The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-21
IS
BRFWINGIN
THECABINET
Taft May Demand designations
of Secretary BaIlinger
and Wickersham
Disruption Grows From Efforts
to Get PiDchOt'S Scalp and
Discredit Newell
President Inclined to Side With
Men Who Found Favor
With Roosevelt
Western Senators Stand Behind
Forester and Head of the
Reclamation Service
By IRA E. BENNETT
[Speeial Dispaieh % The en-

wv ASHINGTON. July 20.-Ths
w disruption of President Taft's
cabinet is threatened as the
result of acute dissension which has
appeared in the interior department.
The issue has been so sharply drawn
that some senators predicted today
that the president would demand the
designations Of Secretary Ballinger
and Attorney General Wickersam.
The trouble had its inception over
differences between Ballinger on the
one hand and Forester Clifford Pin
chot and Director Newell of the recla-
nation service on the other Wicker
sham was drawn into the imbroglio
and upheld Ballinger. Taft has been
inclined to side with Pinchot and
Newell Should the two cabinet Of
fcials persist in their position it is
believed that the president viii eiimi-
nate them from his council
After Their ScaIps
Ballinger has been aggressive in his
opposition to both Pinchot and New
ell 1t is an open secret in Washing
ton that he is determined to get
their scalps The Ballinger -Pinchot
differences relate to forest lands. The
secretary has complained bitterly
against what he terms Pinchot's en-
deavors to run his department. Pin
chot. who returned to Washington
tonight disclaims any such intention.
but insists that the forestry bureau
shall be allowed to operate unhampered
and in accordance with the we'll settled
policy of the Roosevelt and Taft ad-
ministrations.
The Ballinger Newell fight has
reached a crisis, in which Attorney
General Wickersham is involved. A
meeting OF the senate committee on
irrigation is to be held tomorrow morn
ing. to which Wickersham has been
summoned He will be asked to ex-
plain the grounds upon which he rem
dered a decision last May holding that
the orders of the reclamation service
had been unlawful.
Secretary Ballinger. soon after the
taking OF office. requested Wickersham
to review the methods of the reclama-
tion service as to the making of con-
tracts with water users. Wickersham.
who is a stickIer for law points. over
turned the practice Of the service which
had been approved by law officers
under President Roosevelt.
Purpose to Discredit Him
1t is claimed by NewelTs friends
that wickersham's decision is a techni-
caIlty and that the purpose is to dis
credit Newell in order T. force him
out and make a place for a Seattle
man who is a close friend of BaIlinger-
President Taft has been approached by
both sides of the controversy. He is
inclined to support Newell Ballinger
is hard at work in the west gathering
information with which TO unhorse
Newell
Newell and Pinchot are close friends.
and their friends IN congress are
actively at work offsetting BalIingers
efforts to dislodge them. Several vest
ern senatofs interested in irrigation
matters have taken hand in the fight
They declare that rather than see
Newell forced out they will go after
the scalp of Ballinger -.imself.
Wickersham. who appears to be as
sisting Ballinger. is persona non grata
in the senate. and western senator's
especially are waiting for an oppor-
tunity to deliver him body blow
VOIING. HIISRANn Kills