The Irish standard., 1909-09-04
INVESTIGATION OF BALLlN0ER..
PlNcHoT CONTROVERSY. #
SEEMS LIKELY.
10 STRENGTHEN CONSERVATION.
Only Alternative 10 for Taft to lntsr.S
vene and Heal the Breach II
Friends Of Administration Do
Not Relish Situation. ss

Washington, Sept. 1.-Congress 10
expected by all sides of the Balinger-
Pinchot controversy to investigate the
various phases of that row during the
session next winter, unless President
Taft shall intervene and settle the
difficulty to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned, before that time. This new
turn Of affairs Is not looked forward to
with any particular relish by the
friends of the Taft administration,
who realize that the issue will prob
ably be forced upon them in congress,
by the far Western members, who
have fought the Roosevelt policies Of
conservation bitterly and who now
believe they have an opportunity to
get more liberal terms from the Taft
administration.
AS a matter Of fact it is generally
understood here that the policy of tho
administration will be to ask congress
to strengthen the laws of conservation
along the lines of the Roosevelt poll
cies. In that event. Secretary Of the
Interior Ballinger, at least. will be
placed in the anomalous position Of
having to fight the friends who think
they are helping him by taking up the
cudgels against the forestry and recla-
nation service
That the interior department and
the forestry and reclamation services
will be bones Of serious contention in
congress this winter is strongly in
dicated by late developments.
controls practically all Of the appro.
priations under which the forestry
bureau operates and 1t has hitherto
made 1t its business to inquire speci-
fically into the workings of that bu-
reau. Likewise the house committee
on territory two years ago requested
the interior department to furnish con-
gress with data relating to Alaska
coal lands. but. after continuing
the investigation for q short period,
the department gave it up.
Inasmuch as coal claims in Alaska
forest reserves are involved in the
Ballinger-Pinchot row and strong Of
fort is to be made in congress next
winter to increase the amount of coal
land which may be held under one
management 1t is believed almost I'M
avoidable that congress or one of its
committees must investigate at least
part of the basis OF the present con-
servation row.
Furthermore, Senator Beveridge OF
Indiana. one Of the spokesman of the
conservation movements, is chairman
Of the senate committee on territories
and. 1t Is understood he may insist on
an Investigation complete in all de-
tails. before permitting an amendment
Of the present coal land law.
Secretary Of the Interior Ballinger,
It was announced at the department
Is expected to arrive in Washington
next Friday. The purpose OF his COM
ing and the length Of his stay are I'M
known to the department subordin.
ates, but 1t Ia presumed that the sec
rotary has been summoned East by
President Taft with whom he will con.
suit at Beverly. and that he will en-.
gage himself with furnishing tho
president with his side Of the contro.
versy in order that the president may
take some action upon it. before start
ing on hia Western trip. the middle Of
septemb i, Secretary Ballinger is ex-
pected u accompany the president on
his tour Of the Pacific coast states
the latetr part Of that month.
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