Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-03-09
appointment of w. L. Fisher F0l-
lows Labor on Commission.
TAFT CONF|DEO IN BALLINGER
chicago Man Will Assume the Cabinet
Position in a Few Days-Taft
Reluctant to Accept Bal
fingers Resignation.

New York, March S.-The new sec
rotary of the interior, Walter Lowrie
Fisher, has the reputation of an active
worker. He has been in New York sew
eral days attending meetings of the
railway securities commission. Pres
ldent Hadley, of Yale, is chairman of
the commission, and Mr.. Fisher is a
member. To reporters at the Belmont
Mr.. Fisher said:
Il have no statement to make ex-
cept that l have accepted this position
with a deep appreciation of its obliga-
lions and it's opportunity to accomplish
practical and constructive work"
He will go to Washington Thursday
to see President Taft and get home
to Chicago next week for a few days
before returning to Washington to
start work as a member of the cab
met.
Secretary Ballinger based his resig-
nation entirely upon the condition of
his health. The president replied at
once, expressing his confidence in
Secretary Ballinger and his reluctance
to accept his resignation, and request
ed the secretary to remain in office
until the close of the session of con-
gress.
The correspondence between the
president and the secretary is not
voluminous, but displays beyond ques-
ton tho @nE10ro ruhiaL NJ Tofk
has reposed in Mr.. Ballinger through
out the long seige and the indigna-
ton with which he viewed the attacks
upon the secretary's personal and Of
fetal integrity.
The appointment of the Chicago at
torney was commented on by some as
a natural step following his work on
the national conservation commission.
In 1908 President Roosevelt selected
Mr.. Fisher as head Of his conserva-
ton movement.
Mr.. Fisher was born in 1862 at
Wheeling, w. Va. He was graduated
before the age of twenty-one from
Hanover college, Hanover, O., of
which for many years his father was
president. Four years after his grad
uatiOn Mr.. Fisher was admitted to
the bar and began practice in Chicago.
AS an active worker in relation to
ChlcagO's municipal affairs the new
secretary of the interior first became
prominently known as secretary of
the Municipal Voters League. Later
he became president of this body and
retained an interest in it's work after
ceasing to be an official.
His work in framing the traction
ordinance and examining witnesses
before the Merriam commission are
recent things for which Mr.. Fisher
is known.
Mr.. Fisher became president of the
conservation League of America, of
which Mr.. Roosevelt was honorary
president and William Taft and Will
lam ]. Bryan honorary vice presidents.
The league grew out of the first con-
ference of governors held in Washing
ton in 1908. Its members were not
individuals, but organizations, such as
the National Civic Federation. After
Mr.. Taft became president the Ma
tional Conservation association was
formed and it's members were indi-
Viduals. President Emeritus Eliot, of
Harvard, was president and the vice
presidents were Mr.. Fisher and Gift
ford Pinchot. Mr.. Taft was a mem
Der. When Pinchot resigned as fores-
ter, he became president of the asso-
citation. Mr.. Fisher is still a vice
president. The purpose of the associ-
alton is to harmonic all efforts to-
ward conservation.