The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-01-08
Attorney General Defends
Secretary of Interior.
Holly SCORES HIS ACCUSER
Calls CLAWS Megalomaniac and
self-ImpOrtant in Absolving
Ballinger From Alaska Coal
Land Charges.

washington, Jan. l.-DenOunNiub IL
r. CLAWS as a megalomaniac and an
alyzing various correspondence and his
acts in relation to the charges OF mis-
conduct against Secretary Balllnger
and other officials of the interior de-
partment in dealing with the Cunning.
ham group Of coal land claims In
Alaska. in report to the president
submitted 10 the senate. Attorney
General Wickersham declares that
CLAWS statements are entirely dis
proved.
II was upon this report that Presi-
dent Taft dismissed CLAWS from the
public service. Mr. Wickersham says:
CLAWS actions appear TO have been
founded upon a wholly exaggerated
sense OF his own Importance and de-
sire for personal advancement. rather
than on any genuine desire TO protect
the interests Of the government.
And this species OF megalomania
has finally led him to submit to you
charges OF improper motives and con
duct against his Official superiors,
which. in my opinion. are so unjust
and unfounded as to merit his imme
date separation from the service
Did Not Favor Claimants.
In his conclusions the attorney gen
eral folad:
80 far from taking action to favor
the Cunningham claimants. the record
clearly shows that Secretary Ballinger
was scrupulously careful not in any
respect 20 act upon those claims for
the reason that during the summer Of
1908. while he was in no manner con
nected With the government. he had
been consulted by some OF the claim
ants with respect TO the issuance Of
patents. and had called upon Score
tary Garfield to ascertain the attitude
OF his department thereon.
Neither his action nor any Of his
written or spoken expressions were
favorable 10 these claimants. The ut.
most he did was to instruct the land
Office to promptly investigate and dis
pose Of all pending cases"
e1llinoer's Acts Lawful.
Mr. WiCkersham pronounccs I'M
sound the suggestion that II was I'm.
lawful for Mr.. Ballinger to have any
professional relation with these claim
ants. because OF his previous incum-
bency of the Office Of commissioner OF
the general land office.
The statute making It unlawful for
any officer OF the government to prose
cute any claim" against the United
states which was pending while he
was in Office within two years after
he ceased to hold such position ap-
plies to claim for money against the
United states.
Mr.. CLAWS claim that he prevented
the government from being defrauded
by procuring a reference to the attor.
ney general Of the questions OF law IN
volyed. and the everything by him OF
an opinion written by Assistant Sec
rotary Pierce. which would have an.
abled the Cunningham claimants to
procure patents on their claims. is. the
report says, absolutely disproved by
the record.
1.-THE intervention OF the forestry bu-
reau procured by CLAWS" the attorney
general continues, is shown by the
record to have been entirely unnec-
essary to the protection OF the inter
ests OF the United States"
CLAWS Chronic Pathfinder.
UNFOLDING the conduct Of officials
OF the interior department, Mr.. Wick
ersham says their actions were in
spired by a proper desire to bring to
conclusion an investigation which
was prolonged beyond ali reason"
and continues:
"Glavis appears at all times to have
been prolific in criticism and fault
finding OF other officials OF his depart
ment. DESTROYS Of increasing his juris-
diction. ready with reasons for delay,
but never ready to complete anything
he ever undertook"