The Detroit times., 1910-03-28

The following article was written
by VIM. 4. Smythe. founder OF the
national irrigation congress and lrri-
CATION Age, author OF 1.-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 I'm
our national life. He is the apostle OF
the new patriotism" He Is for gov
eminent by men for human welfare.
and against government by money for
profit"
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
y unfortunate as II was for Taft. was
fortunate for the people and their In
situations.
Ballinger's presence In the cabinet
as trustee and custodian OF vast
wealth belonging to the public. pre-
| cipitated a row with young Louis X
CLAWS, field agent OF the land office
Claws row with Ballinger precip
itated row with the president.
The presidents row with CLAWS pre-
| cipitated a row with Pinchot.
And Pinchot's row with the presi
| dent precipitated a row with congress
and the American people.
No Ballinger, no row. No row. nc
popular cutlery against the old policy
OF plundering the public domain, and
no sudden conversion of millions &c
an appreciation of the true signi.
| ficance or 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
fui and aggressive Guggenheims. II
was believed that the Cunninghams
| acted merely for the Guggenheims
and that Ballinger was relied upon t.
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 IN 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 datec
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 seryice as commissioner OF the
land Office and his appointment a.
cabinet officer.