Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-04

IA AotllING ION, DGpl. o. lhSiuCii-
wv tally" said Secretary Ballinger
at the close of the first day aft
er his hurried trip from the Pacific
coast, 81 intend to kill some snakes"
The. remark was made in response 20
questions relative to the Ballinger-
Pinchot controversy regarding water
power plants, the Cunningham Alaskan
coal entries and other conservation
matters.
The illustration used by the secretary
was drawn from an incident in his own
life when, some twenty-odd years ago,
as a cowboy at Medicine Lodge, he
found the night camp infested with
rattlers and killed twelve of them.
Mr.. Ballinger refused to explain the
purport of his remark and declined
further to discuss matters in contro-
versy between his department and the
forestry bureau.
Improper to Talk
"Manifestly." he said, "it would be
Improper for me to talk on this sub
ject. The heads of the various divis-
ions involved have all prepared their
reports, and / expect to submit the
whole question to the president at an
early date. 1 could not, therefore, go
into the subject at this time further
than to say my previous knowledge or
the situation, with the information L
have derived today from the perusal
of reports of Messrs. Pierce, bennett
and Schwarts, justities the statement
that this department has nothing to
fear from the closest scrutiny OF the
conduct of its officials"
Mr.. Baliinger passed much of the day
IN conference with Assistant Secretary
Pierce Commissioner bennett, MI.
Schwartz and Assistant Attorney Cen
,riiY1 Il Of
time was given to reading the reports
of his subordinates. Mr.. Ballinger said
he had no doubt that full statement
Of the matter would be given to the
public at an early date.
Secretary Ballinger has been absent
from the city for more than two
months, the greater part of which time
he has been spending in a tour of in
spection through the west. He gave
careful attention to conditions IN Yel-
lowstone park and went over large
number of irrigation projects and In
dian reservations.
To Return West
After seeing the president Mr.. Bal
linger will return to the west to con-
tinue his labors. He probably will join
the president at Beverly on the latter's
western tour and proceed with him to
Seattle Regarding his tour he said:
with the consent of the president, I
left Washington in the latter part of
June for the purpose of investigating
matters affecting the interior depart
ment in the west, particularly the
reclamation projects, Indian reserves
and national parks, as well as matters
pertaining to the public lands.
During my absence L have been al
most constantly in the field and have
visited twelve reclamation projects. L
anticipated the senate committee on
irrigation on its trip of examination
through Montana and the state OF
Washington.
More investigation
at expect to return to the west in
two or three weeks, making further in
vestigations, as l have not yet covered
the southwestern states and territories.
When this work is completed l Will be
prepared to report to the president my
views regarding the advancement of
public service in so far as the interior
department is concerned.
1.-THE work of reclaiming the arid
lands and the semi-arid lands as car
red on by the reclamation service is of
vast Importance to the west. / have
also been studying with great interest
the conservation of the natural reser-
voirs so far as they are affected by the
interior department, and 1t is my pur-
pose to extend and perfect such meth
ods as are possible under the law
through the interior department for
the resources of the public
domain"