The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-04-14

and / have no doubt it is true, that
Colonel Roosevelt and President Taft
have been In correspondence. All this
clears the atmosphere and makes q
whole lot Of things ineligible that be-
fore were the occasion Of doubts and
misgivings.
There is only one element In the
matter that is still confusing It is the
slant taken by Clifford Pinchot and
James r. Garfield, who were the two
particular friends Of Roosevelt when
in the White House. Within the past
few days Mr. Pinchot has advised the
National Conservation association, Of
which he Is the new president, that
certain Of the administration conserva-
ton bills are objectionable. Indeed,
there are few items Of the proposed
legislation to which he gives his cor
dial support. Now, 1t is known that
Garfield Is working with Pinchot, and
presumably these structures have his
approval. This is a new phase Of the
BallingerPinchot controversy and q
serious one. In the beginning it was
stated that the difference between the
secretary Of the interior and former for
ester was largely one Of methods and
that all sides were practically agreed
as to the legislation necessary. These
latest developments indicate the line
of cleavage to be more fundamental,
relating not only to methods, but to
policies and principles.
The CLAWS testimony that Garfield
was not reappointed secretary Of the
interior for the reason that the Cum
ningham coal claimants opposed him
is denied by friends of President Taft.
and the real reason for his elimination
is explained. In effect it is that Taft
wanted older and more experienced
men. Moreover, Garfield believed In
one rule Of action that to the president
was inadmissible. It was the one later
put forward by Mr.. Pinchot that a
public official should do all for the
people that the law does not expressly
forbid him from doing. Now, Taft as
a lawyer and a judge looked on that
doctrine as the rankest heresy. Friends
Of the president say that this was the
bar to Garfield's reappointment.
The view Of the lawyer, Of the strict
constructionist, is that the official
should do only what the law directs
him to do. Between that point Of view
and the one held by Garfield and Pin
chot is all the difference in the world.
Which rule of conduct would be IA
vored by Mr.. Roosevelt? Well, I do
not know for certain since l recall no
utterance of his bearing definitely on
the subject. Nevertheless the idea
that an official should do all for the
people that the law does not prohibit
sounds very RoOseveltian. Whatever
he may or may not have said on the
point, his actions certainly were In
line with that doctrine.
This leaves the relative attitudes Of
the president and his distinguished
| predecessor still in the air. That there
is and will be outward harmony
have no. the slightest doubt. Roose-
welt will not be candidate for presi-
dent in 1912, and nobody who knows
him and also knows politics ever
| thought he would be. President Taft
| will help to welcome him back, and
on the surface all will be sweet peace.
But how will it be in reality? When
| Theodore Roosevelt returns to this
country and has an opportunity to
study all that has happened in detail.
| when he sees this divergence not only
as to methods, but as to principles,
! when he hears these two rules of con-
duct BADLY and definitely stated. what
will he say? He is not lawyer
When he was in office it was his habit
not only to do for the people all that
the law did not specifically forbid, bui
it was the charge of his enemies that
he even disreg:!Ided the laws and the
constitution III his Efforts to do for the