The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-11-10
LAND OFFICE CHARGES
L'R. CLAWS Writes Of Alaska
Coal Field Monopoly.

WCHlDCI VI dib o SdbllCh 10 NHdIH NJ
cused Of Failure to Take Steps to
Save Immense Beds Of Fuel from
Fraudulent Entry-Deposed Govern.
ment EmpIoye Says He Was Re-
moved Unjustly by Mr.. Taft.
New York, Nov. 8. - In an article
prepared for Golfers Weekly of Nov.
l3 and copyrighted by that publication
L. R. CLAWS. removed In September
rom the Office of chief of field division
,f the general land office, says:
Copyrt. 1909, by P. F. Collier d. Sons
From 1902 to 1909 was in the field
service of the general land office, for
he last two and half years as chief
of field division. In September, 1909,
was summarily removed from my po-
;ition without formal hearing by
Richard A. Ballinger, secretary of the
interior, by authorization of the presi-
lent of the United States. That re-
moval was accompanied by the publi-
cation of letter of the president to
Mr. Ballirger. | believe that my re-
noval was unfair. | believe the presi
1ents letter was grievously unfair, be-
cause in it the president gives weight
% charge against me which / never
had the opportunity to see or answer.
The president states In his letter that
| withheld from him information fa-
yorable to my superiors. | do not
know or any such information with
held by me, nor am | conscious Of do
ing my superiors injustice. Neverthe-
less, ! should not now make any public
statement of the matter were it not
still possible to save for the govern
ment many thousands of acres of coal
lands which | believe the land office
may in the near future grant to fraud
ulent claimants.
Coal Lands OF lnestimable Value.
"The coal lands of Alaska owned by
the government amount to over 100,.
900 acres. They are the future coal
supply of the nation, of almost inesti-
mable value. Possession of them by
private individuals means great wealth.
A monopoly of them would be a ma
tional menace.
"On Nov. 12, 1906, President Roose-
velt withdrew all coal lands In Alaska
from public entry, but previous to that
| time there were about 900 claims fled
covering about 100000 acres, nearly
the whole of the coal fields. The law
attempts to prevent monopoly of such
claims by limiting the amount of each
claim and providing that each claim
ant must take up the land in his own
interest and for his own use. This law
has been interpreted by the supreme
court of the United States to forbid
speculating in coal lands before entry,
either by dummy entrymen or by pre-
vious agreements to consolidate claims
after entry, OF these 900 claims to
Alaska coal lands, among them the So
called Cunningham group, the MAORI
ty are fraudulent. lit is asserted that
the Guggenheims are seeking monop-
oily of the Alaska coal fields.l
AS W lllt dNllOll VI lllC ldllu
on these claims, assert that the land
office ordered the Cunningham claims
to patent without due investigation
when Commissioner Ballinger knew
they were under suspicion; that while
in office Commissioner Ballinger urged
congress to pass a law which would
validate fraudulent Alaska claims;
that shortly after resigning from Of
flee he became attorney for the Cum
ningham group and other Alaska
claims; thai soon after he became Sec
retary of the interior his Office ren-
dered decision which would have
validated all fraudulent Alaska claims
A reversal of that decision on every
point was obtained from Attorney
General Wickersham.
How CLAWS Was Dismissed.
'I assert that in the spring of 1909
the land Office urged me to an early
trial of these cases before the investi-
cation was finished and when Secre-
tary Ballnger, as the president has
stated knew that the Cunningham
claims were invalid. When | appealed
to Secretary Ballinger for postpone
ment he referred me to his subordin-
ates. The department Of agriculture
interviewed was superseded in
the charge Of the cases, and the man
who superseded me indorsed my rec
concentrations, and the postponement
was granted Immediately thereafter
| made my report on the Cunningham
cases to President Taft and was dis
missed from the service for insubor.
dination.
"The president has chosen to treat
my report as a charge Of criminality.
! made no such charge, nor do | make
1t now. The presidents letter is de-
tense of Mr. Ballinger and Mr.. Den
nett commissioner of the general
land office from charges not made in
my report to him. | was not investi-
eating either Mr. Ballinger or Mr.. Den
nett. but the Alaska coal cases"