The Washington herald., 1909-04-11
BALLINGER 4 FIGHTING MAN
Life Story of the New Secretary of the Interior
By JAMES B. MORROW.

By JAMES B. MORROW.
Brszen-faced thieves in the West. emil
nent figures. not a few Of them. in finance
and commerce, who have been stealing
government land right along, notwith-
standing the courage. vigilance, and ener-
gy of Ethan Allen Hitchcock and James
Rudolph Garfield. will discover before
long that a Ballinger. tTaditionally and
instinctively, is an instantaneous, intelli- |
gent, and very tenacious and ugly fighter
The first Ballinger Of whom there Is a
convenient record was on the personal
stan OF Mad Anthony Wayne. He
breathed the smoke and wrought among
the thunders OF Monmouth. Stony Point,
and Yorktown. The chieftain OF the
present generation Of Ballingers. Richard
Achilles. the new Secretary Of the In
terror, maintains. in atmosphere. appear
ence. and achievements. ali OF the fierce
and desirable attributes OF his family.
His eyes. Of the unusual brown that can
burn like hot lead. his mouth and his chin
are merciless. gladIstorial. and obstinate.
Nationally. his reputation began when. as
mayor Of the city, he banished gamblers
and thugs from Seattle. although his life
was in jeopardy day and night.
If the motive were confessed Il would be
found. no doubt, that President Taft sum-
moned BaIlinger 10 Washington not to
satisfy the narrow pride Of geography,
but to catch and prosecute the rich and
potential rascals who have recently stolen
many millions OF dollars worth Of land
from the people Of the United States. The
seem. are 20 be employed in a part of the
country where coarse theft, expanded 10
monstrous proportions and bulwarked be-
hind wealth, politics. and the social quail
fly. has become a reasonably safe and
highly profitable business.
All Of the Ballingers have been men Of
energy. imagination, and an adventurous
spirit. Some OF them have not remained
for long at any one place. In the tedium
OF an occupation or a community they see
visions and hear calls and 60 elsewhere
Richard Achilles himself moved up and
down and across the map Of the country
several times before he settled In Seattle
permanently. Meanwhile the whole fam
fly. quiet. self-contained men, II I may
judge. have had robust convictions to
which they gave free utterance regardless
Of circumstances. Individual 'considera-
tons, or neighborhood.
When Richard, the Secretary Of the In
terror. went TO Springfield. in Illinois. TO
pass his bar examination. he called on
Ward II. Lamon. once the law partner
and afterward n biographer OF Abra-
ham Lincoln. I want you 20 know"
Lamon said that Dick Ballinger. your
father. and I were outspoken Abolition
fists before Lincoln had the courage open
II 70 say a word against slavery
4 revealing episode in the village OF
verdfn. also in Illinois. showing the char
acter and temper Of the Baninger blood. 1
occurred when Col Dick" hack from
the civil war, kicked the editor OF a
local newspaper out OF the post-ofice.
The son. young Richard, practicing law
in Alabama and indulging himself In the
privilege Of the North TO be vigorous
and blunt IN the trial Of a case. was in
formed by a Mr. Jones. likewise an at
torney. that something would happen
the next time they met in the street.
Urged to describe the event. the Secre-
tary Of the Interior reluctantly said:
There was murder II Jones threat. but
I thought he was merely talking IN the
careless and bombastic way OF his class.
I saw him IN a day or two and greeted
him cordially He extended his hand, as
I thought. but as I stepped forward he
shouted. III teach YOU not to come down
here from the North and try TO run
things and then struck at me with his
fist When he reached for his hip 7 took
him by the throat Witnesses Of the in
cident separated us instantly Jones.
shorty afterward. died Of yellow fever
The whole matter was so trivial and
ridiculous that I hope you will not men
ton it."
''On being elected mayor Of Seattle" I
asked, what methods did YOU follow in
cleaning up that city?'
''I appointed Thomas R. Delaney chief
of police and enforced the law Seattle
had been a wide-open town. The rush TO
Alaska for gold. and the returning tide Of
miners gamblers, and swindIers, brought
US a great many rough characters and
evil conditions followed naturally We not
only had all the wild performances Of
life on the frontier bat border rufianism.
which is the climax OF crime suddenly
changed a well-ordered community !nto
one where robbery and violence became a
regular business. Persons engaged In
legitimate trade said that q pUritanical
regulation Of vice invariably meant n dull
city or town. Men they argued. should
spend their money in such ways as they
pleased. 7 soon showed them. however
that a larger and fuller dinner pail was,
after all. the only sound and lasting foun-
dation for growth that was actually
profitable and for prosperity that was
really permanent
Representative OF the moral element
in the city asked me TO be candidats
fOr mayor ! had 2 good law practice
and was unwilling again 10 hold Office
Assured that I should be independent OF
faction. party, or influence. I gave my
consent and was nominated and elected
inside Of six months all Of the gambling
places were closed Under the law.
couldn't stop the sale OF liquor. but log
gers and other wOrkingmen who came
10 Seattle with money in their pockets
were no longer dTugged and robbed. Dis
reputable houses were centralized and
controlled In short the city was made
wholesome and respectable. The work
was both hard and exceedingly disagree
able. ] was told almost daily that
would be killed: such fool information.
however. gave me no concern. But one
term, I thought. was enough and 7 re-
fused another election
What have YOU TO say about the gov
ernment Of American cities in general
Not much at this time, nor in an IN
terview- It seems to me that the com
mission plan Of government. such as has
been tested in Galveston. Tex. Is the
best suited for the United States
large city could have a board Of not
more than Eve commissioners elected by
the people and In them could be conferred