Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-01-05

/ claims in Alaska, which would have
included the Cunningham claims
A copy Of this decision went to Gla-
Wis, and he was directed to make
report in accordance with it.
On June - Attorney General
| Wickersham overruled the Pierce
decision The Cunninghams then
/ preferred to stand under the old
| law, and CLAWS received orders from
the land office to hurry his invesu-
cation. Later, Special Land Agent
Sheridan was placed on the cges,
superseding CLAWS. CLAWS had pra-
tested and asked for time in which
to complete his investigation, and
when he found his protests unavail-
ing, he telegraphed to Acting Law
Officer Shaw, of the Forest Service,
stating that there We're about 700
claims in the Chugach National For
/ est Reserve, including the Cunning
ham group, which were about to
proceed to trial, and asking the CO.
operation of the Forest Service.
On July 21, Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wilson requested Secretary
Ballinger not to fix dates for the
hearing of these claims until he
could find out, from the local for
estry officers, the full reasons for
the request of postponement. A day
later Law officer Shaw of the For
est Service, called at the General
Land Office, and requested that he
be allowed to examine the record
in the cases, which was refused. He
reported the refusal to Associate
Forester Price. who with Shaw then
called on Chief of Field Service
Schwartz, of the General Land Of
flee. 1t was on this occasion that
the statement 'Pinchot is trying to
run the Interior Department" was
made. The Forest Service officers
were finally allowed to, see the re-
cord-after certain papers were
taken out
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
forestry investigation of the claims
be fastened as much as possible.
1t was with the Cunningham
NAcllllo III NllAo olludllO1 illclL AIlcN 10
journeyed from Seattle to Beverly.
Mass, last summer and laid the
case before President Taft. The
whole west by this time was ablaze
with the discussion of the Ballinger
Pinchot controversy. Both of the
principals were attending rival
Conservation Congresses" in tho
West, Pinchot making speeches de-
or AI,A
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 Ballin-
ger completely exhonerating him,
and characterizing the CLAWS
charges as mere 'shreds of suspi-
cion." CLAWS was discharged and
the administration waited for the
unpleasant incident to be forgotten.
But this is just what did not hap
pen. CLAWS carried his charges in
to 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 Washington, demanding a
congressional investigation, not only
of his own conduct, but of that Of
the officials of the Forest Service,
whom he charged with inspiring the
attacks upon his administration.
This letter was read to the Senate
and arrangements were made for
the Introduction Immediately after
the reconvening of congress of a
resolution providing for an investi-
cation.