Richard A. Ballinger papers, 1879-1929  PDF

Acquisition Information

Gift of Ballinger's widow, Mrs. Richard A. Ballinger, on December 6, 1958.

Processing Note

The Ballinger papers are described to bring out name of persons and the general topics that are the subject of individual letters. The description adheres to the organization of the papers and lists the correspondence in the individual name folders of the pre-Secretary of Interior and Secretary of Interior groups, the memoranda on the Forest Service, records of hearings, drafts of speeches and miscellaneous intact files.

Although they are nominally separated by the beginning date of the Taft administration, March 4, 1909, some overlapping will be found in the breakdown of the pre-Secretary and Secretary groups. All material dated subsequent to March 3, 1909 is with the latter group. However, a few letters dated prior to March 4, 1909, discussing Ballinger's potential as Secretary of Interior, are closely related to and therefore included with the Secretary group.

Four kinds of information are given: name of correspondent; orientation of letter with respect to Ballinger, that is, whether incoming, outgoing, replies to incoming letters ("Response") or enclosures; respective dates of each item; and brief subject identifications. Contextual comment has been deliberately avoided in the subject identification.

The volume of correspondence and the overall time period reflected in each folder for a particular correspondent is indicated on the heading preceding the itemized letters. An enclosure is listed immediately after the parent item with which it was enclosed. Subject identification is consolidated for an incoming letter and the reply to it, but the subjects of enclosures, when available, are separately identified.

When it is apparent that the author of an enclosure is not the originator of the basic letter and can be identified, his or her name indicated in the scope and content note by "From" preceding the name . If the correspondent enclosed a letter he had written to some party other than Ballinger, the addressee is indicated by "To" preceding his name. The name of an agent who signs for another person or corporate body is also shown by "From".

There were some cases in which items that normally would have been enclosures were received by Ballinger without forwarding letters. These are to be found under the name of the person from whom Ballinger received that particular item. They are listed as "Incoming" letters with the author or addressee indicated by "From" or "To."

Where more than one subject is listed, the subjects are generally discussed in relation to each other. Where the number of pages indicate that all the material in the folder has not been listed, it may be assumed that the subject of the omitted correspondence was either too vague or too insignificant to list.

A small number of topics were the subject of a large volume of correspondence. Amplification of a few of the subject terms is given below. The amplification applies when the respective terminology is used without qualification.

• "Appointment": : Alone or with "Congratulations" denotes references to Ballinger's appointment as either Commissioner of the General Land Office or as Secretary of the Interior.
• "Committee": : Indicates the Joint Committee of the 61st Congress, 3rd Session, charged with the Investigation of the Interior Department and of the Bureau of Forestry.
• "Committee report":: Refers to the majority report of the above Committee issued in December 1910.
• "Controversy": : The classic controversy between Pinchot and Ballinger with all of its ramifications.
• "GLO":: This is an abbreviation used throughout the correspondence to signify General Land Office.
• "Investigation":: Either alone or modified by "Congressional" refers to the investigation conducted by the Joint Congressional Committee referred to above.
• "Invitation": : Invitations to assemblies, to speeches and to various social affairs are numerous. If the authors were not otherwise represented in the collection, routine invitations were merely filed together in one folder and given no further processing.
• "Land Office":: Used variously by different correspondents to mean either the General Land Office, a local Land Office or any branch of the field service of the General Land Office.
• "Letter of introduction":: Ballinger received numerous requests for letters of introduction and was, of course, the recipient of many such letters.
• "Patronage":: Requests or endorsements for various government posts are designated "Patronage." In most cases the locality and pertinent position are also noted. The range of interest extends from doorman to territorial governors.
• "President's action": : Identifies those letters which comment on the administrative action taken in September 1910 by President Taft in response to charges brought by Louis R. Glavis against Ballinger and other officers in the Interior Department.
• "President's letter":: Without further identification this entry signifies the letter from Taft to Ballinger dated September 13, 1910, referring to the above charges and action.
• "Resignation": : From the beginning of the Controversy rumors of Ballinger's imminent resignation were widely spread. Hence he received many letters protesting or otherwise commenting on this likelihood.
• "Sentiment": : Supporters endeavored to provide Ballinger with an idea of public reaction to the Controversy, frequently giving him their observations of local sentiment.
• "Support": : From the outbreak of the Controversy, Ballinger received many letters from individuals asserting their support of his policies either in general or with respect to some specific action..