New-York tribune., 1910-02-01
CLAWS UNDER FIRE
Mr.. ROOT INQUISITOR-
4 Tale as to Fhy Mr. Garfield
Vas Not Reappointed.
IRON The tribune Bureau ]

eating the allsnger-flaciAot coliti
5e intirnated that James r. Garneio was
not resppointed Secretary of the interior
because ne was opposed 10 granting pat
go n valuable coal lands in Alaska
liter he put Senator Nelson on the de-
fensive hy adroitly dragging in the fact
that an Alaskan claimant had named his
town site for the chairman of the COM
rrittee.
The rejection on President Taft caused
Senator Root for the first time since the
hearings began to show annoyance. 1t was
auparent that he thought Claws was seek
ing TO make political capital against the
administration and was going out OF ms
way TO reflect on the President MI ROOT
at once assumed the role or cross-e&ali-
iner and his questions were stralshI 10 ''ie
roint Then Representatives Denny ana
Madison took CLAWS in charge, and in the
end the witness sai6 he had no intention
~ criticise the President: he did not know
-.av Mr.. Garfield did not get another term
and that the man who told him that MI
Garfield was net reappointed because OF
his attitude toward the Alaska claims was
not in the confidence OF President Taft and
could not speak with authority on this
subject
The Garfield insinuation did not develop
been examined al length by various mem
bers Of the committee. the questions cover
ing a wide range and being devoted largely
70 an amplifiCation of testimony heretofore
given The hearing to-day brought out so
little that vas new and so much that was
inconsecuentiaI that at the close Of the
session the members OF the committee
seemed 10 be lost in the maze Of tesu-
r1onv. When L. D. Brandeis. counsel for
CLAWS, suggested that some Of the letters
he had called for might not have any bear
ing on the case Senator Root smiled ana
said.
on. let them all come in and be printed
There cannot be anything that isn't rele-
want"
Yes. they may be interesting even II
they are irrelevant" suggested Represen-
tative Olrnsted.
Adjournment was taken until Friday,
with the understanding that Claws would
he on hand TO give further testimony in
case any member Of the committee desired
20 QUIZ him Senator Nelson, chairman Of
the committee, announced that he had TO
more questions TO ask the witness. Senator
Pavnter one Of the Democratic members,
resigned from the committee on account Of
sickness. Senator Money. the minority lead
or will make a recommendation to the
vice-President regarding his successor.
r3LAvIs'S STORY OF GARFIELD
= Was while Senator Fletcher was ex-
sr7iring CLAWS that the witness referred
70 ex-Secretary Garfield. He said that he
and H. c. Jones, special agent Of the
Land Office. had made an affidavit that
Donald A Mckenzie, OF Alaska, had told
them that one Of the reasons why Mr. Gar
-leId vas not retained in the Cabinet was
because Of his antagonism to claimants
for Alaska lands. This affidavit, he said.
was made in September. 1919, when Presi-
dent Taft was considering his charges
e against Secretary Ballinger- CLAWS said he
intended 10 send the affidavit 70 the Presi-
dent or TO hand il to him when he reached
Seattle on his Western trip He sent
copy Of the affidavit to the Forest Service,
he added.
Pressed by Mr.. Root, the witness said he
had always felt. friendly to Mr.. Garfield
and wanted him to know what Mckenzie
had said. Mr.. Root wanted TO know why
the affidavit had been made and asked
II il was not the purpose Of Claws TO at
tack President Taft. With an air of in
lured innocence CLAWS replied in the mega
i've.
To questions BY Representatives DENLY
and Madison the witness said that Mcken-
zie was q lobbyist who spent his winters
ndence ot the President, and CLAWS said
ne did not know that Mckenzie would be
Informed why Nj. Garfield had not been
reaPpointed-
Examined further. CLAWS explained thai
he gathered from his talk with Mckenzie
that the latter meant that coal claimants
brought influence TO bear on members of
Congress from Washington, Oregon, Cali
fornia and Idaho 10 protest 20 the Presi-
cent against Mr.. Garfield. CLAWS said he
did no. intend TO criticIse the President.
On motion Of Mr.. Root the committee
called on the Forest Service 10 produce
the copy Of the Jones-Glavis affidavit re-
garding McKenzie's statement.
The anxiety OF Senator Nelson to make
u appear that Mckenzie was not his spe-
ciaI friend afforded some amusement
Claws said that Mckenzie lived in a little
Place in Alaska known as Nelson. The
Minnesota Senator insisted on having the
record show in detail the history Of the
tiii authorizing the establishment Of a
Town site at Nelson. L appeared that the
Senator had nothing to do with the pas
sage ot the bill Il was reported from the
Committee on Public Lands by Senator
Flint after IL had been favorably recon-
r7ended by the Secretary Of War and the
Secretary OF the Interior. Mr.. Garfield be
ing then a. the head Of the Interior De-
r2r-mert Senator Nelson is one Of the
7zc-t men in Congress whose integrity would
he questioned.
Mr. ROOTS SHARP QUESTIONS.
Examining CLAWS as 70 the Garfield
story. Senator Root asked:
Whom did Mckenzie make this state
rnent to-
To Special agent Jones and myself
We made an affidavit TO that effect
Why did you make an affidavit?"
I thought il would be worth remember
fnE in The further investigation Of these
ses 4 We had 70 call Mckenzie as z
witness
When did you make that afidavit?'
In September. 1908
After YOU had seen President Taft?"
Yes. sir"
Have you q copy Of it?'
No There may be z copy n the Forest
Service I left one also in the Office at
Seattle
Did YOU send any other papers 70 the
Forestry asked Senator Nelson.