The Washington times., 1909-11-09

/ arrangement or agreement of the char
II acter specifically described in your let
II ter. the same might and should be ac-
cepted and passed 10 patent
II very respectfully,
FRANK PIERCE.
First Assistant Secretary"
In Difficult Position.
| was then in a very difficult position.
/ I knew what the law was. and my SUI
periors were against me- II I accepted
their ruling, 100000 acres Of Alaska coal
lands were slipping from the United
! States with no hope Of recovery-and
were going to claimants many Of whom
were fraudulent. The chance for the
wise regulation OF A5aska coal lands
urged by President RooseY cit would be
gone.
Without consulting with my su-
periors / went to Attorney General
Wickersham and stated the matter TO
him. I understand that he asked Mr.
Ballinger to refer the matter to him.
Mr.. Ballinger requested me TO with
draw my report. which showed that II
the Pierce decision was correct the Gov
eminent lad no ground to object to any
of the Alaska claims withdrew that
report.
Ten days later the Attorney General
delivered an opinion on the question
It is long and I shall not quoIs It. Suf-
fee 1t to say 1t over.-ulei the Pierce de-
cision OF, every point. upheld my con-
tention, and saved tbs Alaska coal
cases.
one other fact arose on nv visit to
Washington (an6 Of this have no doc
umentary evidence).
Says He Found Out.
In my conference with Mr.. Ballinger
1 stated to him that was going to see
one of the Congressme1 regarding
whose participation in the Alaska coal
cases had sworn testIE ony; he re-
piled that there had been too much OF
this sort of thing. and that that was a
matter for Congressional investigation.
In consequence. after consulting with
other Government officials, I decided
not TO see any Congressman; but I aft
erWard found out-from sworn testi-
mony obtained by me anc now in the
Land Ofice-that Mr. BaIlinger had.
ABOUT year before, represented a Con- |
gresham in Alaska coal matters.
AT the expiration of the sixty davs |
allotted for the completiof OF nv re /
ports I telegrapied that ] was getting /
new evidence, and that I could not con-
sistently make final reports while fur /
ther evidence was available. Cunning
ham cases included, and that the time /
Ss 1.Sa be extended at least sixty days /
In answer to this telegram received
a dispatch from the Genera Land /
Oilce that the reports must ne si,h
,hltted at once and that an agent would
Ds sent 10 Seattle to take chargs of the
tnNssugatlon. ] urged by letter and
kilograms to the commissioner post-
ponenent Tor field examination. on /
July was informed By letter from
Inc Land Office that tire Committeeman
cases would go 10 trial at once and
Inat the evidence would be Submitted - /
= commissioner bennett without having |
tne Alaska Land Office pass on the !
claims first. I believe that no precedent
an oe round IND in the entire history Of
the Land Office for such action.
Sees BaIlinger.
On the 18th I received a telegram from
the Land Office saying Mr.. Sheridan
would report to assist me IN the trial.
Mr.. Ballinger was then in Seattle and
went to see him and called hts atten-
ton 10 my written demand for field
examination Mr.. BaIlIngers said he
thought the Cunningham group would :,
admit that the land was being deveI-
oped as whole. I teIegraphed to Com
missioner bennett that, 1T the sueges-
lion Of the Secretary or the In erior. I
wanted TO know whether my report