Ballinger differs from his predecessor in that he holds his powers are fixed by law, and that it is neither the function nor his privilege to go beyond the law. For 1970 these excesses, it is understood, the Secretary in no small degree blames Morris Bien, the legal adviser of the Reclamation Service, and Bien is one of the officials slated to go with Newell. While his successor has not definitely been chosen, it is known that A. C. Campbell, now an attorney in the Department of Justice, and a man of large practical experience with irrigation and public-land legal problems, is under consideration for the place. Campbell hails from New Mexico. He is well and widely known as a lawyer, especially equipped for work such as this, and his selection is not regarded as improbable. But, like others, his appointment is not looked for until the general overhauling begins in the fall.

How many other officials are slated for removal or transfer is not known. Nor is it known how the service will be affected by the modifications contemplated by Secretary Ballinger. It has been rumored in Washington that if Mr. Newell is forced out of the service some of his subordinate engineers will leave with him.

The charge has gone out that the effort is being made to convert the Reclamation Service into a political machine, providing offices for politicians rather than engineers. Secretary Ballinger, however, maintains that his reorganization is intended to transform the Reclamation Service into a practical business organization, operating along strictly legal lines, for the promotion of public business with expedition and economy. There may be an effort made to prevent the carrying out of the reforms proposed by Secretary Ballinger; indeed, it is only natural that friends and supporters of Director Newell should interpose objections to the Ballinger programme. However, Judge Ballinger, like other Cabinet officers, has been given to understand that he is the actual head of the entire Interior Department, charged with the administration of the affairs of all its bureaus, and if the President should deny him the right to work reforms in the Reclamation Service when he believed those reforms were necessary, he would be very quick to tender his resignation.

1970

[Bonanza (Oreg.) Bulletin, July 8, 1909.]

WILL REORGANIZE IRRIGATION WORK-BALLINGER TO CHANGE MANY OFFICIALS AND ADHERE STRICTLY TO LAW-HOPES TO GET THOMPSON SEATTLE MAN MAY SUCCEED NEWELL, AND CAMPBELL, OF NEW MEXICO, IS SLATED FOR LEGAL ADVISER--OTHER CHANGES NEAR.

If President Taft lends his approval, Secretary Ballinger will completely reorganize the United States Reclamation Service during the coming fall and winter, and indications are that the President will sanction whatever reforms Mr. Ballinger desires to inaugurate. Not only will Director Newell give way to some man chosen by Mr. Ballinger, but other officials will be let out or transferred.

It is the purpose of Mr. Ballinger during the summer to work out his plan for reorganizing the Reclamation Service. This will include the selection of new men for the higher positions. If this can be done before he returns to Washington in September, a new order of things can be inaugurated and put into operation before Congress

reconvenes.

As has heretofore been stated, Mr. Ballinger would like to appoint R. H. Thompson, city engineer of Seattle, as Director of the Reclamation Service. It is known that he has written to Mr. Thompson asking if he will accept the appointment, but Mr. Thompson's decision, if he has reached one, has not become known. It is probable that he will allow the matter to rest until he can talk it over with Mr. Ballinger when the latter arrives in Seattle about July 12. If Mr. Thompson declines, search for some other man will be made immediately.

Much of Mr. Ballinger's criticism of the management of the Reclamation Service is based upon the fact that the officials in charge have not strictly adhered to the letter and intent of the law. This is not altogether due to the reclamation officials, for Secretary Garfield held that he and the officers of his department could do anything connected with their work which was not specifically forbidden by law. In Mr. Garfield's day regulations were made, both by the Reclamation Service and other branches of the Interior Department, which had the effect of law, but which were not sanctioned by law.

Already, Mr. Ballinger has upset some of the practices and regulations that were the outgrowth of the Garfield policy. He no longer permits the Reclamation Service to enter into contracts with water users' associations for the construction of parts of rrigation projects; he has forbidden the issuance of further "script" by water users'

associations in payment for such work. Now he questions the legality of water users' associations. He finds no provision in the reclamation act authorizing 1971 their creation on the basis upon which they have been organized heretofore. The reclamation act contains this clause:

"When the payments required by this act are made for a major portion of the lands irrigated from the waters of any of the works herein provided for, then the management and operation of such irrigation works shall pass to the owners of the lands irrigated thereby, to be maintained at their expense under such form of organization and under such rules and regulations as may be acceptable to the Secretary of the Interior."

This is the only sort of water users' association provided for in the reclamation act, and Mr. Ballinger has been unable to reconcile the associations heretofore built up, particularly those of unfinished projects, with the sanction of the present heads of the Reclamation Service. It is understood that the abolition of premature water users' associations may follow when the reorganization of the service takes place, if not beforehand,

It is not charged that the various acts of the Reclamation Service have caused the Government loss of money, or have resulted in corruption or wrongdoing, but they have not been sanctioned by law, and Mr. Ballinger holds his powers are fixed by law, and that it is neither his function nor his privilege to go beyond the law. For these excesses, it is understood, the Secretary in no small degree blames Morris Bien, the legal adviser of the Reclamation Service, and Mr. Bien is one of the officials slated to go with Mr. Newell. While his successor has not definitely been chosen, it is known that A. C. Campbell, now an attorney in the Department of Justice, and a man of large practical experience with irrigation and public-land problems, is under consideration for the place. Mr. Campbell hails from New Mexico. He is well and widely known as a lawyer especially equipped for such work as this, but his appointment is not looked for until the general overhauling begins in the fall.

How many other officials are slated for removal or transfer is not known. Nor is it known how the service will be affected by the modifications contemplated by Mr. Ballinger. It has been rumored in Washington that if Mr. Newell is forced out of the service, some of his subordinate engineers will leave with him. The charge has gone out that the effort is being made to convert the Reclamation Service into a political machine, providing offices for politicians rather than engineers. Mr. Ballinger, however, maintains that his reorganization is intended to transform the Reclamation Service into a practical business organization, operating along strictly legal lines for the promotion of public business with expedition and economy. There may be an effort to prevent the carrying out of the reforms proposed by Mr. Ballinger; indeed, it is only natural that friends and supporters of Mr. Newell should interpose objections to the Ballinger programme. However, Mr. Ballinger, like other Cabinet officers, has been given to understand that he is the actual head of the entire Interior Department, charged with the administration of the affairs of all its bureaus, and if the President should deny him the right to work reforms in the Reclamation Service when he believed those reforms were necessary he would be very quick to tender his resignation. It is, therefore, very probable that the Ballinger programme will be carried through on schedule time.-Oregonian.

[Seattle Times, July 10, 1909.]

SALARY SAME IN JOB OFFERED THOMSON-AS CITY ENGINEER OF SEATTLE HE RECEIVES

$7,500, AMOUNT paid to director of reCLAMATION SERVICE-MAYOR MILLER SAYS IT MEANS PROMOTION-DOES NOT KNOW OFFICIALLY OF TENDER, BUT DECLARES OFFICIAL WOULD BE WISE TO GIVE IT CONSIDERATION.

If Reginald H. Thomson, city engineer of Seattle, accepts a position under Secretary of Interior R. A. Ballinger it will be that of Director of the Reclamation Service, which carries with it a salary of $7,500 per annum, exactly what he receives from the city of Seattle. F. H. Newell now holds the job.

Attachés of the engineer's office, in the absence of Thomson yesterday, said that the matter had never been discussed with their chief, and the possibility of his leaving Seattle to accept a government position had not been intimated in any discussions relative to the work of the department.

"Mr. Thomson has never intimated to me that the appointment had been tendered to him," Chief Clerk A. F. Paddock said, "and I doubt very much if he would care to make a change at this time, particularly when the salary is no larger than he is now paid by the city."

1972

"The only thing I know about the possibility of Engineer Thomson leaving the city's service was the statement in the Times," Mayor Miller said. "I should judge that if the position is what I presume it is, that Mr. Thomson would be very foolish not to consider it in case it is tendered to him. I have had no conversation with him and I do not know that the place has been offered to him. Should it be, I should regard it as a promotion and the selection of a man who is particularly well fitted for the position."

Correspondence between Secretary Ballinger and R. H. Thomson, George W. Perkins, S. H. Hedges, and certain miscellaneous letters.

4462

[Personal, alphabetical file.]

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE,

Hon. R. A. BALLINGER,

Secretary of the Interior.

Office of City Engineer, March 29, 1909.

MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I have been asked by the chairman of the board of control of the seventeenth irrigation congress to be held in Spokane August 9 to 14, inclusive, to be present during said congress and to deliver an address. Remembering the attitude taken by some members of the congress last year, I have thought it advisable for me to accept the invitation, and would be gratified to receive from you any suggestion which you may be pleased to make with reference to any special topic which I ought to investigate and be prepared to speak upon at that congress. I shall wait with interest any suggestions that you may have to make in the matter. With best wishes, I am, very sincerely, yours,

[Personal, alphabetical file.]

R. H. THOMSON.

4462

APRIL 5, 1909.

MY DEAR MR. THOMSON: Answering your letter of March 29, I am greatly pleased to know that you have accepted the invitation to attend the irrigation congress to be held at Spokane in August.

I have read your letter to the chief engineer of the Reclamation Service, Mr. Davis, and after discussing the matter with him, would suggest that you take up the subject of the proper functions of the Government in its reclamation work to show that it has a field of action that does not necessarily interfere with private undertakings, the idea being that considerable criticism has existed against the Government's undertakings in this particular as being an infringement upon the right of private enterprise. It is believed from the government standpoint that enterprises have not been undertaken except where private enterprise would have failed or would not for a long time been able to command the resources to carry the projects to a successful conclusion. I have asked Mr. Davis to forward you such literature as he may have at hand in connection with the Reclamation Service, and he will write you personally along the lines above suggested.

With best wishes, I am, yours, very sincerely,

Hon. R. H. THOMSON,

(Signed.)

R. A. BALLINGER.

City Engineer, Seattle, Wash.

4463

Confidential.]

[Personal alphabetical file.]

SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

Washington, D. C., April 19, 1909.

MY DEAR MR. THOMSON: Yours of the 13th instant just at hand. I am greatly pleased to note the interest you are taking in the irrigation congress.

4464

In respect to the paper which you have been asked to prepare upon "Pumping for irrigation," I wish to suggest that it is questionable to my mind whether the reclamation act contemplated irrigation, except through a gravity system or the utilization of water power. The Government has, however, entered into a project near Williston, N. Dak., which I fear is going to be a "lame duck," and difficult to work out.

The question of fuel supply is one which may be awkward to handle from the reclamation standpoint, the Government making no reservations under the law of deposits of coal, or authority for mining for reclamation uses. I will be able to see you and discuss some of these matters with you before August.

I am putting in the place of one of the Secretary's inspectors a young engineer, whom I expect to send into the field in the course of three or four weeks to familiarize himself with the projects and be able to advise me independent of the director and chief engineer and other engineers of the Reclamation Service. I will use him more particularly in connection with inspection of methods of handling the work in the field, rather than advice as to the feasibility of projects, construction, etc.

There are a great many things connected with this service which are giving me great concern.

The Senate has constituted a committee with Senator Carter, of Montana, as chairman, with which I expect to be in close touch, for the purpose of investigating the various reclamation projects and plants of the Government. This committee will be at the irrigation congress in August, and I am desirous that you should become personally acquainted with all the members of this committee, and it would materially help me in working out my desires.

I expect to leave Washington about the 10th of June, and, in conjunction with the inspector spoken of above, visit a number of the projects on my way west, arriving at Seattle probably about the first week in July.

The President has offered to assign to me any of the army engineers whom I may desire in connection with this service, but I am not satisfied that they are specially equipped to handle a service of this kind, which comes in contact with water users and settlers on the public domain, where a vast amount of diplomacy and business judgment is necessary.

Please treat the foregoing as confidential.

Hoping to see you at an early day, I remain,

MY DEAR MR. THOMSON: I herewith acknowledge your favor of the 2d instant, and note what you say respecting the examination of irrigation works in eastern Washington and Montana.

I expect to start for the West the latter part of the month, and will be in Seattle on or before the 10th of July, and will hope to see you and discuss various matters with you.

With best regards, I remain,

Yours, very truly,

Mr. R. H. THOMSON,

City Engineer, Seattle, Wash.

4464

Personal and confidential.]

[Personal, alphabetical file.]

MAY 11, 1909.

MY DEAR MR. THOMSON: Last Sunday I was the guest of Mr. George W. Perkins, at Yonkers. Mr. Perkins is at the head of the house of J. Pierpont Morgan & Co., as

you perhaps know. He told me that he had arranged for a special boat to take himself and party, including his family, to Alaska for the investigation of the feasibility of exploiting Alaska in railroad construction and in other lines in which he is deeply interested. He will sail from Seattle about the middle of July.

He is desirous of having an engineer accompany him who is not allied to any Alaskan interests or to any railroad interest or other private connection which would in any way influence his judgment, and he has been insistent on my recommending some one familiar with the western country to take this voyage with him and to advise him. Naturally, I could think of no one so well equipped as you to fill this office, and as the connection is one of importance and the trip would be one of great pleasure and profit, it has occurred to me that you would enjoy this form of vacation. On receipt of this letter please wire me whether it will be worth while for Mr. Perkins to consider it possible for you to accompany him.

I hope you will not understand by the suggestion above that I have in any sense abandoned the hope of securing your services in the matter about which we conferred in Seattle. I anticipate that not later than September I will be able to formally present the matter to you.

Can arrange northern trip, but it may interfere Spokane congress.

R. H. THOMSON.

[Department of public works of the city of Seattle: A. V. Bouillon, superintendent of public utilities; chairman; R. H. Thomson, city engineer; L. B. Youngs, superintendent of light and waterworks, M. T. Maloney, superintendent of streets and sewers; Francis W. Grant, superintendent of buildings; C. B. Bagley, secretary.]

[Personal alphabetical file. Answered May 28, 1909.]

OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER,
Seattle, May 20, 1909.

MY DEAR MR. BALLINGER: I have just wired: "Can arrange northern trip, but it may interfere Spokane congress. R. H. THOMSON."

Upon receipt of your letter, I of course went to the mayor with reference to a possible absence. I said to him that you had asked me to make “a trip for unknown purposes with unknown parties to an unknown part of Alaska, beginning about the middle of July."

Much to my surprise, this worked on his honor's curiosity in a most wonderful way, and for two days he has tried to see if he could not lead out on something that would reveal the purpose. I knew nothing more than I first stated.

He said to me late this afternoon that he had made up his mind you wanted me to catch some bunch of thieves, and he would like to know who they were so as to help me catch them.

"Now, Thomson," said he, "you wire the Judge you can go, but that if you do it may make it impossible for you to attend the Irrigation Congress at Spokane, and you show me his answer."

Under these conditions, Judge, please write me a blind letter which I can show him, so as to satisfy his request, if not his curiosity. I must confess to a considerable disappointment as the curiosity manifested.

If I go, I will only say that I have chosen to take my summer rest by visiting Alaska; this statement will be satisfactory to the mayor.

I expect to go east of the mountains in a day or two with Mr. Parry and with Judge. Hanford to visit their various irrigation works. I will also stop for a day at North Yakima.

Very truly, yours,

R. H. THOMSON.