The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-11-08
BALLINGER IS NOT
REVERSING POLICY

Washington. Nov. Secretary
BalIinger's widely discussed reyoca-
tion OF the Garfield order" with
drawing from settlement a million and
half acres OF public lands. and the
substitution therefore OF with
drawal order withholding from settle
ment three hundred thousand acres.
today was declared by Mr.. Ballinger
TO have been wholly promotiye. not
subversive of the conservative policy.
A lengthy explanation of his can
collation. of the Garfield withdrawal
was given to the press by Mr.. Bal
linger. who asserted that II was a
logical step In the prosecution OF the
policy OF conserving the water power
on the federal domain. and one which
Mr. Garfield must have taken himself.
had he remained in Office
THE first order was blanket With
drawal. issued TO meet the emergency
and without taking time TO ascertain
just where the power sites were To-
Gated Secretary Ballinger said. IN
telligent prosecution of the policy de-
manded that as soon as possible there
after these sites he located and the
lands not needed to protect them be
restored to entry. II would be an
unwarranted reflection on Secretary
Garfield to assume that he would not
have done precisely what | did, ascer-
tain as soon as practicable where the
power sites were actually located. and
issue a new order withdrawing them
from settlement. and restoring to en-
try all lands not needed for that pur-
pose.
81 found that by utilizing the geo
logical survey. instead OF the recla-
nation service, which had been en-
ployed by my predecessor. | could Sc
cure accurate information as to the lo-
alton of the power sites. On consulia.
tion, with the legal officers of my de-
partment. / found that | could make
withdrawal orders later that would
effectually protect any power sites
within any entries which might have
been made in the interim. The retro
active provision OF the subsequent
Withdrawals operated completely to
conserve the sites.
Not a single power site has passed
out of the possession of the govern.
ment during this administration
"AS a matter Of fact the Withdrawals
ordered by me protected fifty per cent
more power sites than were conserved
by the Garfield order This implies
no criticism of the Garfield order and
merely shows that the Garfield order
was tentative.
"My first withdrawal order was
dated May 4. 1909, and the last,
which included many of the lands
formerly withdrawn limo 10 1909 hut
each OF these orders contained the
language all existing claims. filings
and entries are temporarily suspend
ed AS matter of fact, there was
not a single fling made on power
site during the interim. On the other
hand, the restoration to entry OF over
million acres of land, not needed ia
protect the power sites allayed Wide
spread discomfort and thus avoided
unnecessarily making enemies for the
conservation policy. Since June 10.
have made twenty-five additional with
drawals in entirely new territory"
Secretary Balllnger stated that his
orders Of withdrawal do not protect
power sites within forest reservations
and added In explanation that preci.
ously he had offered TO include pow
er sites on forest reservations. but
that the offer was declined on tho
ground that the forest service could
take care of such sites. The secTe-
tary asserted that a number of fac
tors caused the course to be misun-
derstood and misreDresented but
some OF these he was not at liberty
TO discuss.