Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-23
Secretary BalIinger Freely
Uses Term "Muckraker."
HE WILL STICK TO LAW
Decries Fadists Who Recognize No
Legal Restraint.
LIMITATIONS OF EXECUTIVE
Work of Developing Natural Re-
sources Under Federal Authority.
Matter for Popular Control.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. January 22
Defending himself in general terms
against the charge of being too great a
stickler for the observance of the law
n the administration of public affairs
in an address delivered here tonight, Sec
retary BaIlinger struck back at his ac-
ousers in language as pointed as the oc-
casion would permit. His remarks were
rendered especially significant because of
the fact that they were made on the
eve of the proposed congressional inves-
legation into their authors conduct of
the Interior Department. He mentioned
~ rames, but made free use of the term
-'muckraker'' as connected with poll
;.cians and the press.
The address was delivered before the
Good Government Club OF Williams Col
.e@e. The subject was The Executive
function Under the Constitution a sub
sect to which Mr.. Ballinger declared at
~ outset he did not intend strictly to
aaIere.
Legal Restraints.
Mr.. Ballinger placed himself sauarely
o. the proposition that when the public
officer transcends the powers with which
the Constitution and the laws clothe him
he becomes menace to popular rights
ard to all the safeguards surrounding
them, and declared that constitutional
and legal restraints are to some people
inconvenient and often obnoxious, es-
peclally when they obstruct the pathway
To selfish ambition
Dwelling somewhat upon the danger of
olsregardlng constitutional and legal re-
stralnts that good may be accomplished
NJ Ballinger added:
Vagaries Exploited.
Nhen this seductive method of exer-
cising power falls into the hands of
clever politicians the unthinking people
look to their standards, with the muck
rakers and .penny-a-linsrs' as their press
support We have been surfeted for
long time with this kind Of public men.
and In measure their vagaries have been
seized upon by the fRddist and sentmen-
talist for exploitation 20 that on many
public questions the public mind is in
1erment OF uncertainty and alarm. These
persons. playing the part Of Don Quixote,
IN their chivalric abSurdity, see visions of
gfeaf crimes about to be visited upon the
dear people, and they herald the supposed
Vaccinations Of the vicious enemies of
popular rights in all seriousness. Those
who do not become hysterical over their
tales OF dire calamity and calmly ask for
facts are charged with being in league
with or accomplices OF these maginary
criminals. The most vicious demagogue
is he who sounds false alarm, which
arouses prejudices that strike at the
foundations of our government. which
disturb the public mind as to the neces-
sity for observance Of the laws of the
land
Again. some public officers make the
mistake of assuming that they have been
commissioned by higher authority than
the people-that is. by their own as
sumed Indispensable qualities OF fitness
to govern. They usually become political
autocratS and do more mischief than
good. Public servants of this class are
the least amenable to the Constitution or
the law, for they are generally harder to
get at from the standpoint of popular
1iSfayor'