The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-03-08
Resignation rendered President
in January.--W. |. Fisher,
Chicago, Successor
BaIlinger Says He Will Prosecute arch Consprators
Who Followed Me With Assassin's knife'---
Says Defense in Noted Controversy Cost
Him $25,O00, and He is Left 4
Poor Man -

The country shalt know fully the In
justice OF the attack on me-
4 The retirement OF Mr.. Ballinger
and the appointment of his successor
bring to- close the most sensational
incident thus far of the Taft admin
istration, It being one Of the most
4 spectacular battle In recent political
history. 1t began With difference
in conception Of policy toward public
lands, especially the forest reserves
between Mr.. Ballinger and Clifford
Pinchot. then chief forester OF the
United States, whose bureau was
part Of the department; OF agricuf
ture.
Mr.. Pinchot's views had been ore
in accord with those OF Mr.. Baiiff.
gers predecessor, James n. Garf1eiI
Open Warfare Broke Out.
Open warfare broSe out when the
charges relating to MIR. Ballinger's
administration of public lands, es'
pecially IN Alaska, and more par.
tlcularly TO the treatment by tbs
genera, land Office OF the so called
Cunningham claims" TO coal lanIs
in Alaska, were filed with the pFesi
dent by l. r. CLAWS, then -asaala1ssl
agent OF the land office,
As the result Mr. CLAWS was dis
missed for insubordination. Subse
quently Chief Forester Plnchot ad
dressed letter to Senator Dolliysg
Of Iowa, in which he espouscd the
cause in which CLAWS had fallen, and
, lie too was dismissed by the sectesF
tary of agriculture. likewise undnl
orders from the president
From that time the battla raGad
with increasing heat and finally cui
minated in a congressional investisa
ton. Not since the famous Schiey.
Sampson controversy and the court
of inquiry after the Spanish war, has
official Washington been so torn In.
to factions as during the hearings In
/ this matter, which was universally
spoken of as "tbe Ballinger.Pincho.
controversy"
Was Not Acted On.
| Even the committee itself could
not get together on the subject OF It's
report @he minority members OF
The committee stole march" on
the Republicans, and at Minneapolis
met as a quorum OF the committee
and adopted report finding Secre-
tary Ballnger guilty of fhe charges
against him and demanding his re-
moval from office.
4 Representative Madison, OF Kan
sas, an insurgent Republican, also Is
| sued report hostile to the secre
;ary. Later the Republican majority
met at Chicago aud adopted report
signed by all the Republicans except
Mr.. Madison, which sweepingly ex
onerated Mr.. BalInger. None OF the
reports was acted on in any manues
ty congress- to which they were su1'
mitted. President Taft from the out
4 set had been aggressive Id his de-
Tense of Mr.. Ballihgcr and his faith
in him and support of his cabinet
' member has never wavered. 1t II
doubtful whether on any subject con-
ncctei with his administration he has
F, been more enrhatically immoyable
The attitude of his mind on tho
! subject Is clearly shown In the letter
which he wrote to Mr.. Ballinger. ac
eepting his resignation. He is an
sparing in his denunciatlon OF bn.h
The methods and the motives OF those
who have sought to bring about the
townfall OF Ballinger.
L -.