The Irish standard., 1909-08-28
TAFT REFERS THE ALASKA LAND
CHARGES TO THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
ANOTHER PAGE IN PINCHOT; ROW
6aIIinger Alleged to Have Secuted In
quiry-Forestry Field Chief CLAWS,
Puts Accusations Before tho
President.

erSnam mas mad referred to him an
Alaskan land case which has been a
slumbering volcano to the United Stat
es interior department for two years.
The matter involves coal lands in
Alaska valued at many millions of dol
lars and which is nearly as extensive
as the coal deposits in Pennsylvania.
There are now seven claims involved.
1t seems that more than ten years
ago claims were filed on coal lands in
the Alaskan coast near the Chugache
forest reserve where tremendous de-
posts were located. James R. Gar
field was at that time secretary of the
interior. There has been legislation
by congress to prevent large tracts of
coal lands from falling into the hands
of single. holders. 1t is for the pur-
pose of preventing the possible forma-
ton of monopoly.
A bill was put through congress to
allow four claims to be worked togeth-
err, but in case more than four claims
were worked, the title to the claims
would fail. The first claims were by
Clarence Cunningham of Walla Walla,
Wash.
l. R. CLAWS, chief of the field di.
vision of the general land office, In
charge Of the district which includes
Alaska, investigated these claims and
filed with the land Office at Washing
ton evidence which he had secured
and which he maintained showed that
the names of dockhands and others
had been used in filing these claims
and that they were fraudulent.
Richard A. Ballinger was commits
sioner of the land Office when the evil
dence was filed. Secretary Garfield's
attention was attracted to the case
and he began to take steps to cancel
the claim.
BaIlinger is Accused.
Ballinger resigned from the land Of
flee and became attorney for Cunning
ham. 1t is said that he urged that
patents be issued for the land. A
brief was filed in the interior depart
ment urging Garfield to issue patents.
Garfield refused. Soon after ,Ballinger
became secretary of the interior, sue.
ceeding Garfield. He, directed, 1t is
said, that the charges against the Cum
ningham claims (thirty-f1ve Of them
in alb were insufficient and directed
that the claims be clear-listed for the
patents.
CLAWS protested against this deci-
sion and his protest being unavailing,
he went to Washington to urge his al
nro0f nP ND r&1y{p az
Washington, 1t Is said, he found that
the claims had been sent back to be
patented without hearing.
CLAWS then secured the submission
of all the papers in case to Attorney
General Wickersham and Wickersham
ruled that at least hearing must be
held. CLAWS returned to Seattle to
prepare his case for an immediate
hearing An order was given to CLAWS
by the land Office to the effect that
the hearing would not be held at
Juneau, but that under special ar
rangement with the claimants, the
commissioner: of the general land office
of special report" ...,.
CLAWS protested against this and re.
ceived letter from the land office in
timating that his activity was undesir-
able and that for his own ease he had
better cease. He continued to protest,
and although he felt he knew more
about these cases than anyone else,
they were taken from him, and given
to Special Agent Sheridan Of Denver,
a man who had only one years expert
ence and was unfamiliar with the
cases. Sheridan was directed to expe-
dite the case.
About this time Secretary Ballinger
issued a statement intimating that
Chief Forester Pinchot was trying to
run the interior department, but Bal
lingep's acting secretary announced
that the hearing had been postponed.
CLAWS appeared at Beverly on Fri
day to lay his troubles before Presi-
dent Taft The government represent
ations" have been referred to Attor-
ney General Wtckersham second
time and are now in his hands. ~
Lebeau, Registration Point.
Washington, Aug. 25.-The general