582 



CONSERVATION 



prompt and profitable settlement, and other 

 undertakings are being driven to completion 

 as rapidly as engineering ability and limita- 

 tion of funds permit. 



Mr. Newell has the faculty of drawing to 

 his engineering staff able and disinterested 

 assistants and of inspiring them with his 

 zeal for the public welfare, and the splendid 

 success of government reclamation is due to 

 this faculty and his firmness in resisting 

 local pressure for appropriation of the fund 

 to projects that could not wisely be taken up 

 at this time. * * * 



It is not improbable that the interests that 

 are fighting Director Newell have organized 

 to attack him before the irrigation congress. 

 If so, they will bring forward trumped-up 

 objections and criticism and take great care 

 that their real animus is kept in the back- 

 ground. — The Spokesman-Revierv, Spokane, 

 Augvist 10, 1909. 



«? ^ ^ 



No Explanation 



That Taft's Secretary of the Interior is 

 actively working to undermine all the good 

 work that had been done by his predecessor 

 has been a common charge, based upon the 

 reports of his own ofifice showing the throw- 

 ing open of these power sites to general 

 settlement and purpose. The change in 

 policy was not made after long and careful 

 consideration and the reports of duly ap- 

 pointed inspectors. It was done with what 

 looked like indecent haste, as a slurring re- 

 versal of policy. This is not based upon the 

 irresponsible observations of some journal- 

 ist. It is the expression of members of the 

 administration itself and the situation which 

 is arising is one that may seriously embarrass 

 the national administration. 



So, all these matters considered, it was 

 supposed that Mr. Ballinger would seize upon 

 the opportunity yesterday to address 1,200 

 of the most responsible people of the 

 West, in convention assembled at Spokane, 

 upon the meaning of the most consipcuous 

 and important act of his department since he 

 has assumed ofiice. His speech was carefullv 

 prepared in advance and sent out by mail 

 through the press associations in order that 

 there might not be any mistakes in reporting 

 or transmission. He read his speech, thus 

 sent out before the congress, so that there 

 might be no variations of a verbal nature. 



And what does it contain? Some plati- 

 tudinous truths regarding the need of farm- 

 ing development in the West, and the duty 

 of the Government to carry on irrigation 

 systems which are too large for private capi- 

 tal to handle, and winding up with a quota- 

 tion from Oliver Goldsmith. Not a word 

 about power sites. Not a word about the 

 part his department is playing in the des- 

 truction or conservation of forests. Not a 

 word as to the reversal of policies of his 

 predecessor within four months of assuming 

 office and without any more than a cursory 

 examination of the situation by him in his 

 official capacity. 



It may be that Mr. Ballinger has good 

 reason for all his official acts. It may be that 

 if Secretary Garfield were still in office he 

 would have thrown back these lands for 

 public entry. Or it may be that Secretary 

 Garfield was too hasty in his actions, and 

 that a reversal of policy is right and proper 

 at this time. But if so, Secretary Ballinger 

 should so far emerge from the obscurity of 

 his official dignity as to address some public 

 gathering, or write a letter to some congress- 

 man, or contribute a paper to some magazine, 

 or get himself interviewed in some way, so 

 that the people of the country will know 

 why he is doing things. 



There is usually a suspicion that every 

 man is reporting his acts to some one. It 

 will be just as well for the Secretary of the 

 Interior if that "some one," in his case, is 

 the people of the United States. — Fresno 

 (CalJ Republican, August 12, 1909. 



^ ^ Va 



To Can Pinchot 



The startling news comes from Washington 

 that G. Pinchot, the National Forester, is 

 about to lose his job * * * He is a great man 

 who can't be canned with impunity. If he 

 is, the people should rise up and make him 

 President. Remember the name — Pinchot. — 

 Springfield (Mo.) Leader, August 13, 1909- 



^ V>i ^ 

 Pinchot vs, Ballinger 



Mr. Pinchot wants a continuation of the 

 policy whereby President Roosevelt made 

 large withdrawals of public lands from entry; 

 Mr. Ballinger, who is a far westerner and 

 holds the view of his neighbors that public 

 lands should be turned over to the people 

 on the spot, will only check the alleged 

 water-power trust by reserving a few sites. 

 * * * Since President Taft was well acquaint- 

 ed with Mr. Ballinger's views when giving 

 him charge of the public lands — Mr. Bal- 

 linger, as Commissioner of the General Land 

 Office under President Roosevelt, left no 

 stone unturned to throw open every acre of 

 land he could — it would seem a fair conjec- 

 ture that the Ballinger forces will get their 

 way. 



With all due allowance for possible unwis- 

 dom on both sides, it looks to us as if Mr. 

 Pinchot is taking the national view and Mr. 

 Ballinger the sectional view. Certainly Mr. 

 Pinchot has shown himself during years of 

 faithful service a public servant whom the 

 country could ill spare. — Charlotte (N. C.) 

 Observer. August 15, 1909. 



«? 5^ )fe' 

 Pinchot and Newell Commended 



With propriety and justice the National 

 Irrigation Congress approved "the honest, 

 intelligent and efficient manner in which the 

 work of the Forest Service and the Reclama- 

 tion Service has been carried on." and ex- 



