Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-08-19
Pinchot is Attack on Ballinger
Based on Latter's Connection
with Alaskan Claims.
SECRETARY LAWYER IN CASE
Tract Of 5000 Acres Sntd I" 'on'h'h
80 nm mn Tons Of CoaI--GuCgen-
helms HIVE Taken Lively IN
tcrest in ConI Contracts
In District.

Washington. Aug. 1s.-Secretary
Rallinger's aids In the general land
ONCE now believe that they can bring
the contest between their chiet ana
Forester oxford Pinchot TO an Issue
within two months october Is has
been set as the probable date for the
beginning Of hearings in the now
famous Cunningham case. which IN
wolves the question Of the ownership
Of moro .han 5000 acres OF land In
Alaska and about 6I,ooo.oo0 tons OF
coal. Unless Pinchot decides to re-
sign, or retires as the result or
presidential hint. before decision In
This mine is reached, the verdict VIII
determine who Is the real power In
The work Of conservation, the secre-
larry Of the interior or the chief of
The forestry service.
II the hearings planned to begin in
October result in the confirmation or
The claims OF Clarence Cunningham
and HIS associates to the ownership
Of the Alaska coal lands, Pinchot ana
his associates In the forest service
will find themselves handicapped IN
their charge against the methods or
the Interior department. II the maj
decision hands over the immense tract
to the federal government tho OFF,
Gals OF the interior department Will
have proved the sagacfty o. their
openly announced program.
P1NCHOT- BALL1NGER FEUD
The present fight Of tho months old
feud between Ballinger and Pinchot Is
the result Of n marked difference or
opinion concerning the plan OF cam
paign 10 be employed by the govern
ment against the Cunningham Inter
ests. Secretary Ballingers assistants
state that the interior department Is
in position to carry the case 70
successful issue for the government.
They predict that the evidence they
have In hand Is sufficient TO defeat all
the claims OF the Cunningham crowd.
The interior officials apparently feel
sufficient confidence In the result OF
the coming Investigations TO mention
specially some Of the testimony their
agents have dug UP against the claim
ant Of the Alaska coal field. Thus far
their attitude toward the forest SER
vice is defensive rather than offensive.
On the other hand. the hints. yelled
az they arc. that are emanating from
Mr. Pinchot's bureau. are undoubted-
ly directed at Secretary Ballinger and
his assistants. Every bit of informa-
ton ohtainable from forest service
sources shows that the responsible
men OF this bureau believe that the
interior department Is in no position
to mako good It's announced program
In the Cunningham case. The forest
service men appear to be convinced
Mat the interior department will ruin
The governments chances OF securing
the Alaska tract by pursuing its pres
mt policy Of haste No member of tho
bureau. however, up to this time has
,een bold enough to prefer any charge
MAT Secretary Ballinger is hurrYing
The Cunningham cases to a final de-
Piston with the design Of aiding his
former clients TO secure their claims
before the government can secure
sufficient evidence 10 win victory.
BALLINGER'S CONNECTION.
The records OF Secretary Ballnger's
connection with the Cunningham synd-
cate are on file in the interior depart
ment. There has been no disposition
on the part OF either the secretary OF the
Interior or any Of his assistants to deny
that he was in the service Of the land
claimants during the internal between the
close Of his term as commissioner Of the
general land office and the beginning Of
his service as a member of President
Taft's cabinet So far as can be dis
covered Mr. Rallinger's activity in this
case was confined to the preparation of
nm affidavit which was practically n his
tory Of the formation of the syndicate
with specific description Of the 80 coal
land claims now In litigation.
This affidavit was drawn in the Seattle
office of the law firm Of which Mr.. Ball
niger is a member When the Cunning
ham attorney came to Washington az
secretary Of the Interior he found the
case OF his former clients confronting
him for decision He announced that
he would have no part In the proceed
'ngs against the Cunningham crowd,
md turned over the whole matter to
Assistant Secretary Pierce. The final
decision. which will be rendered by the
interior department. In accordance with
ne evidence presented by Commissioner
bennett Of the general land office. must
le handed down by Mr.. Pierce.
The Cunningham claims have been be-
lore the interior department for about
leyen years. While Mr.. Ballinger was
commissioner Of the general land offic'
n,ey were awaiting decision. secrefar,
Hitchcock refused to recognize the claims
81 the coal syndicate. es did Secretary
FAIRFIELD The fact that the claims have
been on file for so long is pointed by
officials Of the interior department as {
refutation Of any charge that the cases
are now being pushed with undue
haste.
CUNNINGHAM'S ALASKA CLAIMS.
Clarence c. Cunningham, the promote
Of the coal land project. and his as
sociates filed their Alaskan claims II
1902. Cunningham a we'll known Idaho
prospector, had taken a trip to Alaska
on the lookout for something good,
About thirty miles north o. Katalda
close to the southern coast Of the Ter
ritory. he discovered a very rich Goa
AeId The hest part or the field wa
bominally held by 30 prospectors, each o
whom had filed claim 1GO acres unde
the mineral land laws. the only procedure
with which they were acquainted. Gun
ningham realized that claims to coal land
nled under this law were valueless How
sver, the prospectors were paid for thei
claims and Cunningham. with az as
sociates. filed claims to $500 acres Of tn
tract under the coal land laws. The trac
Il -.