The Washington herald., 1911-03-08
FISHER MAY JOIN
CABINET THIS WEEK
Succeeds Ballinger as Head
of the Interior.
RESIGNATION CAUSES SURPRISE
Prominent Lawyer of Chicago Named
by President for PortfoIio-Identi-
fed with Lorimer Element in Illi-
nois-Prominentfn Pinchors Con-
seryation Movement.

Richard A. Ballinger, OF the State OF
Washington, will be succeeded as Secre-
tary of the Interior in the Taft Cabinet
by Walter L. Fisher, of Illinois.
Announcement of Mr.. Ballinger's resig-
nation and the appointment of Mr.. Fisher
as his successor was made at the White
House yesterday. Mr.. Ballinger will quit
the Interior Department Immediately
upon the qualification of Mr.. Fisher. who
will be inducted into Office within the
week.
Mr.. Ballinger's retirement makes the
first break in the Taft Cabinet. Although
It has been known for long time that
Mr. BaIlinger had no intention of re-
tanning the Interior portfolio until the
end OF the administration, the announce
ment of the resignation at this time
came as a surprise to official and political
Washington. Only a few weeks ago Mr..
Ballinger denied in the most emphatic
manner the truth of a report that lie
was about to retire to private life.
Three from Chicago.
When Mr. Fisher takes his place in
the Presidents official family there will
be three Chicago men present at the
Cabinet board. Jacob NJ. Dickinson, Sec
retary of War. and Franklin MacVeagh,
Secretary of the Treasury, were resi-
dents of Chicago when selected for posi-
tions in the Cabinet. Mr.. Fisher has been
a prominent lawyer in that city for many
years. Although Republican in politics,
he has on occasion steered an independent
course.
He has been identified with the Lori
mer element in Illinois, and only recently
consented to direct the Inquiry about to
be undertaken into the circumstances at
tending the election of William Lorimer
to the Senate. Mr. Fisher is one of the
vice presidents of the National Conserva-
tion Association. of which Clifford Pin
Chot is the president and moving spirit.
The announcement OF Mr.. Ballinger' $
resignation came out in the form of cor
respondence that had passed between the
President and the Secretary of the In
terror. Mr.. Taft's letter accepting the
resignation is one of the warmest docu-
ments ever prepared at the White House.
At the conclusion of the tribute to Mr..
Ballinger's services for the administra-
ton, the President wrote this obserTa-
ton:
Il do not hesitate to say that you have
been the object of one of the most un-
scrupulous cOnspiracies for the defama-
ton of character that history can show.
Due to Ill Health.
The official correspondence shows that
Secretary Ballinger handed a letter of
resignation to President Taft on Janu-
ary 10. The President refused TO accept
it at that time. suggesting the matter
be put over in any event until Congress
had adjourned. Mr.. Ballinger ascrtbed
i'll health and a desire to recoup his for
tune as his reasons for desiring to retire.
On a number of occasions during the
past year Mr.. Ballinger had suggested
10 the President that it probably would
be advisable in the interests of the ad-
ministratiOn if Il vacancy were created
at the head OF the Interior Department.
Although Mr.. Ballinger has been engaged
III bitter controversy for more than
two years, apparently there is good
deal more fight in him. In n statement
issued last night he announced that 1t
IS my purpose to prosecute the arch
conspirators who have been following me
with the aSsassin's knife. The country
shall know fully the injustice of the
attacks on me-" To this Mr.. Ballinger
added: The great burden of depart
mental work, added to the strain OF con-
tending against assaults from wicked
and dishonest men, has seriously injured
my health and the cost of my defense
has not been less than $25,00O-leaving
me a poor man."
The separation of Mr.. BallinSer from
the Federal service brings TO an end
one of the bitterest controversies ever
waged between men in pubic .lfe. Inc
fight began Immediately upon the nom
ination of Mr.. Ballinger to be Secretary
of the Interior. Clifford Pinchot, one of
the principals in the affair, lost his posi-
tiun as Chief Forester because of the
campaign conducted by him to force the
retirement of Mr.. Ballinger. The enmity
between these two men had its inception
in the Roosevelt administration.
Encouraged by Roosevelt.
Mr.. BaIlinger was then Commissioner
of the General Land Office. Encouraged
by President Roosevelt, Forester Pin
chot. who was an official of the De-
partment or Agriculture, was permitted
to extend his Jurisdiction to the Interior
Department, of which the Land Office is
a bureau James r. Garfield, then Sec
rotary of the Interior, consented to the
arrangement In the differences be-
tween Messrs. Ballinger and Pinchot that
resulted, Secretary Garfield took the side
of Pinchot.
Mr. Ballinger's elevation to the Office
of Secretary of the Interior displeased
Mr.. Pinchot and his partisans. Mr.. Gar
field, disappointed over the failure of the
President to reappoint him, aligned him
self with Mr.. Pinchot in the war on
Ballinger. The Forest Service was made
the base of operations against Secretary
Ballinger. The dismissal of Mr.. Pinchot
followed the reading in the Senate of a
letter written by him, in which he Sc
verely criticised Mr.. Ballingers admins
tration of the Interior Department.
Secretary Ballinger's resignation at
this time gave rise to reports that he
feared the Democrats of the House would
attempt to impeach him. Democratic
members of the committee on inquiry
are authority for the statement that no
such proceedings against the Secretary
of the Interior were contemplated. They
say. however, that the Democratic House
would undoubtedly have given its ap-
provaI TO the report condemning Ballin-
ger. Now that Mr.. Ballinger has re-
tired. the Democrats will pay no further
attention TO the case.
Mr.. Pinchot's Comment.
New York. March 7.-Gifford Pinchot.
former Chief Forester. removed by Presi-
dent Taft because OF his activity in the