The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-10

went to Attorney General Wicker
sham and stated the matter to him
/ / understand that he asked MIR Bal
/ linger to refer the matter to him. Mr.
] Balinger requested me to Withdraw
my report. which showed that If the
/ | understand he asked Mr. Ballnger
tn refer the matter to him. Mr.. Bal
linger requested me to Withdraw my
report. which showed that if the
/ Pierce decision was correct. the gov
eminent had no ground to object to
/ any Of the Alaska claims. ! with
drew that report
Ten days later the attorney general
i delivered an opinion on the question
it Is long, and | shall not quote it.
Suffice it to say that ii overrued the
/ Pierce decision on every point, upheld
my contention, and saved the Alaska
i Goa! cases.
! Ballineer Against Investigation.
/ One other fact arose on my visit to
! Washington (and of this | have no
documentary evidence In my con-
/ ference with MIR. Ballinger. | stated to
! him that ] was going to- see one of
the congressman. regarding whose
| participation in the Alaska coal cases
| had sworn testimony: he replied
that there had been too much of this
sort Of thing, and that that was a
! matter for congressional investiga-
ton. In consequence, after consulta-
! tion with other government officials,
| | decided not la see any congressman:
but l afterwards found out-from
sworn testimony obtained by me
and now in the land office-that Mr..
| Ballinger had. about year before.
represented "A congressman i'm Alaska
coal matters.
Al the expiration of the 60 days al
| lotted for the completion of my re-
ports, l telegraphed that | was get
ting new evidence. and that | could
not consistently make final reports
while further evidence was available.
Cunningham cases included. and that
the time should be extended at least
so days longer.
Ballinser Pushes Trial.
In answer to- this telegram | re-
ceived II dispatch from the general
land office that the reports must be
submitted mt once. and that an agent
would be sent to Seattle to take
charge of the Investigation. / urged
by letter and kilograms To the COM
missioner poStponement for field ex-
animation. ON July !. | was informed
| by letter from the land office that the
cunningham cases would go To trial
AT once, and that the evidence would
he submitted to c,finmissioner Den
nett without having the Alaska land
office pass ON the claims first. | be-
/ heFe that no precedent can be found
IN the entire history of the land office
for such action.
On the 10th | received Il telegram
from the land office saying Mr.. Sheri-
aan would report 10 assist me in the
tflai. Mr.. Ballinger was then i'm Seat
! lie. anu | went In see him and called
ms attention To my written demand
Tor Il Held examination. Mr. Balliu-
ger said that he thought the Cunning
nam group would admit that the land
WAS being developed as whole |
/ teieSraphed To Commissioner bennett
. that, AT the suggestion of the secre-
tarS OF the interior. | wanted to knew
whether my report urging field exam
ination) had been considered when
the last telegram was sent. In reply.
on the 1ith. the land office wired that
Mr.. sheridan would report To take full
charge of the cases.
Al this time l felt very Respondent
about the outcome of the cases NV
conversation with Secretary Rallinger.
the fact that Mr.. bennett Was to he
the judge in the ease, and the diff
eultieS | had had with the land office
III my preparation of the cases. led
me, without consulting my superiors.
In appeal to the department of aeri.
culture 10 intervene. This ii did and
requested an adjournment until a field
examination could be made.
ON July l.. 1909. MIR. sheridan super
seeded me IN charge of the Alaska land
cases. and within four DAYS after.
Teaching Seattle reported. concurrfn-
IN my recommendations ane suggest
ing that the cases he postponed To al
low the field examination tn he made.
In this period Commissioner Denn.tr
frequently communicated with Secre-
tarN lailinger on the subject of the
poStp"nement. In ane of his letters To
the chief of field service ut this time.
Commissioner bennett said:
Sheridan has gone over the cases
thoroughly and thinks that the evil
deh"c which il is hoped To gain from
h"nnody's visit To Alaska will he very
material and. therefore. il in the best
I" postpone until october IL. | have
e"hehrF"d, anticipating your acaui-
eSrencc by the character of your tele-
gram Ia me. The forestry can be
blamed for the acttnn in the matter.
sheridan has taken charge of the
Cunningham case. and impresses me
very faNorably: l think he can handle
II against any rival they may bring
against him. The rest of the Alaska
cases are in had mess. CLAWS is
very much en,hu>rd on the PROPOSE
ton "t canceIing them all and getting
the lands back in cold storage. and
this is just what viii happen unless
congress helps out
ard nffina Ill A. T-uSL.