The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-25
TAFT TO HASTEN
FIGHT OVER LAND
President to Ask Department
About Things Told by
louis CLAWS.
BALLINGER SEEKS TOGA?
FRIENDS OF THE SECRETARY
ARE NOW lNoUsTRloUsLY URo-
ING HIM TO GO AFTER ToGA OF
SENATOR PILES.

Washington, d. c., Aug. 25.-The
officials of the interior department ap-
parently are to have an opportunity
to furnish President Taft with a COM
plete statement concerning the nego-
tiations in the department in connec-
ton with the Cunningham coal entry
cases in Alaska.
1t is definitely known that Louis R.
CLAWS. chief of the field division at
Seattle. called at Beverly of his own
volition last week and left with the
president a statement of what he con-
sidered to be the serious state of af
fairs in connection with the handling
of the cases by the department. The
interior department is expecting to re-
dent with his request that an answer
! to it be submitted TO him. This. the
officials say. will serve to bring the
matters to a focus and il will not be
long before there will be an official
airing of the various stories and veil
ed charges that have been made
against Secretary Ballinger.
The officials of the general land Of
flee were loath to believe CLAWS had
left his post at Seattle and presented
himself. unlimited. at Beverly for the
purpose of making charges direct to
the chief executive concerning one of
the latters cabinet officers. 1t was
learned today. however, that CLAWS
undoubtedly had called at Beverly last
week and there is little left to assume
except the fact that he considered he
had things to lay before the president
which should not be intrusted to the
official channels in order to reach
him.
Await Action Of President.
Both Secretary Ballinger and Com
missioner of the Land Office bennett
being away there is no one in author
ity in Washington to say what is go
ing to happen next. and whether the
conduct of Inspector CLAWS was to be
investigated Immediately or whether
the department will await the reports
of that individual to see what he was
expecting to accomplish by visiting
the president.
The land office people are anxious
to know whether the next move is te
be a peremptory request from Mr.
Taft personally to explain the matters
set forth by Mr.. CLAWS. or simply q
reference Of the Claws statement te
the department by the presidents sec
rotary as routine matter.
A daily report of his personal doing.
is made by Special Agent CLAWS. JUS
as they are by every inspector in ths
field and in charge Of division
These reports. although made up dali,
are sent in for periods usually Of 1
} week or ten days. No batch of dali,
reports has been received from In
spector CLAWS for some time. Tn.
next installment is expected to con
tain some items of interest.
Fred bennett, commissioner of thu
general land office. will arrive a
Washington tomorrow and Is expected
to commence an investigation of hi:
own.
ealiinger Candidate for Tosa.
; 1t is current gossip here that Sec
rotary of the Interior r. A. Ballingel
is the man who will be put forwars
in the state of Washington to succeed
| Oull0u StdtcS ocHdtOI oduluci Z Hcs
Senator Piles now Is serving the las
congress of his first term. Secretar,
Ballinger's friends in Washington ar,
reported to be importunine him to de
clare himself a candidate for thu
J place.
. The secretary of the interior ha:
thus far asserted that he has no sen
atorial ambitions and therefore doe.
not care to enter the campaign
against Piles next year.