New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-13

Misunderstanding 5cith the Forest
SerJice Began Early in Year.
rFror, n. Tribune bureau

Washington. Aug l2-OficiaI Washington refuses
20 become Unduly excited over the differences %
opinion which have arisen between Secretary Raj
linger % the Interior Department and clifford
Pnchot chief Of the forest service over the en-
forcenent OF the Law relating to water power
grahts
OF course nearly all % oGlcial Washington. and
hy FAR the most importaEt part 81 H. Is now away
from the national capital but that part which has
remained TO DO the necessary routine work views
with equauimity the reports OF the storm which IL
lowering the irrigation congress ~ Spokane.
The effort % delegates to the congress ."
have Il appear that President Taft and his ad-
ministration are playing fast and loose with Mr..
Roosevelts policy for the conservation ~ the couu-
try's natural resources finds no warrant In any
thing Mr. Balnnger has done. Nearly four months
ago II was stated In these dispatches that the
President was thorough accord with the policy
OF his predecessor on the conservation Of natural
resources and that II was his purpose 10 incorpo-
rate I'm his first annual message 10 congress a
forceful recommendation for legislation which
would make It possible for the administration to do
more in that direction than IL has been able 10
accomplish in the past There is no reason 10 be
lieve that Mr. Taft changed his mind since tha
dispatch was written. 10 believe that secretary
Ballinger Is not In thorough accord with the aims
and purposes Of the President
FRICTION AROSE EARLY.
The question on which Messrs. Ballinger and
Pinchot appear 10 be divided does not go TO the
-, 30 ,be conservation movement Mr. Pinchot
is an enthusiast whose heart Is wrapped up IN ms
work He has achieved wonderful success and mas
made the forest service one of the most important
branches Of the government
when Mr. Bauinger assumed charge OF the IN
terror Department he was not without experience
or Lnou,ledge of the progress OF the conservation
movement IN the West. lie had served for a year
as commissioner Of the General Land once uhuer
President Roosevelt, where he made record TOT
vigorous asd impartial enforcement OF the law
IT,, III IuniT "A
ga hts cabinet 10 such degree that Mr. Tart
regarded il as rare good fortune wheh ne con-
scented 10 Join the new Cabinet
The fr,ction between the Department OF the In
,ar,o- and the Forest Service over the custom OF
ater mower sites arose early in Mr.. Tafts admin
,s,rs,ion Secretary BallingeT had the approval OF
the administration when he made IL known 'ha'
he was unwilling that any act OF MS department
ho,ld he open to the charge OF oeihs "l'hou'
,aI o,arrant His consistent determination TO act
ee" , ,,h,, the law gave the impression I'm some
,,ers that he was hostile 10 the conservation
policy. ,,.. ~ ,A h,.,
Everybody who knows Mr.. Pinehot has the hsh-
80, rsgard for his ability. industry and earnest
,aa, for an honest and efficient enforcement OF the
,au,s of Congress But even some OF his flehos
-, that he is inclined TO construe with the
eatest possible liberality the powers when are
vested I'm his bureau He has been crltici~eo niai'
800 in the Senate and House by Western sena-
49,, who felt that he was overstepping his au-
thority and doing things which Congress never IN
tended he should be permitted 10 40
PRESIDENTS POSITION.
NJ Bauinger took the position that no good
,,Ia come from the exercise OF extra-executive
roS,er where legal authority was lacking. He told
49, friends. and he told the President. that he was
convinced that such course wouid ohiy oeVeiop
weakness. and that ultimately the courts would
,,,,.,,,, the results achieved by the exercise OF
a mower conferred the Executive by neither the
Constitution nor the laws.
He suggested that those who had the conserva-
ton of natural resources at heart could not better
aa ,hair energy than In bringing to bear on
Continued ON second page.