The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-08
BAILINGER's RESIGNATION.

Well, the Ballinger controversy has
been settled, and there is great re-
joicing, no doubt, among a few more
or less distinguished patriots, Norm
Hapgood. Gift Pinchot, Jimmy Gar
field ct al.
Mr.. Ballinger's resignation of the
portfolio of secretary of the interior
was scarcely unexpected. No man in
public life has been so hercely attack
ed during the past quarter-century as
he has been, and in the main more
unjustly. 1t is small wonder that he
is in failing health.
In fact the crusade that has been
waged against Ballinger is unparal-
leIed in the history of this nation. Be
cause he differed in opinion from sew
eral of the more ardent of the con-
servationists as to the methods that
should be pursued in conserving the
natural resources of the nation; be-
cause he believed it improper to go
beyond existing laws in the admins
tration of the many important matters
concerning the public domain which
came within his jurisdiction, he was
maligned, slandered and traduced in
a most shameful fashion. In the long
drawn out investigation of his con-
duct while in office there was not a
particle of evidence produced to show
that Mr.. Ballinger had committed a
wrong act while he was secretary of
interior. even though some of the
testimony at this investigation has
been analysed as tending so to prove
by those who were interested in prov
ing a case against Bal1inger. His
chief accuser, Clifford Pinchot, de1iv-
cred himself of lengthy addresses as
to what he was going to prove against
Bal1inger, but he never produced the
proof. He never got beyond general
izations. He and the rest of them in
league with him against Ballinger
seemed to have gotten it into their
heads that Ballinger was a crook be-
cause he was opposed to some of their
peculiarly fine conservation theories,
but their efforts to make a specific
case out against him fell with a dull
thud.
The fact that President Taft stood
firm and fast by Ballinger to the very
end is a sufficient guarantee for most
people that Ballinger was more sin
ned against than SHINING. No one be-
lieVes that William Howard Taft
would have been so loyal to Ballinger
had the latter been guilty of any
thing that savored of wrong-doing or
malfeasance in office. And the presi-
dents excoriation of the anti-Balling-
er crowd is no more than deserved.
This Ballinger affair has been re-
grettable episode in the Taft admins
tration. Regardless of its injustice, it
has hurt the reputation of the ad-
ministration with that large class of
people who are eager and willing to
jump at conclusions and believe every
thing that is placed before their eyes
by ''reformers" little and big. But
the whole thing is over now and the
sooner it is forgotten the better. 1t
has not been without its benefit, eth
er. 1t has brought forcibly to the
front how totally inadequate have
been many of the existing laws reIa-
tive to the exploitation of the valuable
mineral lands, water power sites, ct
cetera, in the public domain, and has
likely quickened the day when ade-
quate laws to deal in the best possible
way with these problems will be
placed on the statute books.