The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-26
Allegation Made That interior
Department ''Higher ups"
Are Mixed in the Alaska
Land Cases.
TRY TO THWART JUSTICE
IS THE CHARGE MADE
Audacious Act of [. R. CLAWS
Is Confidently Expected to
Result in an UpheavaI Of
Officers.

OuuUVCu
Washington. Aug 26-In view Of the
character OF the veiled charges thar
have been directed against the general
land office and officials higher up in
the interior department In connection
with the Cunningham coal land claims
in Alaska. 1t seems inconceivable that
some Of the officials will not be separ-
ated from the service as soon ~ tho
controversy is fully thrashed out.
The audacious act of l. R CLAWS.
chief of the field division of the min.
eral land office at Seattle. whose juris-
diction extends to Alaska, in going
over the heads of the secretary Of the
interior and his other superiors in
Washington and appealing FIRST to At
torney-General Wickersham and then
to the president himself, il bound To
have reflex action In some direction.
II 1t does not prove a boomerang upon
himself then 1t must react upou HIS
superiors In the interior department.
The threatened scandal over the
Cunningham claims Is q development
OF the controversy which has been go
ing on since the beginning of the TAFT
| administration between Secretary OF
the Interior Ballinger and Clifford Pin.
chot. chief of the forestry division OF
the agricultural department. and seems
destined to bring 1t to q crisis before
long.
compIained "Hisher Up.~
1t is quite natural that the general
inference drawn from Claws act OF
apparent characterization in ignoring
his superiors and appealing to the
head of another department, and
through him to the president. is that
his complaint is that ofYicials hikh 10
in the interior department have been
conspiring to bring about q miscar-
riage OF justice in connection with the
Alaska coal lands case.
No other construction upon his
course is placed by people in Washing
ton. and since Acting Secretary Pierce
Commissioner Bennett Of the general
i sdho OtlICC anu OlucT OlIICl8l0 000Y
that there is any ground for such an
Interpretation of their conduct. or
that of Secretary Ballinger himself,
the public must wait until the depart
ment side is submitted to the presi-
dent Mr.. Taft has called for Q report
in the case. and they are now engaged
in its preparation.
The lands In dispute comprise some
$500 acres in Alaska. part Of the tract
being within the Chugach forest rs-
serve. They contain coal In enor.
nous quantities. and . rough estimate
of their value places them upon .
footing with the Pennsylvania coal
fields. They contain the fuel for COM
ing generations Of settlers In Alaska
and the Pacific coast, and the govern
ment policy of conservation has been
to withhold them from private acquis-
ition until their value could be ascer-
tained and a method for their dispoe-
al provided.
/ Use Of "oummIes.~
1 In the meantime settlers have en-.
Aeavored to get hold Of them by enter
ing claims. Some 10 flings have been
made. and later these were consolid-
ated, reducing the total claims to some
4S. The charge has been made that
some of the entries were made
through conspiracy. the use OF dunn
mics" and similar methods. The land
office has been investigating those
charges. and Claws has been in charge
of the work until recently suspended
by Special Agent Sheridan.
4 1t has been alleged that the action
Of the department of the interior has
tended to hurry the decision in the
conspiracy case before all the tssti-
moiny could be put in. II In alleged
that May 10 Acting Secretary Of the
Interior Pierce laid down q decision
that no charge Of conspiracy should
lie against the Cunningham cases. and
that upon Claws taking 1t over the
heads of his superiors and to the pres
ident. Attorney General wickersham
reversed the order about June - and
held that conspiracy charges should
be considered as lying In these cases.
Claws enlisted the aid Of the forestry
lservice because part Of the coal lands
are within the Chugach forest reserva-
tion.
i Acting Secrtary Pierce has held that
1t does not constitute conspiracy for
proposed settlers on the coal lands To
agree beforehand to consolidate their
claims But Attorney General Wick
ersham entertains . contrary view, a.
though admitting that II would mot
be q violation Of the law for individ-
uai settlers to consolidate up to Ger
tain point. which II prescribed By the
statute, after the patents to the land
were granted by the interior DEPART