The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1910-01-05
THE BALLINGER-P|NCHOT
CONTROVERSY IS UP


charges range from petty insinuations
and innuendoes to direct charges of
malfeasance and misconduct in Office,
which. if true, Snow that he has most
unworthily discharged his trust. A
moments thought should cause an
honest and fair--ninded man to hesi-
tate TO accept such charges against
man whose whole life heretofore
has been one of the highest rectitude
and against whom no dishonorable
charge has ever been made in either
private or public life.
Such q man is the present Secre-
tary of the Interior He is over fifty
years of age, an nonored graduate of
Williams College and a lawyer of dis
tinction. He came to our state in 1889
and has lived there ever since. He
was a Superior Judge for four years
and Mayor of the City of Seattle.
Washington, and his administration
of that Office has been a model for his
successors. He accepted the Office of
Commissioner of the General Land
Office at the urgent solicitation of
Secretary Garfield who knew person
ally mis- sterling character and excep-
tional ability. He did not seek that
Office. He accepted his present posi-
ton only upon the earnest solicita-
tion of the Pres. He did not seek
it. He gave up large and lucrative
law practice simply at the call of pat
riotic duty. Is 1t possible that he at
once became the scoundrel and arch
enemy of the people that he mas been
depicted in the public press? l can
not believe it. II he has used his high
office to advance special interests, il
he has sacrificed the people for pri
vate or personel gain let 1t be SHOWN.
IT, on the other hand, the people have
been deceived and he has been un-
justly accused that should be shown
not only that justice may be done
niIn but that the confidence of the pub
| lie in the honesty and integrity of
it's public servants may be restored
and strengthened and the animus of
| the attacks disclosed.
Much has been said regarding his
views on the conservation of our ma
| tional resources. This | shall not dis
cuss at tnis time. | believe that it will
| be shown that Ais purposes and OBJ
| jects are substantially the same as
| those of the most radical conserva
| zionist and the main difference is but
| one Of methods. Assuredly there is
room for an honest difference of opin-
| ion as to how our great natural re
| sources can best be conserved. I may
| agree with some of the views of those
| who criticise the policies, the meth
DDS and proposals of the Secretary
but that he is honest and patriotic in
his views l have not the slightest
doubt. One thing Is sure, we have had
several years of talk about conserva
tion, we have had platitude piled upon
| platitude in the most dramatic way
but no specific or detailed plans for
conservation have been presented.
THE present Secretary of the In
terror instead of drawing glitterine
generalities has made specific recon-
mendations regarding all the import
ant conservation problems SO far as
they come within the jurisdiction ol
his Department and has prepared and
submitted to the careful scrutiny oi
the people and of congress legislation
that ne considers necessary to effect
the objects SO much desired by all
He reconends the repeal of the tim
ber and stone laws and the disposa
of the timber separate from the soil
, He recommends that coal deposits bt
separated from the title to the surfac'
, and that the coal be disposed of sep
arate from the land by sale or lease
, He recommends legislation to proven
the acquisition of power sites on tn
! public domain by private persons o
T corporations with the view of monop
) olizing or adversely controlling then
, | against public interests He has with
; drawn all locations known to posses
, power possibilities on inappropriate,
lands outside of national forests owe
: which his Department mas no jurisdio
' ton and ne recomends that congress
; pass a measure authorizing the class
D ifcation OF lands capable of being us
: ed for water power development an
' to permit of their disposal through tn
! Interior Department upon substantial
ly the following conditions"
Mr.. Jones then gave a synopsis o
: seven OF the most important recon
= mendations made by Mr.. Rallingel
: and continuing his remarks, said:
Conscious of the purity of his nc
Z tives and the rectitude of his inter
a tions the Secretary of the Interio
{ welcomes this investigation. I hav
s presented the resolution calling 70
e this Investigation, not in HIS beaal
: or In antagonisn to any other ofiicja
t OF the Government, hut In the intel
ests of coed administration and in OF
e der that the people may know tn
D facts Of this deplorable. controvers
: and for the Judgment thereon Of a
; impartial body. q
A