Evening star., 1909-08-19
An Unbiased View of the Pin
chot- BaIIinger Affair.
HUNT FOR HIDDEN ANIMUS
Concrete Instances of Real Differ
ences Not Much in Evidence.
AWAIT PRESIDENTS ACTION
Politicians in Meantime Endeavor-
ting to Gage the Political Signifl-
canoe of the Controversy.

The warfare between the contesting de-
partmental policies of rs the thing de-
sirable?" versus rs the thing legal?'' in
the Pinchot-Ballinger controversy showed
no official developments today at this end
of the line Everybodys attention is
drawn to the west where Forester Pin
chot and Secretary Balinger are respect
lively addressing conservation audiences
and inspecting public works.
In the meantime the friends of Forester
Pinchot, who are conducting mighty
efficient press bureau and publicity serv-
Ice for him in the east, are working over
time and putting the Pinchot side of
the case prominently forward.
The administrators end of the con-
troversy appears to be somewhat hamper
ed, either by sense of official dignity
or ethical baekwardness in footing its
own horn. markedly at variance with
the good old Roosevelt methods and days,
so nothing is coming out from depart
mental sources.
Some comment is being heard in polit.
ical circles. however, over the fact that
there has been a steady back fire upon
the new administration since early in its
tenure OF Office, from a coterie of news
papers and general writer's, criticfSing the
Taft administration and contrasting it,
with tendency to it's depreciation, with
the Roosevelt methods. The coincidence
tration matters now being put out is
played up In these same papers and
from the same sources.
The policy of the Taft administration
has been to ignore this campaign OF
open and concealed hostility. although
cognizant Of 1t. at all times. The Pinchot-
Ballinger incident has furnished fresh
material for renewed onslaughts upon the
administration, and there Is considerable
curiosity among the unbiased as to now
far the administration will let things
proceed without showing fight.
What It's All About.
The first suggestion that occurs to the
unbiased observer of the controversy is,
What is the practical difference between
the present and the preceding administra-
tions of the conservation policy to war
rant the Pinchot charges? What has the
Taft Baiinger policy done to coatravene
the elt-Garfeld-Pinchot policy?
About the first answer that the unbiased
inquirer gets is that for one thing this
administration has put It's foot upon the
further issue of the scrip" which was
being used by the reclamation service to
pay for reclamation work in excess OF
the improvements actually authorized by
funds in hand. There are some 100000
of this scrip outstanding, which the
Department of the Interior will see is
made good to its innocent holders, but
no more is to be issued
The Attorney General has declared the
scrip to be absolutely without warrant
of law, although it's issue was not crimi-
nal. The statement Is made upon author
ity that the last administration was ad-
vised by its law officers that the plan
had no authority in law, but went ahead
with it, nevertheless, on the familiar
yyo a ~
to progress" and was doing no one any
harm"
Facts Cited Against "Scrip."
The fact that the scrip at times de-
preciated until it could be bought as low
as 3S cents on the dollar. although it was
redeemable by the government at par,
ultimately, and the further fact that it
passed from hand to hand in contraven-
ton of the statute which prohibits as
signment of a claim against the govern
ment, are cited against the perfect legal
ity of the transaction.
The second statement which the un-
biased inquirer develops is that the
Pinchot hustlers claim that the progress
of conservation was halted by Secretary
Ballinger canceling the Garfield with
drawals of large slices OF government
rewithdrawing the bulk of the same lands.
Reply is made to this that Secretary
Ballinger withdrew, in perfect accord
with the policy of conservation, the lands
along the water courses. but would not
withdraw the lands eighteen and twenty
miles back in the country. The charge
that in the interim the water power grab
bers had got in and grabbed off the choice
water power sites has been officially de-
MED by the acting secretary of the in
terror.
So the unbiased inquirer does not find
concrete instances of absolute difference
of executive action between this and the
former administration. working to the
detriment of the conservation policy, but
rather a difference without differentia-
ion.
Locking for the Animus.
All OF which has led the politicians to
further wonder as to the animus of the
attacks of Forester Pinchot's jealous and
indefatigable friends. and to try to gauge
the political significance Of it, the same
leading to endless gossip and political
speculation.
The political end of the controversy is
expected to attract continued attention
until President Taft acts in the case
which, as stated in yesterdays advices
from Beverly, probaly will not be until
he makes his western trip.