The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-24
Ventilation Of the BaIIinger-
Pinchot Row Promises to Be
a Free-for-aIl Irish Fair
Shindy.
MANY THRIllERS FOR
THE WAITING PUBLIC
Certain Features May Be
Brought to Light Which Will
Be of lnterest-6itterneSS
Intense.

Washington. d. c.. Dec. :4.-Now
that there is to be a congressional
Of what has come to be
known as the Ballinger-Pinchot con-
troversy. it is difficult to escape the
conviction that somebody win be ser
iously damaged by the time II Is over.
1t may be Secretary Ballinser or
Chief Forester Pinchot. or 1t may ev-
en- be the republican party.
In congress are to be found parti-
sans of Ballinger and parttsans OF
Pinchot, and the joint committee that
is to conduct the investigation Is very
likely to contain partisans OF each
man. Therefore It Is to be expected
that an effort will be made to bring
to light certain features OF the admin
istration of each official. which. possi-
bly,, may be open to criticism.
Democratic May Laugh.
Both men being republicans. the
democratic party. OF course. cannot
lose anything politically by any de-
velopments. The republican party
need not necessarily be the sufferer
thereby. provided officials. high or
Low. who may be found to have been
lax in the administration OF their off,
ces are separated from the public
service.
/ In view Of the feeling already en-
| gendered between the adherents OF
the secretary of the interior and the
chief forester and Of the attitude ~
sumed by certain respective subordi-
mates, 1t would be somewhat astouish-
ing IT, as a result Of the Investigation.
changes were not made In the person
mel of the two branches Of the service
Cannot De hut Detrimental.
Should an effort be made to white
wash any shortcomings on the part oa
any official. the effect cannot be but
detrimental to the party in control ol
Congress.
In this connection the activity oI
some of Secretary Ballinger's particu
lar congressional friends Is deprecat
ed.
For instance. Senator Jones. o.
Washington. the state from which Mr.
Ballinger comes. and Representative
Humphrey. of the state. have beei
going to the white house to discus
the character of the resolutions eacl
one intends to introduce after tn
holiday recess.
1t might look better IL the resolr
tions were offered by men who hay
been neutral in their attitude towar
both Rallinger and Pinchot. for. whe
the investigation Is concluded. ther
could be no ground for the suspicio
p that it was merely . perfunctory .
! fair. conducted for the purpose OF "a
isfying a clamor from certain quar-
ers. rather than for the purpose Z
" determining whether or not the all
T. cations OF malad- administration vel
O. we'll founded.
r. Can See No Good In Party.
&c Some of the republican leaders ,
&c the capitol deprecate the decision I
'e the administration to ask for IN 4
IL vestigation. for they cannot see tn,
'e 1t will do their party any good on u
eve Of a congressional campaign.
II Moreover. some Of them are e
= tremely skeptical that anything Of
reprehensible nature in the condu
OF the land office or Of the forestl
division will be revealed. However.
now is too late for them to have su.
regrets inasmuch rs the die has be-
cast. and the investigation will
held.