New-York tribune., 1909-09-26
TAFT RETAINS PINCHOT
CHIEF FORESTER NOT TO
RESIGN.
President VIII ASk Congress to Put
ROOSereIt Conservation Policies
on Firm Basis.

Salt Lake City, Sept 25.-As the result of sew
eral long conferences with Chief Forester Clifford
Pinchot here to-day, President Taft tonight
caused statement to be issued in which he de-
clares that never at any time in the Ballinger-
Pinchot controversy has he intended to reflect
or Mr. Pinchot. In this statement Mr. Tart
takes more advanced grounds than ever in favor
of the Roosevelt policies Of conservation of
natural resources.
The President indicates that what is TO be
done in the reclamation Of arid lands must +oe
done within the law but announces his inten-
ton of applying to Congress for such IegisIa-
ton as will put the Roosevelt policies on the
firmest basis.
Mr.. Pinchot, before starting for Washington
tonight also issued statement in which he
made public a portion of Presdents sTaft,s letter
written TO him at the time the letter 10 Secretary
BaIlinger was dStated The President said he
hoped Mr. Pinchot would find no reason in the
BaIlinger letter for resigning
Il shall not resign" declared Mr.. Pinchot
and he adds that he viii continue to serve the
government along the same lines ne has pursued
in the past, closing with the statement
I helievo n equality of opportunity and the
them as long as have the strength to stand
for anything.
THE PRESIDENTS STATEMENT
Mr. Pinchot's statement was shown to the
President before it was given out The Presi-
dents statement follows:
In view of the published statements that tn.
letter Of the President to Secretary Ballinger
was TO be considered in some way reflection
on Mr.. Pinchot. the President to-day authorized
the publication of the following:
That at the time he wrote the letter to Secre-
tary Ballingcr he also wrote a letter to Mr.
Pinchot assuring him that the conclusions stated
therein were not intended in any way to reflect
on him: that the President deemed MI Pinchot's
mt Oft
utmost value: that he expected to continue the
Roosevelt policies 10 the conservation OF re-
sources, including the reclamation Of arid lands
and preservation of our forests and the proper
restrictions in respect to the Of coal lands
and water rights as well as the Improvement of
our waterways, and TO ask Congress for such
con1irInatOry and enabling legislation as would
pu, the execution Of these policies on the firmest
basis: and that he would deem il a great loss if
had been concerned. the administration should
be denied the benefit of his further service.
Mr. Pinchots statement which was made
public at the same time. follows:
At the suggestion of the President I max.
public the following extracts from his lettnr ~
me, mentioned in the statement he has hst
authorized:
II wish you to know that ! have tho nt,,os,
confidence in your conscientious desire IN 80,
the government and the public in the intensit,
Of your purpose to achieve success in the n,at
ter of conservation of natural resources ana l.,
the immense value Of what YOU have dora ana
purpose 10 do with reference to forestry ANA
kindred methods Of conservation; I'd tbaf
am thoroughly in sympathy with all of tbcs
policies and purpose To do everything | can to
maintain them, insisting only that the actio,
for which become responsible or for which ~,
administration becomes responsible shall NJ
within the law. | should consider II one of -ha
greatest losses that my administration couIj
sustain if you were to leave H. and | sincerely
hope you viii not think my action in writing
the inclosed letter 10 Secretary Bailinger is rca
son for your taking step of this character"
These expressions by the President which ara