The Detroit times., 1910-03-28
Monday. March q.
THE PINCHOT REVOLUTION

The following article was written
by VIM. Il. Smythe. founder OF the
national irrigation congress and Irri-
cation Age. author OF The Conquest
OF Arid America" and authority on
the economic and sociological phases
OF the irrigation and reclamation prob
lens in the country.
Clifford Pinchot Is the new man In
our national life. He Is the apostle OF
the new patriotism" He IL for gov
| eminent by men for human welfare.
and against government by money for
profit"
He lost his Official life that he
might save the life of his cause, and
his cause Is bigger than Alaska. big
ger than all the coal lands and power
sites In the United States.
| AS he puts II, the question Is not
only the conservation OF natural re-
sources, but the conservation OF popu-
lar government"
Ballinger will have a place In his
| tory OF his times. His appointment
as secretary OF the interior, profound
ly unfortunate as II was for Taft. was
fortunate for the people and their In
situtions.
Ballinger's presence In the cabinet,
as trustee and custodian OF vast
wealth belonging to the public. pre-
| cipitated row with young Louis X.
CLAWS, a field agent OF the land ONCE
| CLAWS row with Ballinger precip-
itated a row with the president.
| The presidents row with CLAWS pre-
| oipitated a row with Pinchot.
| And Pinchot's row with the presi.
dent precipitated a row with congress
and tho American people.
No Ballinger, no row! No row, TO
popular cutlery against the old policy
or plundering the public domain, and
no sudden conversion OF millions 70
an appreciation of the true signi-
| ficance OF the cause OF conserving
natural resources In particular and
human good In general.
Let us extract from the mass OF evi,
dence accumulated in the congress.
sional investigation a few shining
facts:
In the Alaska coal business. the
| public was not afraid OF the obscure
Cunninghams, but of the rich. power.
ful and aggressive Guggenheims. II
was believed that the Cunninghams
acted merely for the Guggenheims
and that Ballinger was relied upon L.
assist the Guggenheims In acquiring
some OF the most valuable resources
ON the public domain during the Taft
| administration.
This was denied. In an affidavit
| dated Sept. 4, 1908, Clarence Cunning
ham swore that the Guggenheims had
mo interest direct or indirect" In his
Alaska coal claims. Mr.. Ballinger
the attorney, who had just retired
| from the place OF commissioner oil
the land Office, and who later became
secretary OF the interior. presented
this affidavit to the authorities al
Washington.
| A few weeks ago the Guggenheims
with the apparent purpose OF break
Ing the force OF an inevitable revela
ton. sent their attorney TO the senate
committee on territories TO testify
that they held an assignment OF one
half OF the Cunningham coal claims
! and that this assignment was dated
Dec. Z, 1907. some 10 months prior &c
the date OF the affidavit made by Gun
bingham and presented by Ballinger.
With his claims still pending be-
fore the interior department where
| they were held up by the opposition
Of the uncompromising CLAWS, Gun
ningham employed Ballinger as his
attorney during the interval between
his service as commissioner OF the
land Office and his appointment al
cabinet officer.