Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-12
SECRETARY BALLINGER IN AD-
DRESS BELITTLEs WORK OF
ROOSEVELT AND OTHERS.
DEMAGoGs cRUsADING
UNDER STOLEN BANNER
Secretary Would Have Public Believe
That Present Administration Has
Pioneered in tho Work and Faddists
Have Taken Up Cry Because It 10
PopuIarrHurIs Defiance at Enemies.

OF the interior tSlcnard "A. 6alilHSeT,
who was the guest today at a noon day
luncheon given by the Commercial
Club, addressed his hosts on the sub
ject OF conservation.
What Is there about 1t that calls
for excitement, bitterness Of spirit or
contention!" said Secretary Ballinger.
Noting. The explanation Of popular
excitement is in the fact that many
people have been led to believe that
conservation holds the secret OF our
national well-being. The demagogue.
the fanatic, the sentimentalist, the fad
dist are crusading under the banner OF
conservation, mainly because 1t is pop
ular and holds the attention of the
hour. Their energies might be equally
employed on any other human virtue
with the same argument but such re-
formers are more like torrents, gen.
eally doing more damage by floods
than by the steady flow of useful
streams.
beyond the matter OF agitation what
has the doctrinaire accomplished, un-
less 1t be the hysteria of conservation?
Has he suggested any practical meth
ods by way of legislation TOR dtsposing
of E1e remainder of the,pubHc lands so
a sto give the. pubuc-better safeguards
against existing abuses! Tho fact Is
that all the substantial progress made
in this direction has been enacted by
the last congress as the result of rec
concentrations initiated by this adj
ministration."
Alaska Coal Lands.
Taking up the subject Of Alaska coal
lands he called attention to the fact
that with 1900 square miles OF known
coal area, containing an estimated
amc.,nt Of fifteen billion tons. some OF
the ery best quality, Alaska buys most
OF her coal from British Columbia, and
the United States navy on the Pacific
obtains its coal from the Pocahontas
Aedls Of West Virginia at a cost to the
government of 81 per ton OF which $5
per ton Is represented ny the freight,
charges If the mines Of Alaska were
in operation coal could be laid down
at Portland at from SO to 81 per ton.
He said Alaska never has had adequate
laws to cover the disposition OF her
public lands. To make them adequate.
r,
administration, which will doubtless be
met and solved as other equally diff
cult duties have been solved by 1t.
Secretary Ballinger declared he Is
onposed to Withholding any lands in
the public domain that are capable of
giving strength and permanent pros
perity to the country In agriculture.
commerce or industry.
"My Conscience Rectitude."
"Ti1e public domain was left by the
constitution to the disposition of con-
rress and congress has seen fit to au-
thortze the interior department. under
legislative limitations, to dispose Of the
public domain. Therefore any dispo-
sition sought to be made by me can be
made only in view Of the law and with
in the law. All questions Of policy, all
criticisms to all proper disposition Of
public lands, must necessarily be re-
ferred to and controlled by the law
making body established by the con-
etitution. 1t has become practice
with many people, either thru ignor-
ance Of these conditions or a DISPOSE
ton to ignore them. to charge the in
terror department with the RESPONSE
bility Of the disposition OF the public
domain regardless OF Its duty to obey
ara keen within the statutes of con-
gress.
"standing securely upon my con-
scious rectitude in the endorsement Of
the laws and regulations as laid down
by congress in these particulars, the
criticism Of the ignorant or the ma
,l,cious Of tho conduct Of the interior
department arc impotent and will fail
OF 1nterrupting the regular and orderly
course of conduct laid down by the
law for the administration Of the pub
lie domain"