The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-18
Former Secretary of Interior
Not Pleased Over Taft's
Methods in Neglecting Poll
cieS of Roosevelt.
HE HAS ARTICLE IN
LAFOLLETTE WEEKLY
Editor Of the Organ Has Con.
siderable Critical Com
ment on the Actions of Sec
retary BaIIinger.

Washington. ID. c.. Dec lS-Copies
of LaFollette's Weekly Magazine. a
publication owned and edited by Sena-
tor LaFollette, of Wisconsin,. reached
Washington yesterday.
The two most striking features are
editorial comments on President Taft's
message to Congress last week and an
article on the preservation of natural
resources by James r. Garfield. of
Ohio. secretary of the Interior In Pres
ident Roosevelt's cabinet.
Incidentally. there is a great deal OF
critical comment of Secretary of the In
terror Ballinger by Senator LaFollette,
and comparison Of his policy with re-
spect to the public domain and that
pursued by Secretary Garfield. all to
the formers detriment
II is regarded as q rather singular
coincidence that Senator LaF'ollette
should be eriticising the president in
the same number of his magazine in
which Secretary Garfield sounds a
clarion call to the country to demand
the continuation of the Roosevelt con.
servation policy.
Wants Congress Influenced.
Mr.. Garfield does not specifically
find fault with President Taft's course.
but exhorts the people not to permit
congress TO neglect the public interests.
At the same time, by inference. at
any rate. he undertakes to set forth
the duty of the president in safeguard
ing the public domain against spoil
alton by self-centered corporate inter
ests. This he does in the following
language.
What was done in dealing with
these natural resources of timber. fuel.
phosphates and water shows most
clearly the principle of executive ac-
ton which governed the Roosevelt ad-
ministration. The executive is trus-
tee OF the property, rights and interests
of the public. The people properly
consider the executive as their partic-
ular advocate. their special representa-
| tive His stewardship carries with
it grave responsibilities and affords
splendid opportunity to serve the peo-
pie we'll.
Looked After the Public.
president Roosevelt accepted both
responsibilities and opportunities.
The work for conservation IL possible
because he was constantly looking out
for the public interest and was willing
to take action for the public welfare.
unless there was prohibition under the
constitution to prevent such action"
| Senator LaFollette has boxed in
black type and italicized those two
paragraphs, evidently considering
them as significant, and perhaps - .
veiled intimation to President Taft
that it would be well for him not To
deviate from the policy of his predeces-
1 sor.
| OF course 1t does not follow that Mr..
Garfield intended any Interior con-
struction to be placed upon his lam
guage. for LaFollette may have been
exercising editorial license in dressing
I'D what he considered striking para
graphs in the former secretary's arti-
Gle.
Mr. Garfield apparently assumes that
the president will do his duty. although
there are sentences in his article
which are open to the construction that
he thinks Mr. Taft should be constant
" reminded of the necessity OF force
full course and attitude with congress.