New-York tribune., 1909-11-10
BALLINGER DENIES
.aNSUERS CHARGES.
l.. II. Glauis Regarded as Tool
of Politicians.
Irr,n III. rrihun. Pur.au.l


Washington. Nov. s.-The Secretary of
the Interior and the Commissioner OF the
General Land once both made brief
statements to-day regarding the article
of l.. r. CLAWS attacking the sincerity OF
the administration in dealing with the
coal lancs OF Alaska. which appears I'm
the current Golfers Weekly. The state
ment Of Secretary BalIinger is:
My attention has been directed to the
text Of an article purportins 10 nave
been written by MIR. L. r. CLAWS. which
is TO appear I'm Golfers Weekly. and ad-
vance copies OF which have been furnished
by that weekly 10 the press
huods and insinuations utterly unw9rrarted
in view OF the facts easily obtained oy
anybody who wants them.
IL is not surprising that publication
which could in pursuit OF this same prop
agands. recklessly. under date OF october
miliar railroad folder OF the Grand River
Canyon IN Colorado. a picture of an
available power site which was In danger
Platte River. two hundred miles away and
aeross the continental divide. should pe
certain the real facts. 20 give wings 10
story which had heretofore been submit
ted "a 50 great and Just man as the
President OF the United States, who after
most careful consideration thereof, in
which he had before him the entire files
Of the General Land ONCE and OF the
and every one of the matters presented.
pronounced the same disingenuous and
The statement OF Claws has gained
nothing either as 20 It's verac!ty or tusti-
ncation in the interval since its presen-
tation TO the President. and In view of
the complete vindication by the President
OF myself snd the other officers OF the
department concerned I will make no
further statement at present
Commissioner bennett Of the General
agr,~-
the CLAWS charges:
The article is simply = repetition OF the
charges submitted 10 the President, and
which the President, after examining all
the evidence and the official records. char-
scterized as 'shreds Of suspicion" and so
dismissal II is the same false coloring of
isolated portions OF the record and OF a
series OF transactions which, In their en-
tiretv refute the differences CLAWS wishes
drawn from the portions published.
Tn. fact that the Cunningham claims
are still before the Land Office and that
the commissioner must pass upon them in
a judicial capacity precludes any discus
sion OF the details of the claims at this
time. does the further fact that there
are charges against the validity OF the
claims which have been prepared under
the direction OF nh. commissioner
It Is doubtful however. II were this not
the case. either the Secretary or the
commissioner would care to make any de-
tailed reply 20 Mr.. CLAWS. whom they re-
gard as entirely discredited by the Presi-
dent, who ordered his dismissal after ex-
amining all the evidence in the Cunning
ham case, and whom they further regard
as merely the tool Of others who have in
view more rarreaching ends than the dis
crediting OF the Secretary CT the Interior
80 l-r-fsf, i'm ~, fle
Department Of the Interior
Wama walia: Wash. Nov. s.-Ex-Gov-
ernor Miles c. Moore, one Of the claimants
10 the so-called Cunningham group OF coal
mine claims in Alaska, who is in this
city, to-day made a statement in reply 10
the Glavfs article. in which he says:
Part OF Mr. Glavis's communication con
tanning what purports TO be a statement
from me, has one serious defect. IL con-
tains no truth. CLAWS quotes me as say
ing Secretary BsliingeF would have pat
entsd the Cunningham claims but for my
protest. No such statement was made
By Ballinger TO me or TO CLAWS on
the occasion mentioned CLAWS said:
We have been examining Nr. Cunning
YOU find thinss?" he replied: Everything
seems 20 be all right. and see no reason
why YOU Should not hsys n your patents pa nsid
Within sixty days.
This converse ton occurred more than 81
year after receiving final receipts. and
some ten months before CLAWS claims 10
have been asking for further time for
Investigation. These entries had pre-
viously been clearly listed by reputable
special agents after careful investigation.
Seattle. Nov. e.-Denyins emphaticaily
that any Of the entries OF coal lands in
Alaska made by the claimants in the Gun
ningham group were fraudulent or made
with intent 10 deceive the government, II.
e. Henry and c. J. Smith. who are inter-
ested in the claims. made this statement:
"Glavis's statements in some cases are
absolutely false. He is sn agitator. who is
being used by some people higher up for
ulterior motives OF their own to prevent
the development OF the Alaska coal fields
and a fair and judicial examination into
the Cunningham coal case. 10 the end that
the men who have paid the government
their good money for these lands and are
/ entitled 10 patents shall not come into the
possession Of what they believe 70 be their
rights under the law.
The rich character Of these coal lands
had long been a matter OF public knowl-
edge. The claims we're fled under the ex-
listing laws. Everything was done openly
/ and abovebosrd There was no attempt at
/ concealment, and the men who filed on
/ those claims are American citizens OF good
record snd are entitled 20 a square deal by
/ the government"