The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-06-17
PROVEN UNFIT.


y oT closing, it was apparent that
80 psllinger should never have been
- &c Secretary of the Interior.
So +be prosecution had its ups
ND, ,rns as the case dragged along,
go Milo the defense" with an adj
go ", in machinery, and the stimu-
ana' 10 effort that causes the hare
'p .nn his best two leaps in front OF
w. 1.rrds. made as good showing
possible, it is plain, at the end
,,s Investigation, as it was at it's
ling that Mr.. Ballinger is unfit.
a5.,.ident Taft, who selected Mr..
r;nger may have been peculiarly
animate, peculiarly negligent or
.,r peculiarly constituted. No
.ar why the appointment was made
INV innocently, it was not one that
.rodit to the Administration or
,ispd any good results.
n,osident Taft's most ardent admir-
and he has many admirers de-
>, the fact that his first year in the
rz+o House has been anything but
4ri.nt-fnd it impossible toapplaud
!, course in the Ballinger case. He
=, at first imposed upon, no doubt,
~ rprv easily imposed upon. The
.,,orsingly slip-shod manner in
-,icb Mr.. Ballinger was ''exoner-
nod" was, however, an imposition
ANN the public whose servant the
p,ocidept is. 1t would be more ex-
,c+ to say an attempted imposition.
The effort to acquit Mr.. Ballinger by
he power of presidential Endorsement,
N ,,Ds Investigation, was a distinct fail
,ro But for the fact that a humble
aonographer-let his motives be
rbat YOU will-told the story of how
he generation letter was prepared,
be Investigation would have closed
7ithout frank admission from the
White House of an error that the de-
rploDments of the investigation made
oatent Granting that the President
had none but the best motives in dele
eating the presidential power of ex-
meration TO an understrapper who,
as it now appears, had a grudge
against Mr.. CLAWS, the means en-
DOyed to clear Mr.. Ballinger, to Dust
Mr.. CLAWS and to make it impossible
for Mr.. Pinchot to remain in the pub
lie service, were characterized by an
utter lack of the judicial earnestness,
elaboration and fairness that were
naturally to be expected of a former
member of the bench, and a man in
whose personal probity everyone re-
posed the utmost confidence. The
Investigation was forced, because pub
lie opinion, expressed through many
channels, outweighed a presidential
opinion, expressed in a letter written
by Mr.. Lawler and edited and elabor-
ated, in haste, by it's signer. The Ad
might have saved itself
It's present embarrassment by a can
Lid statement that while the President
'ested every confidence in the Cabinet
nmber, against whom charges and in
situations were made, the Presidents
lersOnal Investigation had, of neces-
ty, been hurried, and full and fair
lifting of the charges was invited
But the Administration adopted the
p0Site course. 1t stood pat upon
IN Investigation that it knew to have
een farce, defied the public to go
ehind the returns, set about packing
he Investigating committee as a
rlminal jury is packed where the de-
endant owns the Circuit Judge, and
repaired to apply a new coat of white
wash to cover an old one that had be-
'A W VI SNh anu peel.
Enough has been developed to show
the satisfaction of vast majority
the taxpayers of the United States
nat anyone of fair intelligence and in
enu0ns might go into a crowd and
lick out man better fitted than Mr..
'alllnger for the position of trust
oW occupied by Mr.. Ballinger. AS
H. Root said, with natural choler,
hen the attorney for the ''prosecu-
ION attempted to show that Presi-
ent Taft's contradiction of Steno-
rapher Kerby was contradicted by
ne documents in evidence, the Presi-
ent has not been on trial in this case,
II. Ballinger has been the defend
nj. As Mr.. Pinchot said, some
eeks ago, Mr.. Ballinger has not been
aarged with criminal offenses, and
such charges were to be laid a
rand jury and not a Congressional
oHnlttee, would be the proper body
lay them before. 1t was not neces-
ary to show that Mr.. Ballinger is a
zion in order to prove that he is not
suitable Secretary of the Interior.
mere is wide margin of difference
tween the ideal Cabinet officer and
1t common crook. This fact is over
'oKed by persons who assume that
lless Mr.. Ballinger is proven 10 have
zen engaged in felonious undertake
Us those who contended, and who
wv contend, that he should never
ave been, and should not remain, a
ember of the Cabinet, have no
round to stand uDon