Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-11-17


helms. The Jones report to Ballinger
contained the allegation that all in
dicaeons pointed to the Guggenheims
but 1t does not appear how Cunning
hami got this confidential informa-
tion.t In order to refute this charge,
Cunningham showed us his books.
These books contained memoran-
DUN of agreement. dated 1908, be-
tween the entrymen to consolidate
the coal lands. This agreement was
illegal for two reasons-because 1t
attempted to consolidate more than
the law allowed, and because the
agreement showed that the entry
men took up the land with the intcn-
tion of deciding it to a company, and
giving Cunningham one-eighth Of the
stock.
Afterward, and while Jones and l
We're taking Cunningham's affidavit,
ex-governor Miles G. Moore of Wash
ington, one of the Cunningham claim
ants, came in and stated that he had
had !, recent interview with Mr.. Bal
l:nger in Washington. and that Mr..
Ballinser would have patented the
Cunningham claims but for my pro-
test. This information given Moore,
and announced by him in Cunning
hams presence, came near prevent
ing riy obtaining the affidavit from.
Cunningham. In fact, ths informa-
ton obtaTn- by this claimant, Miles
c. Moore. from the land office in
Washington, considerably hamperet
me in my effort to get evidence. The
giving out of such information was
contrary to express regulations of
the interior department.
BY order of Mr.. bennett, by tele-
gram and letter. was taken off the
Alaska cases in May, 1908, and order
ed on other work. The reason given
for this action was lack of funds
l reported by telegram that delay
of the investigation would greatly
lessen the governments chance to
secure evidence.
In October, 1908, l was ordered
back to the Alaska cases by LET.
| Ter of Acting Assistant Commissioner
Schwartz, stating that my work haG
been suspended pending investiga,
ton
eallinser Urges Congress to- Aid.
Mr.. Ballinger retired as commits.
sioner of the land office in March,
1908. A few days before, while still
an officer of the United States, Mr..
Ballinger appeared before the house
committee on public lands in favor OF
the ale bill, then pending. In the
course of this statement he said:
"* the last section of the bill
provides for consolidation of exist
ing entries and does not call for the
proof of good faith of the original en-.
try or location. There are great
many charges pending against some
Of the original entries in Alaska. Al
the time these fields We're located
corporations were organized. The mel
had really no method of taking ad
vantage of these coal measures. L
resulted in their getting involved il
conditions which upon the records O.
the land office, are technical VIC
lation of the statute, and it is !;
situation which should be cleared ul
In my estimation it has not been tn,
intention of the people in the fielt
, nor in Alaska to put them in hostil
lty to the laws, but they have beel
in position where they could not
, by virtue of the circumstances, &C
| commodate themselves to the laws
I and with this last provision the.
could transmute their present entrie
into the form suggested by this bill
, and those new entries would be treat
ed as primary entries. In othe
, words. it would be an abandonment
of the old conditions which hav
made great deal Of difficulty i
the matter of the disposition OF tn
land in many instances."
When Mr.. Ballinger made th
!. statement (before the committee q
r public lands) he was urging chang
G n the law by which fraudulent G
;. tries would be made vlaid-by whic
n the Cunningham group and the 9th
Alaska claims would have recelv,
J. patents to practically 100000 acres
,f Alaska coal fields.
ii Balllnser Becomes Attorney.
s. OF that employment President Tia
a. has said: "In the interval, when W
d were not holding office, one of Il