Arizona republican., 1911-03-08
A PARTING SHOT IS FIRED
The Secretary Takes With
Him the Commentator
of Mr.. Taft at Whose In
stance He Had Delayed
Retirement From Office.

Washington, March THE reslg-
nation of Richard A. BaIlinger Of Sc
attic. as secretary of the interior was
accepted today, and Walter l.. Fisher
Of Chicago was appointed his sue
ccssor. II appeared from the CORES
pondence between the president ana
Mr. Ballinger. which was given out
at the White House that though the
secretary's resignation had been in
the presidents hands since January.
it was held in suspense at the re-
quest of Mr. Taft that the latter had
accepted it at the urgent request Of
Mr. Ballinger.
In giving his consent 10 the secre-
tary's retirement Mr.. Taft takes oc-
casion To declare with emphasis his
unchanging faith in his integrity. the
motives and the official standards of
Mr.. BaIlinger and his unmeasured in
dignation at the methods of those who
had assailed him. The secretary in
written statement expressed his de-
termination to return To Seattle and
resume the practice Of law
Walter Lowrie Fisher, Mr. Balm
gers successor. who will assume the
office in a few days. is republican
and it is said that Senator CullOm,
the senior senator from Illinois was
consulted in regard to his appoint
ment. Mr.. Fisher has been notably
active in the movement for the con-
servation of natural resources, and he
is vice president of the National Con-
servation Association. Of which Gift
ford Pinchot is president. The offic-
ers of that association expressed
themselves as more than pleased with
the appointment.
The statement of Mr. Ballinger is
sued this afternoon says:
Il shall Immediately return to Sc
attic after securing a necessary rest
and will actively take up my profess
sional work The president has so
fully expressed his confidence i'm me
i'm his letter that / can only add now
that l am out of office. feeling that
no man could have been more Loyalty
supported than I have been by the
president and he has my lasting af
lection, and my support in so far as
my feeble efforts may be Of value.
Il give up my post without any re-
grets except that of parting from
most agreeable associations. In fact.
am as happy to be free from the
office as / was reluctant to assume
il. The department and all it's bu
reaus are in a better state of effec
tive organization than ever i'm its his
tory in which I take pride. and wish
to accord to my chiefs and other Of
ficers the full measure of just COM
mendation for their energy. loyalty
and devotion to the public service
Their assistance and cooperation has
been matter of great qualification
to me.
THE great burden of departmental
work. added to the strain of con-
tending against the assaults of wick
ed and dishonest men, has seriously
injured my health and cost me s25.-
O0O. leaving me poor man. My
purpose is to prosecute the arch on
spirators who have been following me
with an assassin's knife. The coun-
try shall know fully the injustice of
the attacks upon me-"
The retirement of Mr.. Ballinger and
bring to close the most sensational
incident thus far in the Taft admin
istration. 1t began with a difference
OF conception of policy toward the
treatment of public lands. especially
the forest reserves. between Mr.. Bal
linger and Pinchot the chief forester
of the United States. Open warfare
broke out of charges. relating to Mr..
administration of the pub
lie lands. filed with the president by
L. r. CLAWS, then field agent for the
land office. AS a result CLAWS was
dismissed for INSTRUMENTATION, by or
der OF the president and subsequently
Pinchsf espoused the cause for which |
CLAWS had fallen and he too. was
discharged likewise by the order of
the president.
From that time the battle ragged |
with increased heat, and finally Gull |
in congressional investiga-
ton. Even the committee itself could |
not get together on the subject of !
the report The democratic minority |
of the committee "stOle a march on
the republicans at Minneapolis and !
met as quorum of the committee and |
adopted report finding Mr.. Ballin-
ger guilty of the charges against him |
and demanded his removal from Of /
flee None of the reports We're acted |
upon in any manner by congress.
MR.. BALLINGER'S SUCCESSOR
Chicago. March Waller Lowrie |
Fisher, the newly appointed secretary |