The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-12-22
bA[[|NGER TO
FACE ENEMIES
TAFT AGREES TO INVESTIGATION
Lance to Be Applied to Public Sore
Which Threatens Entire
Administration.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-Presi-
dent Taft today yielded to the de-
mands of both Secretary Ballinger
and his critics for public investigation
of the whole subject matter under
lying the so-called Ballinger-Pinchot
&C ntroversy.
Ballinger this afternoon served up
on the president virtually the ultima
tum to effect such an investigation
and indeed touching his remaining in
the cabinet. He made 1t clear that
he would no longer willingly sit silent
and wait for things to blow over"
Taft, it is said, reluctantly admitted
the disappointment of his hope that
the country at large would accept as
final his own vindication of Ballinger
in his dismissal of charges brought
against the secretary by l.. r. Claws
former special agent of the land office
and his conclusion that the investiga-
ton demanded by both sides is in
evitable.
Republicans Agree With BalIinger.
Ballinger's attitude has the support
of the leading republicans in congress,
who feel that, entirely apart from
the merits of the controversy itself,
a fostering sore of this character must
poison the whole system of the party
in power and that it is high time to
resort to the lance. These leaders
have not hesitated to impress their
views on the president in recent in
terviews at the White House. They
eliminated today when Secretary Bal
lnger, Attorney General Wickersham
and Postmaster General Hitchcock
together went to the White House and
laid the matter before the president
President Taft was given to under
stand that Ballingers demand carried
the endorsement of Wickersham and
Hitchcock and it became known to-
night that Ballinger has the sympathy
of other members of the cabinet
Democrat Starts Trouble.
Tomorrow will be cabinet day
Without doubt the matter will come
up, but the investigation will prob
ably not come up before congress be-
fore the holiday adjournment to-
morrow. Several things have come up
lately. One is the speech of Repre-
sentative Hitchcock of Nebraska, a
democrat, who demanded action
on his resolution providing for the in
vestigation of the land office. Bal
linger, it is said, feared that the reso-
luton might be laid on the table by
the republican majority and be con-
strued by his enemies as effort of the
administration to white wash" him.
Personal friends of Ballinger's also
pointed out to the secretary that the
time had come when he must either
demand an acquttal or retire to priv
ate life. One of these who himself
had been an investigator urged Bal
linger to deliver just such an ultima
tum as Ballinger carried to the White
House today. Ballinger is impatient
of delay and Is said to have urged the
resolution providing for congressional
investigation be presented in the SEN
ate tomorrow. 1t was understood he
was overruled on that point and the
exceedingly complicated task of Sc
lecting the form of inquiry will be
threshed out between now and the
adjourning of congress to January 4.
A Fight Anticipated.
The whole subject gives promise of
heated discussion among the members
Of both houses of congress and is not
unlikely the investigation will at
| length be put in the hands of a joint
special committee representing both.
Ordinarily an investigation OF this
character would fall to the commit
tee on public lands in one house or
the other. These committees are
made up largely, however, by men
! from the western states who have
taken sides in the controversy and
whose interests might be regarded as
possibly interfering with unbiased
judgment.
One thing appears certain, and
that is that the investigation, whoever
makes it, must be relentless and ev-
erybody seems agreed that it must be
absolutely public. 1t is admitted
anything in the nature of star cham
Der" proceedings would satisfy no one
The position of Ballinger and his
friends goes beyond any question OF
personal controversy and there are
! those who voice the attitude of the
| administration to disavow any desire
| to Convict somebody else" as means
of indicating the secretary. Fol-
instance it is positively declare that
| the interests of the department OF
which Clifford Pinchot is chief, V i'll b,
recognized as having an important
stake in this business, since much OF
this unhappy controversy has con-
cerned matters in which the fores,
service is mere or less directly inter-
ested.