The National tribune., 1910-12-01

next March, and that Charles D. Nor.
ton, Private ssorstary for President
Taft, 10 to be SsorseaHy lfAsvsaeh'a
probable successor. There II but one
that Secretary MaoVeagh ssys 1t u not
| so. II
| President Tafts order withdrawins
Alaska oil lands from settlement was
not unexpected. being in line with the
| Administrations policy of restoring all
Alaska coal lands to the public domain
and letting Congress legislats for their
disposal. The oil lands are in or near
the coal fields. Gushers were tapped
in the Katala coal fields, end coal
claims now cover the oil lands.
Clarence Cunningham, who located
the famous group of coal claims that
figured so prominently in the attacks
on Secretary Ballinger. went to Alaska
to prospect for oil, and Indians showed
him the enormously rich coal areas.
In the sandstone and shale beds of
the Yukon and Koyukuk Valleys heavy
seepage of oil has been noticed, but no
effort has been made to segregate the
land from the Government domain for
exploitation.
With the death of Henry NJ. Hoyt
Counselor for the State Department,
last week. it is stated in official circles
that that Office will expire Secretary
of State Knox was extremely fond Of
Mr.. Hoyt, and desired to have him close
to him, and created this office expressly
for him. When Mr. Knox was briefly
Attorney-General he made Mr. Hoyt
First Assistant Attorney General and
SolicitOr-General of the United States
Mr. Hoyt amply honOred the confidence
that was placed in him by Secretary of
State Knox.
Stuart Mcnamara, who has been Spe-
cial Assistant to the Attorney General
for some time. has tenedered his resig-
nation, and is going to New York to
resume the practice of law It Is said
that Mr.. Mcnamara will also look after
the interest IF the Government in GER
tain cases in the interests with which
he has been identified. Mr.. Mcnamara
attended Attorney-General WiCkersham
on the latter's recent trip of investiga-
ton thru Alaska.
There died in Washington the other
day a veteran whose going away leaves
great void in Grand Army circles of
the Department of the Potomac. Ben
jamin f. Graham had been Commander
of his Post and Junior and Senior Vice
Commander of the Department and
ought to have been its Commander. He
was a member of the Old Guard of the
District, which attended his funeral in
a body. He organized B. f. Graham
Camp, 10. Sons of Veterans. and his
heart and purse were always open to
the cries of the needy and the suffer-
ing. Comrade Graham had been for
Is years Superintendent of the Eastern
Market OF the city. He had been in
failing health for some time, but the
end came unexpectedly.
His widow, Mrs. Lucy B. Graham, has
been, like her husband, great worker
along all patriotic lines. but more par
ticularly in the Grand Army, the Wo-
mans Relief Corps and the Old Guard.
of which her husband was a devoted
seldom that floral offerings have been
f1andsOmer than those which covered
the flag -draped casket on its last jour-
ney. The walls of the room in which
the casSet stood were literally lined
with the Wreaths and emblems and with
the floral tokens sent by sorrowing
friends. Comrade Graham was ex-
tremely fond of roses, and cultivated
them extensively in his home grounds
enough, his favorite rose
bush, under the warm skies of two or
three days previous. sent forth a bud
which opened on the morning of the
funeral, and this last beautiful rose of
the Summer lay upon his breast beside
his Grand Army badge. Interment was
in beautiful spot in Arlington with all
the honors of war. He leaves three
splendid sons and one daughter besides
his widow, to mourn his death.
A sale of 314.785.O6 feet of timber
for S2.709. $50. ar average price of $3.50
per thousand feet, was effected by