Arizona republican., 1910-01-23
 PLAIN TALK h Defense of His ReCoQ-
 niuon Of the Constitution AND ACTS OF CONGRESS
They Limit Him in His Ad- ministration of Public Do- main Just AS They Do in Performing Other Func- tions of His Office

Willamstown. Mass. Jan. 22.-De- lending himself in general terms against the charge of being too great stickler for the observance of the law in the administration of public affairs. Secretary Ballinger in an ad- dress delivered here tonight. struck back al his accusers in language as pointed as the occasion would per init His remarks were rendered es pecially significant because they were made on the eve of the proposed con gressional investigation into Mir. Bal fingers conduct of the interior de- partment. He mentioned no names but he made free use of the term, muck rakers," as connected with pol iticians. His address was delivered before the Good Government club of Williams College. His subject was. Executive Functions Under the Con stitution"
 Mir Ballinger placed himself square ly on the proposition that when a public officer transcends the power with which the constitution and the laws clothe him, he becomes a menace to popular rights and to all the safe guards surrounding them" and he de- clared that constitutional and legal restraints are to small people incon- venient and often obnoxious. espe- cially when they obstruct the path way to selfish ambition"
 Dwelling upon the danger of disre- garding constitutional and legal re- straints ne said: Some public off cers make the mistake of assuming that they have been commissioned by higher authority than the people; that is. by their own assumed indis- pensable qualities of fitness to govern. Usually they become political auto crats and do more mischief than good. Public servants of this class are at least amenable to the constitution or the law for they are generally harder ular disfavOr"
 Discussing the administration policy the secretary said: No one will say that the nations executive can regu- late or control interstate commerce without legislative power. In the laws defining the extent to which the eX- ecutfve power may be exercised in the administration of the public dO- main. the issuance of pensions or of patents. the interior department pos sesses no authority which does not flow from the acts of congress pre- scribing the manner and means of the sale and disposition of the public lands. the granting of pensions or of patents. Not an acre of public lands can be sold or otherwise disposed of contrary to the express declaration of the lay making power"
 Mir. Ballinger declared boldly that those unfamiliar with the west and who. because of a want of knowledge of conditions which make life and pro- gress on the frontier possible. are poorly qualified to place limitations on those who are to struggle with nature in the building of homes and settlements on the plains and in the reaches of the mountains far beyond the Mississippi"
 As going to show that the admin istratiOn Is striving to meet those conditions within the law and with due regard to all interests. he said:
 Insofar as the constitution and the laws will permit, executive activities are being pursued in o-der to secure, an increase of soil production. the preservation of the forests and fuel supply. the use and control of the stream flow. the preservation of na- tiOnal parks and monuments of his tOric ruins and scenic grandeur