Arizona republican., 1909-11-20
|BALL|NGER
 TALKS BACK He Makes Reply to a Re-
 cent Magazine Attack CONCERNING COAL LANDS
He Shows That MT. Pin chot Was Not As Stated the Author of Suggestion to Prevent Forming of Coal Combinations

Washington. Nov. ig-Replying to tary R A. Ballinger. of the interior department. today denied many re- ports recently in circulation con corning the conduct of his depart ment
 To say that I ever have advised. ordered or lent support to any effort to perpetuate fraud upon the govern ment," he said, 'is not only false, but intentionally so. if made by any one who has taken the trouble to inquire into the facts"
 In explanation of charges of his con nection with Alaska coal lands. he went into the history of President ROosevelt's withdrawal from entry of all coal lands in Alaska in 1906. show ing that the order was so modified by Secretary Garfield as to validate all applications made prior to May 16. 1907. He then called attention to the fact that in his annual report of 1907 as commissioner of the general land office he had recommended action by congress to prevent any formation of combinations or trusts by claimants of coal lands, and he adds: The anti trust clause of the Alaska coal act. as finally passed on May 2S. 1908, was not submitted by Clifford Pinchot. but was submitted as a suggestion to Sec rerary Garfield by Representative Herbert Parsons. of New York. in his letter May :, 1908. and was favorably considered and endorsed by the secre- tary in his report to congress-
 Mir. Ballinger then stated that no Alaskan coal claims had been patent ed. and he says that the investigation of all such claims with a view to de- termining their validity or invalidity had been vigorously prosecuted Mir Ballinger denounced as plain ordi- nary Justification" the report that he is interested in I55.OOO shares of the Alaska Petroleum and Coal company.
 'The statement that I or my former firm was an attorney for this com pany or ever advised or counselled it in its effort to acquire title to public lands is also without a basis in fact" he added. MT. Ballinger said it was true that. in his private practice after he had resigned as commissioner of the land office. he had been consulted Tn the preparation of articles of in corporation under the law of 1908 which had been approved by the pres ident. and which permitted the entry of as much as 2.560 acres of coal land. but it was not true either in this or in any other connection that he had given any advice looking to fraudulent act against the government
 Asked about the statement that he had said that the proper course 10 take with the public domain was to divide It up among the big corporations and let the people who know how make money out of it. Mir. Ballinger re piled: 50 asinine a statement hard ly merits denial. Of course 1 made no such statement"
 Mir. Ballinger also made response to the charge that. in granting rights of way to the Hill and Hartman rail- roads through the Deschutes canyon. Oregon. he had rendered impossible the construction of a power plant in the canyon.
 Admitting that the department had given it's approval to the applications. Mir. Baliinger said this course had been pursued under the law. and in pursuance of the wishes of the people of the section affected. but not with out taking the precaution of insert ing requirement that. when needed for power plant purposes. each rail- road should elevate it's tracks a hun dred feet. This action. he said. in sured to the people of central Oregon competing lines of railroad and at the same time guaranteed the use of water power when the country needed it.