The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-20
Secretary of the Interior Bal
linger Denounces a Recently
Published Magazine Yarn
and Replies to Other Charges
CONTROVERSY OVER THE
COAL LANDS I'M ALASKA
Clifford Pinchot Declared Not to
Be Author of Antitrust
Clause in the Act Passed by
Congress on May g. 1908.
POLICY OF THE SECRETARY

Washington, Nov. 1s.-Replying to
charges made III a magazine, Secretary
BaIlinger of the interior department to-
day denied many reports recently circu-
lated concerning the conduct of his de
partment.
ITO say that 1 ever have advised, or
dered or lent support TO any effort to per-
petuate a fraud upon the government
he said. is not only false, hut is inten-
tionally so if made by any one who has
taken the trouble 70 inquire into the
facts"
In explanation of the charges m con-
neetion with the Alaska coal lands, he
went into history of President Roosevelr.s
withdrawal from entry of all coal lands
in Alaska in 1906 showing that the order
was so modified by Secretary Garfield as
to validate all applications made prior
to May 16 1907. He hen called atten-
ton to the fact that. in his annual re-
port OF 1907 as commissioner OF the gen
eral land office, he had recommended ac-
ton by congress to prevent any lorna
ton of combinations or trusts by claim
ants of coal lands and adds:
Pinchot Not the Author.
1.-THE antitrust clause of the alaska
coal act as finally passed May Is, 1903,
was not submitted by Mr.. Clifford Pin
chot. but was submitted as a suggestion
to Secretary Garfield by Representative
Herbert Parsons of New York, in his let
tel of May Z, 1908. and favorabiy con-
sidered and Endorsed by the secretary in
his report to congress-
Mr. Ballinger then stated that no Alas
kan coal claims have been patented and
says that the investigation OF such claims
with view OF determining their valid
ity or invalidity, have been vigorously
prosecuted.
Mr.. BaIlinger denounced as a ''plaia or
binary Justification" a report that ne IS
interested in $4,000 shares OF the Alaska
Petroleum & Coal company.
No Basis, in Fact.
1.-THE statement that I or my former
firm was attorney for this company or
ever advised or co1n5Vilcd in its effort
to acquire title to public lands is also
without basis in fact. ne added.
Mr.. Ballinger said it was true that. in
ms private practice after he had resigned
as commissioner of The Lars office, he
had been consulted IN the preparation of
articles of incorporation urder the law
of 1905 which had neen approved by the
President and which permitted the entry
of as much as $50 dcres of coal land,
but not true that either in this or n any
other connection he had given any advice
looking TO d fraudulent act against the
government.
Asked about a statement that he had
said that the proper course u take with
the public domain was to divide . Up
among the Dig corporations and let the
people who know how To make money cut
of it, Mr.. Bailinger replied;
Statement Idiotic.
so asinine a statement hardly merits a
denial. OF course. l made no such state
ment. Such q thought could not be en-
/ tertained by any normal intelligence
What l really think in regard to the pub
/ lie domain and the conservation IF natu-
raj resources may be found in my official
/ reports commissioner of the general
I land office and in my present annual e
/ port, soon to be published | nave not
/ only been consistently in the vanguard of
conservative movement, but / have
sought to give it permanence along lines
/ reasonably within the spirit of present
/ law and to secure adequate additional
/ laws"
! He made an equally emphatic denial of
/ a statement that his firm is known as
! the Standard Oil legal advisory n Seat
| tie.
All Rights Protected.
Mr. Ballinger also made response to a
charge that in granting rights of way to
4 Hill and Hartman railroads through the
Deschutes canyon in Oregon, he had rem
I dered impossible the construction of 4
| power plant i'm the canyon. Admitting
/ that the department had giyeI its APP
proval to the applications, Mr.. Baliinger
said that this Course had been pursued
| under the law, Sand in pursuance OF the
1 wishes of people of the section affected.
| but not without taking the precaution of
| inserting a requirement that, when needed
Tor power plant purposes, each railroad
should elevate its tracks 100 feet
But this action, he said insured to the
| people of Central Oregon competinc. lines
| of railroad and at the same time Guar
anteed the use of the water power when
| the eorDhy needs It. He ais } quoted rec
| ordS in the case to show that the pro
ceeding had been in strict compliance.
! with the law