New-York tribune., 1909-09-04
BALL[NGER AT CAPITAL
PREPARING HIS REPLY TO
CHARGES.
VII Soon 90 to Beverly to Submit
His Side of PinchOt COntrO-
Uersy to President.
rFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]

Tribune
Washington, Sept 3-The Secretary of the
Interior arrived in Washington this afternoon
and at once turned his attention to a review of
the memorandum which has been prepared at
the direction of Acting Secretary Pierce in reply
to the Claws Pinchot charges filed with the
President. Mr. Balinger soon as he learned
the gravity of the charges, decided TO come 10
Washington and take statement of the facts
to Beverly himself. He will go there in two or
three days After his visit to the President he
will return TO Washington. and little later to
Seattle.
Mr.. Ballinger declined 10 say anything what
ever regarding the charges preferred by CLAWS.
which it is asserted at Beverly were received
there with the cordial Endorsement of Clifford
Pinchot the chief forester. Land Commissioner
bennett who is also involved in the charges. re-
turned to Washington some days ago, but he
has declined TO discuss the charges, the Cum
ningham case or any phase of the controversy
between the Secretary OF the Interior and the
chief forester and the same policy has been
pursued by every official of the Department of
the Interior, that all information emanatinS
from Washington comes from the Forestry By
reau where the prediction is made that Mr..
Bannger will be compelled to resign from the
Cabinet The Secretary of Agriculture is out of
the city
SO sweeping the Glavis-Pinchot charges
and so seriously do they reflect on the Taft adj
ministration that II is said by some officials
here that the two men will be unable to remain
in the Taft administration. Mr.. Pnchot's as
sociates predict with apparent confidence that
their chief will not be the one to suffer. They
assert that Mr. Pinchot twice warned the Presi-
dent that Secretary Ballinger inimical to
the Roosevelt policy of conservation of the
natural resources of the country before taking
the public into his confidence with regard to
what he believes to be Mr. Baingers infdelity
to the policies Of the last administration ana
before utilizing the allegations of CLAWS in an
attempt to show the accuracy of his conviction.
THE BOWEN CASE RECALLED.
Some of Mr.. PnchOt's more conservative
friends, however, are now recalling with some
misgivings the severe censure which Mr. Taft.
while Secretary of War. passed on the course Of
Herbert w Bowen. Minister to Venezuela. Mr..
Bowen 1t will be recalled, believing he had dis
covered certain imprOprieties in the admlnistra-
ton of his predecessor. Francis Il. Loomts, then
Assistant Secretary of State, communicated his
views first TO the Secretary of State, Mr.. Root.
and later to the President. Both officials ac-
knOvledged the receipt of Mr.. BoWens COM
munication but when no action followed Mr..
Po,ren became so irritated that he Confded his
information to the public through the Ven
czueIan correspondent Of a New York news
paper Secretary Taft who was designated by
President Roosevelt to decide the case. although
a friend and schoomate of Mr. Bowen censured
him severely for having taken the public into
his confidence In a matter which must reflect on
his country and on a superior in the admnstra-
tion and recommended his dismissal from the
diplomatic service, a recommendation on which
the President acted with great promptness-
OF course all the facts in connection with the
Cunningham case are in the possession OF the
Department Of the Interior and as the officials
of that department decline to discuss the case,
onIv the statements Of the Forestry Bureau and
Mr. Pinchot's associates available. 1t is
confidently expected, however, that before start
ing for the West President Taft will make public
= statement setting forth his view of the Claws
Pinchot charges
INTENDS TO KILL SOME SNAKES"
..Incidentallv" said Secretary Ballinger at the
o1oee of the dav Il intend to kill some snakes"
The remark was made in reply to questions
relative 10 the Pinchot controversy and other
conservation matters The illustration used by
the Secretary drawn from an incident In his
lIfe when. twenty years ago. as a cowboy at
Medicine Lodge. he found the camp infested
with rattlesnakes He then said: Boys, before
| sleep | propose to kill some snakes" and the
f,ct ,s recorded that he did kill about dozen
before night.
Mr.. Ballinger refused to explain his remark
1 declined 10 discuss the controversy.
"NanifestIy." he said, 1t would be improper
for me TO talk on this subject The heads OF the
various divisions of the department which are
,,,,.oi,,ed ia this controversy have all prepared
their reports. and expect to submit the whole
,,.stion 10 the President at an early day. |
couId not therefore, properly go into the subject
at this time further than to say that my previ-
o,,s knowledge of the situation, together with
the information ! have derived to-day from the
uerusal of the reports from Messrs. Pierce, Den
nett and Schwartz. iustifes the statement that
Continued on second page.