Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-20
CONSERVATION FEuD coNrlNu,
oUsLY FORCES ITSELF INTO
THE LlMELlGhT.
sEcRETARY's sueoRpINATEs
LOYAL TO OLD CAUSE
Are More Devoted to Policies and Pro-
gram Of Agricultural Department
Than to Ballinser's New ldeaIs-In-
terror Department Kept in a Fer
ment.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
ence with which the conservation feud
forces itself into the limelight Of pub
lie attention has been giving much con-
Germ to Secretary Of the Interior Bal
lmger of late, and arousing the secre-
tary's subordinates to the suspicion
that there really is something back of
the charges of a conspiracy against
their peace of mind.
1t is known that the secretary him
self has recently made bitter complaint
that his own subordinates, in the in
terror department, are in many cases
more devoted to the policies and pro-
gress of the agricultural department
than to those of the interior depart
especially at the reclamation service.
Ever since the present administra-
ton became firmly established in its
grasp of affairs at the interior office.
the impression has been strong that
Secretary Ballinger was DESTROYS of
changing the head of the reclamation
service. Director Frederick H. Howell
has been regarded as decidedly non
grata with his new chief. Whatever
may have been the justification. it is
certain that the reclamation service
has become permeated with the feeling
that the present administration at the
interior department is unfriendly to
the methods which have ruled the
reclamation service in the past.
Newell Has Grip on Job.
For long time, before more pres
sing features in the Ballinger- Pinchot
controversy claimed most of the at
tention, there was momentary expecta-
ton that Director Newell would be re-
lieved and somebody more to the new
secretary's liking placed in charge.
But latteriy there have been develop
ments indicating the strong hold Mr..
Newell has in the reclamation states,
which are anxious that he be retained
and it is thought unlikely that an i'm
mediate change will take place.
The fact. however, that Secretary
Bajlinger has complained that this SER
vice is more in sympathy with the OPP
position to him, than it is to his own
program, has aroused new concern
lest the changes which were some time
ago said to be contemplated. may yet
be effected. The -Ballinger people
make the broad general statement that
the secretary is not in harmony with
the policy heretofore in force. simply
because he believes that the best way
ITO get the reclamation work carried on
is to give private capital and enterprise
the largest share in the business, and
to minimize the governments activi-
ties As is well known, there is sharp
competition all over the west for good
irrigation opportunities, which private
enterprise and capital are ready to de-
velop. These view with frank hostility
the governments activities in the same
field. The reclamation service. which
from time to time has seen projects it
had hoped to develop taken from it by
the initiative and enterprise of private
interests, has not always been so
friendly as it might; and the result has
inevitably been developing hostility.
BaIInger's Predictions.
Secretary Ballinger is regarded by
the private interests as more friendly
to them than was his predecessor in
office. He is a western man, with pre-
objections in favor of private develop
nnent of all possible business opportun-
tiles. Business in the west, especially
those which want these opportunities
+1,N h. of a O. t. =.
them naturally feel kindly disposed to
the new secretary; but President Taft.
during his recent trip. was profoundly
| impressed by the hold which Mr.. Pin
chot and Mr.. Newell have upon the
community in general. Most people who
don't have irrigation projects to exploit
seemed to be in sympathy with the
Garfield -Pinchot-Newell program; and
/ these constitute the overwhelming ma
| jority of the people in these states. In
deed, so much did this feature impress
itself, that people concerned for the in
terests of the national administration
have expressed of late the decided
opinion that If Pinchot and Newell
were retired, there would be revul-
sion all over the inter- mountain west
against the administration.
| Interior Department in Ferment.
The interior department has beer
precipitated into new ferment by the
publication of the statement that the
president has turned over to Attorney
General Wickersham the business OF
going to the bottom. of the Ballinger-
fPinchot affair, and especially of the
CLAWS charges concerning the Gun
ningham land cases in Alaska There
is resumption of talk that Secretary
Ballinger, when he entered the cabinet
did not intend to remain there a very
long time. The secretary himself il
manifestly nervous and uncomfortable
| about the whole situation. People who
have occasion to transact business with
him comment constantly ON the faci
that the strain seems to be telling or
him.
Meanwhile, the hearings in the matte,
of the Cunningham land claims are ir
progress at the Seattle land office, and
transcript Of the evidence is coming
day by day to the department The
greatest interest is taken In the event
Of this hearing. The impression has
gained ground Of late that the genera
land office will eventually throw out
the Cunningham claims and undertake
to end the whole contest at one move
witch the showing that the claims have