Evening star., 1909-09-13
BELIEF OF OFFICIALS
Support of BaI|inger by the
President Expected.
TWO DECISIONS CITED
Action Of the Attorney General on
Irrigation Scrip.
RIGID ADHERENCE TO THE LAW
No Reflection on Pinchot's Work
Looked for-Glavis Charges
May Be Dismissed.

The belief is strong in official circles
of the Department of the Interior and
is supported by trustworthy intimat1ons
from Beverly that President Taft Will
uphold Secretary Ballingers policy In
the administration of conservation prof.
ects, this policy being rigid adherence
to the law.
This course has been foreshadowed.
1t is claimed, by the two decisions OF
the Attorney General in the matter OF
scrip" issued to forward irrigation
plans Over and beyond that, 1t is said.
Secretary Ballinger's course has been
in pursuance of the administration
policy from the outset.
This decision of the President. If 1t
is announced, is not expected TO De ac-
companied by any reflection upon For,
ester Pinchot Mr., Pinchots work VIII
not be discredited in the least. nor his
value to the public service and the peo-
pies interests minimized.
The practical effect of the President s
reimbursement of such a policy Will be
TO cause the reclamation service to pro-
ceed upon a more cautious basis and to
serve notice on the conservation en-
thusiasts that withdrawal of public lands
will continue. wherever found desirable
for the public good, but subject in the
end to congressional action and disposal.
In other words, II is said the policy.
if thus upheld by the President. would
be in all cases to determine rs the
thing legal?" rather than rs the thing
expedient?' Up to this time the In
terror Department has been proceeding
to act upon the first question. and 1t was
this policy which has brought down the
wrath of the Observation-Disclosures partisans,
Il is claimed.
->lavis Charges May Be Dismissed.
The rumor was strong today that the
President would give the Secretary of
the Interior and his department clean
bill of health in the matter Of the CLAWS
charges in the Cunningham cases. That
report is sent out from Beverly in some
of the press dispatches and is traceable
also to Interior Department sources.
Secretary Baliinger returned yesterday
from his visit to Attorney General Wick
ersham in New York. prior to Mr.. Wick
ershams final conference with the Presi-
dent before he starts west Secretary
Ballinger refused today to talk to news
paper men on his interview with the At
torney General or any feature of the
situation.
President Taft has the first say" is
the ironclad rule and motto Of the In
terror Department. 1t is question
whether the department officials will talk
after the President has had "his say" or
not.
The published report that Secretary Bal
linger will resign his Office in a few
months was refused attention at the
hands of Secretary Ballinger today and
neither confirmation nor denial was OBJ
tainable
Awaiting Word From Taft.
Everybody today was awaiting word
from the President, although 1t was un-
certain whether he had decided to make an
announcement at this time. 1t has been
thought that the President is strongly
inclined TO withhold statement until he
has talked with the western people. and
no one felt sure today that he has changed
his mind in this regard.
Some curiosity is manifested in official
circles as to what will follow IL the Presi-
dent does repudiate the CLAWS charges.
They have been considered by him and by
the Attorney General. and an official dec
laration that they do not reflect on the
officials named In them would be all the
vindication desired by the Secretary and
his subordinates.
Curiosity is expressed as to what the
makers of the charges will do in the way
of further publicity and substantiation.
The public has been given only an inkling
in the way of dark hints to the nature
of the charges and no information as to
their scope.