Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-23
BALLlNGER RAPS
Ills ACCUSERS
CALLS ALL HIS OPPONENTS
"MUCKRAKERS"
VENTURES TO REPLY ON EVE OF
INVESTIGATION
Secretary of Interior Carefully Avoids
Names, but Attacks Politicians
and Newspapers in Des-
perate Defense
Associated Pressl


WIIIIAISTOWN, Mass, Jan. 22.-
Defending himself in general terms
against the charge of being too great
a sticlxler for observance of the law in
the administration of public AFFAIRS
Secretary Ballinger, in an address de-
livered here tonight, struck back at his
accusers in language as pointed as the
occasion would permit.
His remarks were rendered especially
significant because they were made on
the eve of the proposed congressional
investigation into Ballinger's conduct
of the interior department
He mentioned no names, but made
free use of the term "muclzraker," as
connected with politicians and the
press. -
Tilss address vas delivered before the
Good Government club OF Williams
college. The subject was '"The Exec
utiVe Functions Under the Constitu-
tion.'
Mr. Ballinger placed himself on the
proposition that when the public Of
ficer transcends the powers with which
the constitution and the laws clothe
him he becomes a menace to popular
rights and to all the safeguards sur
rounding them," and declared that
constitutional and legal restraints are
to small people inconvenient and often
obnoxious, especially when they OBJ
struct the pathway to selfish ambition"
Legal Restraints
Dwelling on the danger Of disregard
ing constitutional and legal restraints,
Mr.. Ballinger added:
when this seductive method of ex-
ereising power falls into the hands of
clever politicians the unthinking peo-
pie flock to their standards, with the
'muckrakers' and penny as
their press support.
1--WE have been surfeited for a long
time with this kind of public men, and
in a measure their vagaries have been
seized upon by the faddist and senti-
mentalist for exploitation, so that on
many public questions the public mind
is in ferment of uncertainty and
alarm.
'These persons, playing the part of
Don Quixote in their chivalric absurd
ity, see visions of great crimes about to
be visited on the dear public, and they
herald the supposed Vaccinations of
vicious enemies of popular rights in
all seriousness Those who don't be-
come hysterical over their tales of dire
calamity and calmly ask for facts are
charged with being in league or ac-
complies of these imaginary criminals
Again, some public officers make the
mistake of assuming that they have
been commissioned by a higher author
ity than the people-that is, by their
own assumed Indispensable qualities
of fitness to govern.
Those Public Servants
"'rhey usually become political auto
Gratis and do more mischief than good
Public servants of this class are the
least amenable to the constitution OF
the law. for they are generally harder
to get at from the standpoint of pop
ular disfavor."
Discussing the administration policy
the secretary said the answer must be
understood to imply that there can be
no policy that does not keep within the
law and undertake to administer it
with intelligent vigor and fidelity.
Land Seems Safe
mot an acre of the public lands can
be sold or otherwise disposed of con-
trary to the express declaration of the
lawmaking power he said
1.-THE executive cannot at will improve
the wild lands. or mine the minerals,
log the timber. or water the arid
wastes. He cannot give even qualified
rights or privileges to any of the pub
lie domain unless the lawmaking
power affirmatiyely so declares.
There is no discretion or supervisory
power, or executive control except in
the execution of specific or general
laws. This is plain to anv person who
considers the nature of our institutions
and the power lodged in executive
officers.