Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-18

o. way OF the rival railway constructors
He approved them, Notwithstanding the
fact that the rights OF way connicted
with each other. without ruling on wnicn
side Of the river they should go. without
requiring that their conflicting locations
be resurveyed. Also he approved them
without taking any measures whadever
to preserve to the people OF oregon the
the running water. Mr.. Batlinger was
custodian of the banks Of the river. ne
gave away this valuable property N sucn
wise that its use will wreck the great
heritage Of the people Of Oregon.
Quotes the Secretary.
Before the invasion OF the Des Chutes
called upon Secretary Ballinger In
Washington and asked him IL 1t were
true that he had granted these permits
He was at first vexed that the matter
was out, but quickly recovered himself
1.-THE permits are not granted, but
they will be at once he said
us any reservation made about water
power?' asked.
+" only that one point II the govern
ment ever desires to put in a dam the
railroads must raise their tracks iVo
feet
this water power?
"Mr. Baliinger is not a large man. He
has been questioned and quizzed ABOUT
his troubles over conservation until ne Is
no longer able to control his temper. he
stepped away from his desk and paced
rapidly up and down his office.
See here. you don't understand TINS
thing he said. You chaps who are N
ali wrong. You are hindering the develop
ment Of the west. These railroads are
necessary to the country. And, more
than that. this whole domain is blanket
1T is Expressing the people. Inc tning
to do with it'-and here he stopped AND
faced me-'in my opinion. the proper
course to take with regard to this domain
is to divide II up among the Dig corpora
tons and the people who know now 10
make money out OF it-and let the peo-
pie at large get the benefit Of the circu-
lation Of the money.
AS for the Alaskan coal lands affair,
Mr.. Mathews says that Mr.. Ballinger'
before and after his occupancy OF the OF
flee of land commissioner. was attorney
for the Alaskan Petroleum and Coal COM
pany and that the most serious charges
made against Ballinger are in connection
with various Of these Alaskan coal claims
Urged Passage Of Act.
He took no action on the claims OF his
clients Mr.. Mathews continues. "while
he was commissioner. but his appearance
in Washington was Immediately followed
by the turning Of Rooeevelt's attention to
the question Of Alaska coal lands and
message to Congress asking that corpora
tons be permitted to patent considerably
larger areas. BaIlinger appeared before
the committee on public lands for the
House Of Representatives and urged the
passage of such an act. In referring TO
the Clark Davis situation. including the
Alaska Petroleum and Coal Company
claims. he stated that to his own knowi-
edge the men concerned had been guilty
of merely technical violation Of the law.
In the year 1907 a law was passed and
presented to the President. but 1t was
destined to get no further. While 1t was
pending before President Roosevelt. how
ever Mr. Ballinger was actively at work
for ii.
Meetings were held In Seattle, at which
men prominent in northwestern business
and political circles were present. Mr..
Ballinger was moved to leave his desk
in the National Capital and go to Seattle
and there meet with the conferees. These
men used their influence in urging James
Garfield. then Secretary Of the Interior.
to aid in securing the signing Of the bill.
MIR. Ballinger's friends in Seattle have
assured me that they could see nothing
improper in his thus pushing the claims
Of his former clients against the very de-
partment of the government with which
he was oficially connected. Indeed, some
of his friends explained his participation
to me, and they could see no objection to
the situation, by the statement that Mr..
Ballinger Is. or had been, financially in
terested In l65, 900 shares Of the stock Of
the Alaska Petroleum and Coal Com
pany." LII T.