Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-08-13
Biggest Withdrawal Of
Power Sites Made by
Department.
INCLUDES 97000ACRES
Denied That Any Such Prop
erty Has Been Seized Upon
Under BaIIinger.

Washington, Aug. 13.-What is said
to be the largest number of acres of
land Withdrawn for temporary water
power sites in the history of the inter-
ior department was made today when
Acting Secretary Wilson Withdrew
1880 acres along the Colorado river
in Utah to prevent "monopolies"
No Sites Filed Upon.
Washington, Aug. 13-At no time
during the administration of Secre-
tary Ballinger. have any power sites
been filed upon in Montana, says Act.
ing Assistant Commissioner Schwartz
of the general land Office, in a state
ment today. The statement. which is
SO significant at this time in view of
the issue which has arisen over water
power sites, was issued today as de-
nial of the story which alleged that
in the Bozeman, Mont, land district,
one jeremiah Collins June IL fled on
15,SGS acres of land valuable for power
sites and in the interest of large pow
er companies.
May Amount to Scandal.
Washington, Aug. 13-Sensational
developments, if not actual scandal,
will come of the inability of Secretary
of the Interior Ballinger and Chief
Forester Pinchot of the department of
agriculture to agree on policy for the
conservation of natural resources Mr..
Pinchot, an enthusiast, is making his
fight based uPof ti,esaets of the .Roose-
welt administration, and is prepared to
show that Secretary Ballinger has,
since assuming charge of the interior
department, been able to break down
much of the work that was done un-
der his predecessor to prevent monopo-
listic control of natural resources in
the west.
Water Power Most Important.
Mr.. Pinchot lays particular emphasis
upon the water power controversy, and
his friends say he is prepared to prove
that as result of Secretary Balling-
er's hasty action in opening to settle
ment a million acres Withdrawn to re-
serve to the government control Of
q
power combine succeeded i'm seizing
practically all it wanted. Mr.. Pinchot
entered prompt protest against the
action of Secretary Ballinger, and the
president warned his secretary of the
interior as early as April 30 of the sit
uation. 1t is known that the lands
which had been withdrawn and which
Nv bnlIs
manned subject TO entry until June 26,
when of the 100000 acres originally
Withdrawn something like 10000
acres were withdrawn after entries
had been made on June IL upon what
is claimed to have been some of the
most important tracts controlling wa
ter rights
Taft Back of BalIingers
Mr. Ballinger insists that the presi-
dent is behind him and that he had
his approval for all his acts Mr.. Taft.
while member of Roosevelt's cab
met, was familiar with the details of
the conservation question and knew
all the particulars of the controversy
raised by Mr. Ballinger while commits
sioner of the general land Office under
Secretary Garfield. In selecting Mr..
Ballinger for his cabinet he was aware
of his views concerning conservation.
Mr.. Ballinger is looked upon here in
official circles as speaking for the pres
ident i'm his discussion of conservation
questions at Spokane.
Unless Mr. Pinchot is in error con-
cerning the evidence which he has ac-
cumulated, Mr.. Ballinger has unwit-
tinsly placed himself in position of
innocently playing into the hands of
the power combine. The CONTROVERSY
is narrowing down to questions suscep-
tible of proof. Mr.. Pinchot claims he
has the documents and Mr. Ballingef