Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-10
ICALL ON PRESIDENT PROTECTION BY LAW FOR
Kniqhs of Columbus Listen to President Has Conference Taft
Brief Address. Over Conservation Bills.
NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETS TO SEND SPECIAL MESSAGE CONF
Probably Will Reach Be- Feels
fore End of Week
OPERATION WITH LETTE
in a
Departmental
President Has Conference
Over Conservation Bills.
TO SEND SPECIAL MESSAGE
Probably Will Reach Congress Be.
fore End of Week.
BUREAUS UNDER CONTR(
Secretary Of Agriculture Hereafter
to Insist Upon q Close Adherence
to Departmental System.

President Taft was at work today on
several ends of the conservation and
forestry problem. He had half an hours
conference with Secretary Ballinger as
to the bills that have been drawn for
the protection of the natural resources
of the country. These bills will be ready
when President Taft's conservation
message goes to Congress. 1t is pre-
dicted in administration circles that
the proposed laws the President will
recommend will be so radical and iron
bound in their control by the govern
ment of the great resources of the
country as to take from critics of The
administration all weapons OF attack.
Protection by Law.
The President will let the country know
that he proposes to have protection by
law and not by executive action or any
action Of doubtful character. He wants
laws, too, that are SO irOnbound and
permanent as to safeguard forever the in
terests of the government. and at the
same time give the American citizen OPP
portunity to develop the unsettled parts
OF the country. Those who have talked
with the President say that he is as
firmly determined to have these laws as
he Is to have amendments to railroad
laws. In his opinion there is compare
lively little difference in the importance
of the two questions.
He will not rest satisfied until salts
factory conservation laws are enacted
and he has assurances that Congress-,
particularly western congressman. are
with him. Senator Nelson of Minnesota,
a thorough student of the conservation
problem and one of the great lawyers or
the Senate, will handle the Senate end
of the fight for legislation on behalf of
the administration. He has frequently
conferred with the President.
The conservation message will be ready
for Congress. it is now expected, before
the end of the week. although 1t may be
delayed to suit circumstances.
Secretary Wilson to Control.
Secretary Wilson was in conference with
the President for a while, presumably
as to phases of the forest service. Presi-
dent Taft is understood to be insistent
that the forest bureau. as we'll as other
bureaus of the Department of Agriculture
shall hereafter be conducted with more
regard to the usual proprieties Of de-
partmental work and not SO much for the
glorffication of individual men. This
means that action must be taken through
the nodO the department ana news
paper advertising made through the same
source. The lesson of bureau independ-
ence has been strikingly brought home
to both the President and Secretary Will
son.
There is little doubt, from information
today, that Secretary Wilson will pull
the lines pretty strongly upon several
bureaus in his department hereafter and
let it become known that he expects
to be the responsible head of the depart
ment for all lines of work. Just what
form the action of the Secretary will
take cannot be aScertained, as he was
decidedly uncommunicative today.
The absolute independence shown by
Clifford Pinchot to Secretary Wilson was
for years a matter of comment. Mr..
Pinchot did all of his business direct with
the White House and ignored the fact
that he was under Mr. Wilson.
President Taft and Secretary Wilson
are looking about for suitable material
to fill the vacancies in the forestry bu
reau due to the recent dismissals. 1t
does not seem to have been definitely
determined whether Albert F. Potter Is
to become permanent head of the bureau.
He is to act as forester until further
orders.
Invitations to Dinners.
Senator Elkins today invited the Presi-
dent to attend the annual banquet of the
University Club, to be held in this city
February Is. The President will attend
if it is possible for him to do SO.
Another invitation was from eX-Sena-
tor McCreary and a committee of the
American Peace and Arbitration League.
Mr.. McCreary is president of the league,
which will hold its annual dinner in New
York March %.
The other members of the committee
were Senator Robert Taylor of Tennessee,
ex-senator William A. Clark, Henry
Clews. DR.. John Wesley Hill and A. B.
Humphrey. The President said he would
be glad to attend the dinner il he could
get away from Washington. He wanted
to go to New Haven about March 81, he
said, and il he did he would stop in New
York on March 30, Oh his way back.
Railroad Men Confer.
Judge Lovett. the successor of Z. III.
Hartman in the control Of the Union
and Southern Pacific railroads. and Max
we'll Evarts, counsel of the system. have
an engagement to talk with President
Taft. Attorney General Wickersham and
Frank Kellogg this afternoon on some of
the phases of the proposed amendments
to the interstate commerce law.
The big railroad men of the country