The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-09-23
MAY LEAVE FATE TO
ASSOCIATES
,NcFR WITHDRAWAL SAID
To BE UP TO MEMBERS
OF CABINET.
-:.e. Meeting Will Probably Be Called
,,on to Discuss Question Of Resig-
,,ion-Rumor Said He Would Have
pssiuned Had Committee indicated
Him.
Him.

washington, Sept. 17.-Whether
piobard A. Ballinger's resignation as
secretary of the interior will follow
:romodiately on the cabinet meeting
ContDmber &c, to attend which he is
NOW en- route from Seattle; or whether
10 will retain his position Indefinitely
at least until after the delivery to
congress- of the reports of the com.
mfttpe that Investigated his steward
chin of the public domain-depends
NOW upon the attitude of his cabinet
associates.
May Resign.
Mr. Ballinger is coming to Washing
ton his friends say, wholly uncon-
scious of any act on his part of which
he should be condemned, and has de-
tprmined to force his chief and his
official colleagues to be in effect his
iudges. If they concur in the view at
present attributed to Mr.. Taft, that
the accused secretary shall be sus-
tanned as an innocent and prosecuted
man. he will retain his position; if they
fail to back him up, he will resign.
That this is Mr.. Ballinger's position
was learned here upon authority hard
" to be questioned.
Dickinson Absent.
At the first meeting of the cabinet
after the summer recess Secretary
Dickinson, the Democratic member,
will not have returned from the Phil
ippines and will therefore be saved
the embarrassment of participation in
what is regarded as largely a problem
Of Republican policy.
The meeting is expected to last three
days. 1t will surprise nobody here if
the Ballinger case occupies large
part Of the time.
Refuse to Credit Rumors.
Rumors have been constant and de-
ededly definite here during the last
few days that Mr.. Ballinger's resigna-
ton would be one of the first devel-
Opments of the cabinet meeting; but
his friends, including his associates in
the interior department, have refused
to believe that he would retire under
fire." and have pointed to his oft re-
Beated declaration to the contrary and
to the recent statement attributed to
him that he would resign only at the
specified request of the president.
Turmoil Bad.
Some of these, however, admitted
that they themselves, and the secre.
tary, are alive to the fact that the tur-
mol and uncertainty into which the
protracted controversy has plunged
Inc department. must be abated soon
unless this important branch of the
public service is to become hopelessly
demOralized.
Nobody here doubts that a majority
all but one of the Republican mem.
0ers-of the Investigating committee
Will sustain Secretary Ballinger. But
secretary Ballinger and his partisans
mere were greatly disappointed that
tne absence of Senators Root and
fhnt from the Minneapolis meeting
Delt the pro-Ballinger portion of the
committee in the minority and permit
tea the Democrats and the insurgent
republican member to put forth re
ports condemning him. These reports
lor many weeks will stand before the
eouhtry as the only findings of the
Ommlttee to take final action, which
II is said, has determined Secretary
pallnger's course. 1t was said here
=! close friend of the secretary thai
ue majority of the committee had
Oeen ready to report at the Minneap
Viis meeting, he would then have ten
uereo his resignation to the presiden1
ano urged its acceptance on the ground
,na' the discussions to which he has
'eeh party were detrimental to the
suuiic interest. When the COMMITTEES
.'iled at Minneapolis to take action a
"noie, and when there was no quo
.uln at the subsequent meeting in Chi
saso' 1t became apparent that no decl
s.on could be expected for severa
months.
Position Untenable.
lnls situation is said to have con
s.nced Mr.. Ballinger that his position
- spite of the continued support g
~ e president, has become untenaDie
uuaole, as he sees it, to resign q
~ ei'ner indicated or condemned Q!
s ae committee, he has decided, y y
o ao' TO demand of his superior ana az
"a oa0ihet associates either vindicatiol
VI condemnation.
Chippewas Would Sell.
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