The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-01-24
HOW HAVE THE MIGHTY FALLEN !?

1t was CLAWS, the lncorTuptipie' WIZ
made the charges that ended IN tue
disgrace and retirement from the head
of the interior department of Richard
A. Ballinger. The whole crusade
against Ballingere was founded on the
accusations of CLAWS, and by lbs ac-l
ton in assailing his chief CLAWS won,
the applause and admiration of the
Pinchotized public. His name was eX-I
allied and he was invested with all the
virtues of immortals. His word was,
accepted as against that of the presi-l
dent of the United States, and the spot
ligh of the public press followed him.
for months. He was lionized and he
roworshiped from one end of the coun-
try to the other and was exalted in a
day from obscurity to the highest
place in popular approval. His great
courage, his impeccable honesty and
| his answering devotion to the rights
of the people formed the theme OF
countless columns of laudation in the
magazines and newspapers of the
country. In fact he appeared to be so
good that many marveled how he had
| lived to maturity The interests, spe-
cial privilege and land grabbers
trembled when his name was men
toned, and regulations crumbled
when he spoke. His discharge from
the government field service brought
forth an universal wall of Indignation.
Such champion of the rights of the
many against the aggressions of the
selfish few merited reward and the
progressive state of California sought
to honor itself by rendering him such
reward as it could. Through the in
fuence of former Governor Pardee,
Pinchot vassal, CLAWS was appointed
secretary of the California conserva-
ton commission at a salary of $4,000
per year. When the appointment was
announced of course the people Of
California felt their interests in the
public domain was secure against the
schemes of all those who might seek
to develop natural resources for a
profit-a most damnable crime against
the community in the eyes of Pinchot-
ism. Accordingly, Californians ceased
70 worry about their possessions and
rested secure in the knowledge that
CLAWS was on the job
What happened? Why, the most in
conceivable of things. This CLAWS,
who was so virtuous and so pure that
he had to tie weights on himself to
keep from floating into Heaven, used
his position to secure advantages for
the timber barons of that part of the
country. He made connections in
Washington, d. c., with another for
mer employe of the interior depart
ment who helped him put over the
scandal on Ballinger and who went
out of the department with CLAWS, to
secure advance information of land
selections for the minions of special
privilege. A hardheaded, unsentimen-
tai surveyor general of California dis
covered the false hearted, sordid char
| oSCCi VI tuC real IldVlS uuQor the
cloak of righteousness that he wore
for public adulation and unfeelingly
branded him as tool of the interests.
The shock was little severe, and the
Pardees flew to the defense of their
paragon. But the surveyor. general
stood pat and secret Investigation
ordered by Governor Johnson brought
an immediate resignation from CLAWS.
Thus ANONYMOUSLY ends the mete
oric career of CLAWS, who lived long
enough in the public confidence to do
irreparable damage to the reputation
OF Richard Ballinger. Perhaps some
day the whole truth of the purpose
and character of the fight on Balm
ger will be uncovered, when those who
made use of the subservient CLAWS will
be shown up in their true light, and an
infamous political cabal exposed to
the scorn of honest men.