The Paducah evening sun., 1910-01-05

May. 1903, signed decision hold
ing that the Hepburn law allowed
the consolidation OF a certain char
acter of coal claims in Alaska. which
would have included the Cunning
ham claims. A copy OF this decision
went to CLAWS. and he was directed
to make report In accordance with
H.
On June IL Attorney-General
Wickersham oyerruled the Pierce
decision. The Cunninghams then
prferred to stand under the old law.
and CLAWS received orders from the
land Office to hurry his investigation.
Later. Special Land Agent sheridan
vas placed on the cases. suppressed
ing CLAWS CLAWS bad protested
and asked for time in which 20 COM
plete his investigation. and when ne
found his protests unavailing he teie
graphed TO Acting Law Onicer Shaw.
Of the Forest Service. stating that
there were about zoe claims in the
Chugaeh national forest reserve. in
Guiding the Cunningham group.
which were about TO proceed to trial.
and asking the co-opcration Of the
forest service.
ON July ~, secretary OF Agricui-
ture Wilson requested secretmy
Balllnger not 10 fix dates for the
hearing OF these claims until he
could find out, from the local for
estry officers. the full reasons for
fthe request for postponement. A
day later Law officer Shaw OF the
forest service. called at the general
land Office. and requested that he
be allowed TO examine the record In
the cases. which was refused. lie
Z reported the refusal to Associate
Forester Price. who with Shaw then
called on Chief OF Field Service
Schwartz. OF the general land office.
II was on this occasion that the state
ment "PinchOt Is trying To run the
lnerior department" was made. The
forest service officers we're finally
allowed TO see the record after GER
tain papers we're taken out.
Asked For Delay.
Special Agent Sheridan. after
looking over CLAWS record of the
cases at Seattle. endorsed the recon-
mendation for delay. and later Act
ing Secretary Of the Interior Pierce
granted the request OF the secretary
of agriculture for a suspension OF
the hearing. but urged that the for
estry investigation OF the claims be
fastened as much as possible.
II was with the Cunningham
claims In this situation that CLAWS
journeyed from Seattle to Beverly.
Mass, last summer and laid the
case befoy President Taft. The
whole west by this time was ablaze
with the discussion OF the Ballln-
ger-Pinchot controversy. Both Of
the principals were attending rival
conservation congresses" In the
west. Pinchot making speeches de-
manding the preservation of the
land for the people" and Ballinger
declaring that "Pinchot is trying to
run the interior department"
Then came the open letter from
the president to Secretary Balllnger
completely generating him, and
characterizing the CLAWS charges as
mere "shreds of suspicion" CLAWS
was discharged and the administra-
ton waited for the unpleasant incl
dent TO be forgotten. But this Is
just what did not happen. CLAWS
carried his charges into the public
prints, and the battle was renewed
with vigor. Finally the situation
became so acute. that Ballinger. just
before the Christmas holidays. wrote
a letter to Senator Jones, of Wash
ington, demanding a congressional
Investigation, not only of his own
conduct. but OF that of the officials
of the forest service whom he charg-
ed with inspiring the attacks upon
his administration. This letter was
read to the senate. ard arrange
ments were made for the introduc-
tion Immediately after the recOnven-
ing of congress for a resolution pro-
viding for an investigation.