The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-17
.BAlL|NGER WANTS
CABINET TO ACT
Secretary Of Interior Will Insist
That Superiors vindicate or
Condemn Him.

WASHINGTON. Sept. i7.-Richard
A. Ballmeer. secretary OF the interior,
II is said, Gss decided to demand OF
his superior and his cabinet assistants
either vindication or condemnation.
Several days ago IL was announced
that Secretary Ballinger would arrive
here Sept "a. he left mis- home In
Seattle yesterday. however, and VIII
reach Washington several days In ad-
vance OF the cabinet session. His pur'
pose in thus expeditiRg his return is
believed to De TO counsel with his I'M
mediate subordinates and TO gain their
assistance In preparing for his de-
mand upon the cabinet for a show
down"
Mr.. Ballinger is coming TO Washing
ton. his friends here insist, Who'll
ly unconscious OF any act on his part
either OF commission or OF omission.
for which he should be condemned,
and has determined 10 force his chief
aud his official colleagues to be In eff
feet his judges. II they concur In the
view at present attributed 20 Mr.. Taft.
that the accused secretary shall be
sustained as an innocent ana perse-
cuted man, he will retain his position;
II they fail 10 back him up he will re-
sign forwith. That this in substance
Is Mr.. ballinger's present position was
learned here today upon authority
hardly 10 be questioned.
Resignation Unlikely.
Rumors have been constant and
decidedly definite here during the past
few days TO the effect that Mr.. Bal.
fingers resignation would be one OF
the first developments OF the cabinet
meeting; but his friends, including
his associates In the interior depart
ment, have refused 10 believe that he
would retire under fire" and have
pointed 10 his oft.repested declaration
to the contrary and 10 the recent
statement attributed 10 him, that he
would resign only at the specific re-
quest OF the president. Some OF these,
however, today admitted themselves
and the secretary TO be alive 10 the
fact that the turmoil and uncertainty
into which the protracted controversy
has plunged the department must be
abated soon unless this important
branch of the public service Is to be-
come hopelessly demoralized.
Nobody here doubts that major
ity-- all but one OF the Republican
members-of the so-called Ballinger-
Pinchot investigating committee, Will
sustain Secretary Ballinger In their
report to congress. The views OF that
majority, which consists OF Senators
Nelson, Sutherland. Root and Flint
and Representatives Mccall Of Massa.
chusetts: Olmstead OF Penn, and Den.
by OF Michigan TO that effect are well
known.
Committee Is Disappointing.
II is this failure OF the committee
TO take final action which. II Ia said,
, has determined Secretary Ballinger's
course. II was said here today by a
close friend of the secretary that had
the majority of the committee been
ready to report at the Minneapolis
meeting, he would then have tender
ed his resignation TO the president,
| urged its acceptance on the ground
that the dissensions to which he has
been party were detrimental to the
public interest. When the commit
tee failed at Minneapolis TO take &C
ton as a whole, and when there was
no quorum at the subsequent meet
ing In Chicago, IL became apparent
that no decision could be looked for
practically for several months.
This situation is said to have con.
vinced Mr.. Ballinger that his posi-
ton, In spite OF the continued supper;
OF the president, has become unten-
able