The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-18

Federal officials who are forced to spend
the dog days az home look TO Denver for
q bitter fight ere the Trans Mississippi
Commercial Congress. IN session there.
reaches a final adjournment, for the bat
tie lines are drawn sharply between Sec
reta-y Richard Achilles BaHinger. OF the
Department Of the Interior, on one hand.
and National Forester Clifford Pinchot
and Director Frederick \. Newell, OF the
Reclamation Service. on tho other.
There Is 10 be no surrender. and no
quarter VIII be shown.
The belief IS strong here that this war
will cease only when President Taft has
decided who shall remain IN the Federal
service. for It seems certain that the THO
can never work together again IN har-
mony. The President will stand either
by the Cabinet minister against the two
powerful and efficient departmental chiefs
OF he will sacrifice them TO appease the
Seattle man.
Nobody can pedlct which side wiz win
but II the President places his ear 20 the
ground and listens TO the voice OF the
people. it is said 0Ir. BalIlnger is doomed
70 speedy retirement to private life. The
sentiment OF the country as reflected by
the leading papers. appears 10 be over
vhelningly IN favor Of the national for
/ ester and the reclamation chief.
Clipping Bureaus Busy.
[ Within the last seventy-two hours the
clipping bureaus have been deluging the
Offices OF the Reclamation Service and
/ the Forest Service with extracts from
/ papers published IN every section o. tha.
I United States. Were Secretary Baiunger.
I 90 attempt q perusal cf this great mass
I OF matter, those who claim 70 know say,
he would have q bitter session, as the
editors. they point ont, are almost a unit
I in declaring that the public policies which
/ Plnchot and Newell represent are too
valuable 20 be endangered through any
Iinternecine strife among officials. Hun
/ dreds OF editors called upon the Presi-
dent 10 make Il impossible for the Secre-
( tary 10 place any obstacles In the paths
/ OF the men who have done SO much 10
4 save 10 future generations the natural
wealth OF the continent
/ Il is practically certain. Il is said. that
/ ne delegates 10 the Denver congress will
/ learn. among other things. that Presi-
/ dent Taft has, IN q diplomatic manner.
/ rebuked the secretary by asking Attor-
/ ney General Wickersham TO consent to
give consideration 70 another Teclama-
/ ton case. and hand down another de-
/ clsion."
( Despite all diplomatic denials and eva-
/ sions, the claim IS made that the similar
! request is a blow 10 Ballinger, for that
/ gentleman. IN his desire to bring about
/ the removal of Director Newell, has stood
/ on an opinion given by Attorney General
/ Wickersham, who held that some OF thu
/ work OF the Reclamation Service was be-
( Ing forwarded without due consideration
/ Of the provisions OF the reclamation law,
/ The charge has been made that this
/ decision was given because the Attorney
/ General was not IN possession Of ell the
facts: IN short, that certain details we-e
not laid before him.
One Of the provisions of the reclamation
law says that the work on any project
cannot be continued unless the service
has sufficient funds on hand 70 pay for
all work undertaken.
To forward the work on one OF the big
/ projects, farmers who were In haste 70
have the waters turned upon their lands
were hired 70 assist In the construction
/ by cutting the small lateral trenches.
which convey the water directly from the
/ canals 10 the soil This work was done
under authorization Of the Water Users
] Association. 4 plan was entered into
Whereby certificates were issued In pay
ment Of this work, the certificates run
ninC until the work was completed and
until the lands had been brought 70
frultion. Then they were TO be redeemed
at their face value
An Alleged Violation.
On the assumption that the service
was crippled and in actual need OF
funds, those who placed the case before
the Attorney General Informed him that
the Reclamation Service was violating
the law. in that il was building dams
and cutting trenches when Il did not
have the money TO pay for them.
Attorney General Wickersham ruled
there was a technical violation OF the
law.
When that decision was handed down,
/ Il IS authoritatively stated, there was on
deposit in the Treasury OF the United
States TO the credit OF the Reclamation
Service almost 100000
1t is no violation Of confidence 10 say
that an explanation was asked Of Gen.
/ WickershGm. He was told, II IS said,
he hcd been deceived, because somebody
/ connected with the Office OF the Secre-
tary OF the Interior had not taken the
pains 20 inform himself OF the truo in
wardness Of matters
/ Then he was asked 20 appear before
! the Senate Committee on Irrigation and
I listen to O statement by Director Newell.
He said he would certainly appear, and
he set the date for the hearing.
But when the committee had assembled
/ he failed TO appear. and phoned few
mo-,ents later 20 say that an important
appointment with the President had been
/ forgotten. and that ne was therefore
unable 70 be present He was asked TO
/ set another date. He willingly did so.
( but when that date rolled around he
! Continued on Page ., Column G.