The Washington times., 1909-09-07
PRESIDENT UPHOLDS
BALLINGER IN FIGHT
After Talk With Secretary,
Taft Finds Pinchot's Stand
Unjustifed.
By JAMES HAY, Jr.

BOSTON. Mass, Sept. 7.-President
Taft .phOlds Richard A. Ballinger. the
Secretary OF the Interior, in the fight
made on Ballinger by Clifford Pinchot,
United states Forester, and friends OF
Pinchot.
In a conference lasting two hours and
a half at the Taft cottage in Beverly
last night, the President went over in
detail with Mr.. Ballinger and Oscar
I,aWler, Assistant Attorney General FOL
the Interior Department, most Of the
phases OF the charges connected with
The Cunningham coal claims In Alaska
and the accusations made by PinchO'
that the Water Power trust has been
aided by Ballinger's handling OF . '''iC
lands in the West.
He found nOhhlng to shake 81 Jn}i
dence In Mr.. Ballinger. on the contr> -s.
he found that the fight made by P4nchuC
is not justified.
Mr.. Taft is spending today at the
BrOokline Country Club. taxing in the
festivities Of the Yale field day. but he
will have a conference again with Mr..
BaHinger ard Mr.. LAWYER either this
afternoon o.. tomorrow.
Ballnger Is at the Hotel TOursine. He
refuses to discuss the matter in any
way, contentlng himself with the state
ment that the President viii probably
have something 70 say on the merits
of the case Ia due time
Mr.. BallinPer Will return 70 the West
some time next week and viii carry
out the plan OF travelling with the Prest-
dent on a part OF the Western tour.
Any details of the future coup Of the
Administration in regard to the Balm
ger-Pinchot controversy cannot be Or
tathed today. All that IS known is that
Ballinger is the victor. And, as the
fight has been a bitter one. so will the
victory be all the more complete.
erie nf mt n fef-
ing here today that the whole Forestry
Bureau Of the Agricultural Department
viii be Overhauled and that PinchOt,
its mead, and Assistant Forester Price
win go by the board II is taken for
granted that Ballinger will not remain
In the service if PinChOt continues 10
hold Office. And between the two. the
President viii make only the one choice,
When the Secretary OF the Interior ar
rived in Beverly yesterday afternoon
he and Mr.. Lawier carried three big
portfolios bulging with official docu-
ments. They were the BalIinger aIlmu-
milton. IT was learned that Mr.. Tai,
was at the Myopia Hunt Club. But
Bailinger was not to be denied. He had
come al the way from the West. not
because he had made up his mind that
he would end the fight that was being
made on him. So he told the Presid ent
he would talk business last night
Ih1S Le dids and lle result JuStlueu
his trip across the continent
Just when the President will make
any official statement on the case is
undecided. He may dc il within The
next few days before starting for the
West, or he may prefer TO do so in a
speech in the West. But that he will
DO Il is not doubted here.
The facts back Of the fight against
Ballinger by Pinchot are such as 20
warrant the assumption that retribu-
tion VIII fall on the Forestry Bureau
in emphatic manner.
The controversy was brought up b.
Pinchot and II created the impression
as Il was designed 70 do, in some quar-
ters that the Taft Administration, 7tand
ing behind Balinger. was cutting lc--Ef
from the principle Of conservGU ~ OF
the country s national resources, an. in
situations were heard that Bal ehgei
was helping the water power mCC. poly
and that he was not serving the pub
lies interests. on top of that came the
direct charge of l.. r. CLAWS that the
Cunningham coal claims for which Bal
linger had been an attorney were i'm
properly speeded through the depart
ment.