The issue that made Taft seem to be a less reliable custodian of Roosevelt's conservation policies was Taft's:

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Taft's handling of the Ballinger and Pinchot affair, in which he allowed Secretary of the Interior Richard Ballinger to open up public lands for private commercial use, was seen as a betrayal of Roosevelt's conservation policies. Gifford Pinchot, the chief of the Forest Service and a close ally of Roosevelt, publicly criticized Ballinger's actions and was subsequently fired by Taft. This led to a split in the Republican Party and a loss of trust in Taft's commitment to conservation policies.

The Issue That Made Taft Seem to Be a Less