate of the
Scandinavian-Amer Bank, Of Seattle
and having much substance at stake, he
did some high and lofty thinking But
the end of it was that he accepted and
SO another big man becomes part and
parcel OF the Roosevelt administration.
During his brief stay in Portland
Judge Ballinger busted himself with in
VcstigatinE local needs of the service, ana
it is suspected he asked "a number of
pertinent questions. lie is not given to
telling about the things he intends to do
and he parred most of my questions.
Reform in Prospect.
In fact. the only definite statement he
gave out for publication was that he
intended TO ascertain Immediately on COM
ing to the office If the railroad companies
selection of lieu lands had been properly
accounted, and if not, 10 undertake a re-
form in that direction. He says that
being simply lieutenant OF the Secre-
tary of the Interior, it is not becoming Of
him 10 talk about policies, and that the
Presidents Secretary's policies viii be but
for him to carry out.
Beyond that Judge Ballinger is too wise
in his day and generation 10 say.
Having had some little experience I'm
estimating men I am prepared to give Il
as my opinion that the land department
of this country will be wisely fairly. and
honestly administered under its new head.
and that Mr. Roosevelt has found another
man who viii make a full hand II the
work of righteously conducting the ma
tons business.