▁minutes ▁before ▁he ▁lost ▁the ▁legal ▁power ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁Despite ▁con gression al ▁opposition , ▁Ro ose vel t , ▁Pin ch ot , ▁and ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Inter ior ▁James ▁R . ▁Gar field ▁continued ▁to ▁find ▁ways ▁to ▁protect ▁public ▁land ▁from ▁private ▁development ▁during ▁Ro ose vel t ' s ▁last ▁two ▁years ▁in ▁office . ▁ ▁Pin ch ot – B all inger ▁controvers y ▁▁ ▁Pin ch ot ▁continued ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁Forest ▁Service ▁after ▁Republican ▁William ▁Howard ▁T aft ▁succeeded ▁Ro ose vel t ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁retain ▁the ▁level ▁of ▁influence ▁he ▁had ▁held ▁under ▁Ro ose vel t . ▁After ▁taking ▁office , ▁T aft ▁replaced ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Inter ior ▁James ▁Rud olph ▁Gar field ▁with ▁Richard ▁Ball inger . ▁When ▁Ball inger ▁approved ▁of ▁long - dis put ed ▁min ing ▁claims ▁to ▁coal ▁depos its ▁in ▁Al aska ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁Land ▁Office ▁agent ▁Louis ▁Gla vis ▁broke ▁government al ▁protocol ▁by ▁going ▁outside ▁the ▁Inter ior ▁Department ▁to ▁seek ▁help ▁from ▁Pin ch ot . ▁Conc ern ed ▁about ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁fra ud ▁in ▁the ▁claim , ▁and ▁ske pt ical ▁of ▁Ball inger ' s ▁commit ment ▁to ▁conservation , ▁Pin ch ot ▁interven ed ▁in ▁the ▁dispute ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁Gla vis . ▁In ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁a ▁bud ding ▁controvers y , ▁T aft ▁came ▁down ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁Ball inger , ▁who