The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-09-16

dial Legislation imposing conditions
which the claimants we're either un-
willing or unable 10 meet You 80
advised your clients. To pay your
travelling expenses and for your
services you received $50 and no
more.
CLAWS Tries 20 Disersdit.
"The Inference which Mr.. CLAWS
seeks 10 have drawn 10 your dis
credit In this connection II that you.
while commissioners of the general
land office, came into pOsseHsl0n Of
facts concerning the so-cniied Cum
nlnghhm group Of coal land claims
which made II improper for you TO
use such facts after your rssigna-
ton In the course Of securing the
patents ! find the fact 20 be that
az commissioner you acquired no
knowledge In respect 10 the claims
except that OF the most formal
character and nothing which WAS
not properly known 20 your clients
when they consulted you. The evil
dence In respect 10 which you were
consulted professionally was not
secured by Mr. CLAWS until after
your resignation as commissioner
Of the general land office.
Second Insinuation Unjust.
- second inference sought TO be
drawn By MIR. CLAWS against you Is
that you have acted improperly
since becoming secretary Of the in
terror In reference 20 the Cunning
ham cases and have used your in
fiuence to interfere with Mr.. Claws
efforts 60 defeat the claims.
your only action which could in
any manner affect the Cunningham
claims was your order that the $4,000
claims pending and undisposed Of In
the land office should BIO pressed to
final hearing and disposition as
rapidly AZ possible consistent with
Justice. and these included the ss1
Alaska coal claims OF which the
Cunningham group numbered 10.
As such expedition was essential
both In the public Interest and In
that OF the claimants. II could hardly
be said TO be action taken in the
Cunningham claims.
Discharge o. Mr.. CLAWS.
In your answer you request
authority 10 discharge Mr.. Claws
from the service Of the United States
for disioyalty to his superior officers.
In making a false charge against
them. When subordinate In a
government bureau or department
has trustworthy evidence upon
which to believe that his chief is
dishonest and is defraudins the
government II il. Of course. his duty
10 submit that evidence 10 higher
authority than his chief. But when
he makes a charge against his chief
founded upon more suspicious and
In HIS statement he fails to give his
chief the benefit OF circumstances
within HIS knowledge that would ex-
plain che chiefs action. he makes u
impossible for him to continue In
the service and his Immediate sepa-
ration thercfrom becomes a neces-
sity. You are therefore authorized
10 dismiss L. II. CLAWS for unjustiy
impcaching the official integrity OF
his superior off eers-
Other Matters.
President Taft also refers In his
letter To the charges made against
Secretary Balllnger that he had re-
stored 20 the public domain for set
Element certain lands IN Montana
which had been withdrawn by the
last administration for the purpose
Of conserving water power sites
These charges were printed ex-
tanaiycly at ths time they were made
by Gov. rardes. OF California. dur
ing the Irrigation Congress at spo-
kane last August
Relating 20 these charges. tho
president says that he has been I'M
able 90 find anything rejecting upon
the proper conduct OF the business
OF the interior department and that
from his actions II Is quite apparent
that Secretary Ballingcr is In thor
ough sympathy with the administra-
tion In the matter Of conservation OF