New-York tribune., 1909-11-20
BALLINGER REPLIES
DENIAL OF CHARGES.
Statements That He 4ided
Frauds False, He Says.

Washington. Nov. 19.-Replying 20 charges
made in a magazine publication. Secretary
Ballinger Of the Interior Department TO-
Gay denied many of the reports which re-
Gently have been circulated concerning the
conduct OF his department and explained
others.
To say that I ever have advised. aided
or lent support TO any effort to perpetrate
a fraud upon the government he said,
lis not only false. but IS Intentionally 80
II made by any one who has taken the
trouble 10 inquire into the facts"
In explanation Of the charges in connec-
ton with the Alaska coal lands he went
into the history Of President Roosevelt =
withdrawn! from entry OF all the coal lanos
OF Alaska in 1906 showing that the order
was SO modified BY Secretary Garfield as
10 validate all applications made before
May rs. lsO1. He then called attention to
the fact that In his annual report Of 1870.
as Commissioner OF the General Lani
Office. he had recommended action By Con
gress to prevent and punish the form@-
tion of combinations or trusts by claimants
to coal lands. and added:
The antitrust clause OF the Alaska coal
act, as finally passed May 2S 1905. was
not submitted by Clifford Pinchot. but
was submitted. as a suggestion. TO Secre-
tary Garfield by Representative Herbert
Parsons. Of New York. in his letter r
May :, 1905, and favorably considered and
indOrsed by the Secretary IN his report %
Congress"
He then said that no Alaska coal claims
whatever had been patented. ana that the
investigation of all such claims with a
view 10 determining their validity or iG-
validity had been vigorously prose utec.
Mr. Bailnger denounced "a plain,
ordinary falsifcation" report that ne is
interested in $4,000 shares Of the Alaska
PETROLEUM, Coal and Coke Company. The
statement that I or my former firm was
attorney for this company or ever advised
or counselled it I'm its effort 10 acquire title
10 public lands is also without basis In
fact" he added. II was true that I'm his
private practice after he had resigned as
Commissioner OF tine Land Office he had
been consulted In the preparation of ar
ticles Of incorporation under the law Of 1903
which had been approved BY the PreSi-
dent and permitted the entry OF as much
as 1850 acres of coal land. but not true
that in connection with this or any other
case he had given any advice looking to a
fraudulent act against the government.
Asked about a statement that ne had
said the proper course 10 take with the
public domain was to divide II up among
the big corporations and let the people who
know how make money out Of it, Mt Bal
linser replied:
so asinine a statement hardly merits a
denial of course made no such state
ment. Such thought could not be enter
tanned BY any normal intelligence. What I
u ,fr.Ir L.
and the conservation Of natural resources
may 5e found in my Official reports as
Commissioner OF the General Land Once
and I'm my present annual report soon 20 be
published. l have not only been consistent
iy in the vanguard Of the conservation
movement. but I have sought TO give It
permaneace along lines reasonably within
the spirit Of present law and 10 secure ade-
quate additional laws"
lie made an equally emphatic denial Of a
statement that his firm is known as the
Standard oil legal adviser in Seattle.
Ny BalIinger also replied 10 a charge
that in granting rights OF way 20 the Hil
and Hartman railroads through the Des
Chutes Canyon in oregon he had rendered
impossible the construction OF a power
plant in the canyon. Acknowledging that
the department approved the applcs tions
Of the railroads. Mr. Ballinger said tnat
this course had been pursued under tie
laws and in pursuance Of the wishes OF the
people of the section affected. but not
without taking the precaution of inserting
a requirement that when needed for power
plant purposes each OF the railroad com
panies should elevate its tracks one hun
dred feet. But this action, he said. insured
to the people OF Central Oregon competing
lines Of railroad and at the same time
guaranteed the use OF the water power
when the country needs il. lie also quoted
the records in the case TO show that the
proceeding had been in strict compliance
with the law.