The Sentinel=record., 1910-01-23
5ALLlNGER GIVES OPINION OF HYSTERICAL FANATICS WHO
 CONDEMN OFFICIALS.
HeraIdins Supposed Vaccinations of Vicious Enemies Only to Arouse
 People 10 Their Own
Cause.

Williamson, Mass. Jan. 22-Defend- ing himself in general terms against charge of being too great a sticller for the observance of the law in the administration of public affairs in an address delivered before the Good Government Club of Williams College here today, Secretary Ballinger struck back at his accusers in language as pointed as the occasion would permit.
 He mentioned no names, but made free use of the term muck raker," as connected with politicians and the press.
 MT. Ballinger placed himself squarely on the proposition that when the public officer transcends the pow CTS which the constitution and the laws clothe him he becomes a me mace to popular rights and to all the safeguards surrounding them,' and declared that constitutional and le- gal restraints are to some people ,n- convenient and often obnoxious, espe- cially when they obstructed the path way to selfish ambitions"
 Dwelling somewhat upon the ian- ger of disregarding constitutional and legal restraints that good may be ac- complished, MT. Ballinger added
 When this seductive method of ex- ercising power falls into the hands of clever politicians the minimizing peo- pie flock to their standards and with the mucl1rakers and penny-a-llners as their press support.
 We have been surfeited for a long time with this kind of public men and in measure their vagaries have been seized upon by the fadist and senti. mentalist for exploitation SO that on many public questions the public mind is in ferment of uncertainty and alarm
 These persons, playing the part of Don Quixote, in their chivalric ab- surdity. see visions of great crimes about to be visited upon the dear peo- and they herald the supposed machrn- ation of the vicious enemies of popu- lar rights in all seriousness.
 Those who do not become hysteri- cal over their tales of dire calamity and calmly ask for facts, are charged with being in league with, or accom- plices of these imaginary criminals.
 "The most vicious demagogue is he who sounds false alarm which arous- es the prejudices that strike at the 1 foundations of our government which disturb the public mind as to the nec- essity for obserEance 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 assumed indispensable qual. ities of fitness to give reason.
 They usually become political au. tocrats and do more mischief than i good. Public servants of this class are the least amenable to the consti tuition or the law for they are gener ally harder to get at from the stand point of popular disfavor.'
 Discussing the policy of the admin istration, the secretary said that the answer must be understood to imply that there can be no policy that does not keep within the law and under take to administer 1t with intelligent vigor and fidelity.
 "The activities of an executive off cer which seek to improve and correct imperfections of administration, Is one 1 thing. but it is quite a different thing when he undertakes to correct what he believes to he the shortcomings oi the law. without legal warrant there for. This is legislative function and not executive" he said added.
 "No one will say that the executive