The San Francisco call., 1910-08-19
BALLNGER IS
FOND Of Being
PUBLIC TARGET
Secretary Says Whizzing Bull
lets of Criticism Teach a
Man COmposure
Official as Guest at Luncheon
Gives His Views on
Conservation

Richard A. Ballinger. secretary of
the interior, yesterday defended his
policies and elaborated his views on
conservation before the chamber of
commerce, whose guest he was at
luncheon given at the Palace hotel. He
spoke in favor Of San Francisco's prior
claims to celebrate the opening of the
Panama canal, the necessity of i'm
proving the roads and hotels OF the
Yosemite valley and the passing of
legislation that would open up the coal
and agricultural lands of Alaska. He
was indefinite on his views regarding
the Hetch Hetchy proposition, declar-
ing that the matter was now under the
consideration of the army engineers
under Colonel Biddle. who would make
2 report 10 the head Of the depart
ment.
The department OF the interior comes
in closer contact with the people than
any other department Of the govern
ment" BalIinger said. Because of
this condition il is more open to criti-
cism. / have reached a time in life,
however. when so far as criticism is
concerned I content myself with hav-
ing done my duty. 1t is good to be
sred at once in while. It teaches
man composure. not to be disturbed
Of the public mind in political affairs
which in time blow over. The Ameri-
can people are right. AS a people
they viii solve every question of pub
lie domain, whether you call it con-
serva ton or any other name, and they
viii solve IL in the right way.
CHANGE IN LAWS SUGGESTED
4 believe in development, in use but
not waste where il can be avoided.
In Alaska the laws are inadequate in
so far as the proper development of
he country is concerned. 1t has the
same laws so far as the precious met
ais are concerned as California has,
but there are special laws dealing with
timber, coal and agricultural lands
which ought TO be changed. We pay
too much for coal in the west. for IN
stance, a far greater price than II the
coal lands Of Alaska were opened up
Tor development.
i do not want any one TO under
stand that | am in favor of throwing
down the barriers to spectators ana
monopolistic control.
This is a pioneer county and will
remain so for many years. Many in the
East believe that we of the west have
not the same right in pioneering q
country as they had in developing the
country which they now inhabit. l
believe in economity and frugality in
public affairs as much as in private
business
WATER FOR CITY
Ballinger said that he would be the
last person in the world to throw a
stumbling block in the way of the city
in obtaining the water supply it needs.
But as in all federal matters the gov
ernment should act within the law, and
according to the facts and proceed
with regularity. He said that he re-
Earded the municipal use of water for
the people the highest use of water
and that irrigation projects and COM
mercial uses Of water for power sights
were Of secondary consideration.
He expressed a wish that the cham
Der of commerce interest itself in rails
inE money enough to erect a suitable
hotel in Yosemite valley. At present,
he said, the hotels are totally made
uuate and the roads bad. He promised
10 do whatever he could to bring Yose-
mite valley up TO the standard of ex-
cellence that exists in Yellowstone
park.
AS a citizen Of the Pacific coast, he
said that he favored the holding of the
Pananea-P Pacific exposition in this city
The spirit behind the Seattle exposi-
tion was the thing that made that ex-
position a success, he remarked. and ir
the west there was more of the fight
ing spirit than in any other part of the
country
WELCOMED BY MAYOR
William L. Gerstle presided. He in
troduced Ballinger as the head of q
department in which the Pacific coast
was virtually interested. He asked
Mayor Mccarthy TO ewlcome the secre-
tary on behalf OF the city. The mayor
said that he was glad to say in the
presence of the secretary that the peo-
pie of this city realized that they owed
MIN a great deal for his aid in pointing
out TO them the necessary steps to b,
taken for obtaining the water right:
in the Hetch Hetchy.
"A great deal of credit is due the
secretary" the mayor said, for tn,
way he has performed his public du.
ties and that under considerable crit.
icism."
Charles S. Fee, a member of the ex.
ploitation committee of the Panama.
Pacific exposition company, explained
the reasons why San Francisco wanted
.he fair and what its claims were com.
pared TO those of New Orleans
GUESTS AT LUNCHEON @
Among those present were:
Richard A. Ballinger David z. Skinner
e A Hayes c. s. Hunt
?. II. Mccarthy Eugene de Saba
William l. Gerstle George Cameron
John Bsrneson C. A Fair
William Mstson /. H. Pierson
u. NJ Alexander Walter Sutton
c. NJ. Elliott J. H. Crotbers
Henry Rosenfeld Charles = Fee
James Tyson l. ". Hellman Jr.
James McNab a W Foster
Prank L. Brown iC. ". Burks
HANFORD AND SUMMIT
RAILROAD is BEGUN