New-York tribune., 1910-12-08

improper conduct on Secretary Balilnger
mart has heen shown nor any action by hirn
moi wit hin th. sound discretion OF the head
of the Interior department In 'he idi'iiA VII
performance of his duty
That he is not an enemy of nor hostlie 10
a reasonable and judicinus poncN oI Tpa- In
servation. and that no ground Whatever hdS
heeu shown iustifying the opinion tha. ne
is not a faithful and efficient public oHicer-
After setting forth the fact that the en-
tire known coal fields Of Alaska, covering
more than eight million acres. Is sun III
government ownership the report taxes up
The bearing on the strife between secretary
Rallinger and other officials of the govern
,nant including several Of his subordinates'
and Mr. Pinchot. who was deposeu as gov
ernment forester The report then says:
Your committee finds that the interests
of the people as owners OF the AIashdii
coal fields are not threatened or ehoaigeie eo
under existing conditions.
Speaking Of the Cunningham claims. the
committee finds that it would be improper
for II TO pass on the merits of these claims
and thus preJudge them while they are
pending
If they are regular" the report says,
patents should be allowed. II they are
fraudulent the claims should be cancelled
The claimants are entitled to an impartial
Judgment upon their rights in the prem
ises."
as to the conduct of Mr. CLAWS durfn
the long period during which the Alaskf
coal claim cases were under his control as
special agent of the Land Office, the report
declares that he had sufficient time and
abundant assistance to make the field ex-
animation which he had demanded. In this
connection the committee says:
IF his demand was in good faith, CLAWS
was grossly remiss in his duty in not hav-
ing the examination made then
Mr.. Garfield Criticised.
Commenting on the blanket withdrawals
of public lands. which were made by James
r. Garfield. when Secretary OF the Interior
the committee says this action was taken
by him after he ascertained that he would
not be retained under President Taft" II
is stated that these Withdrawals were made
"ha aphazard" from the mere Inspection OF
the Land Office state maps Many of these
lands Were restored to the public domain
by Secretary Ballinger, and portion were
again set aside. The rewithdrawals, ac-
cording TO the committee. were made by
Secretary Ballinger after a careful exam
ination of the maps notes data and reports
in the geological survey, and it is held by
the committee that the rewithdrawais en-
braced all of the power sites in the original
blanket Withdrawals made by Mr Garfield
The weakness of the laws existing at that
time on the subject Of conservation is rec
ognized by the committee. which indorses
comprehensive blanket Withdrawals SO az
10 prevent the monopolizing of power sites
At the Same time the committee says:
1T is plain that such Withdrawals should
be made only for the purpose Of permitting
Congress 10 act and that blanket with
drawals are justified only upon condition
Of immediate exsminat ton and restoration
of the land not needed for the purpose Of
making effective any action which Con-
gress should see fit TO make. The continu-
ance Of the excessive withdra walls could
not be justified the report says "a day
longer than necessary to ascertain
what land actually constituted the sup
posed power eftee-
Explaining the exoneration Of Mr.. Bal
linrer because of his abrogation Of the In
dian cooperative agreement relative 10
logging and lumbering on Indian reserva-
tions, the committee says the Secretary
found that operations were being carried
on by the Bureau of Forestry OF a waste
ful and eXtraysgant nature and entaiing
less 10 the Indians. Much OF this work
terror Depa rtment. He held that the con-
Forest Service, which was made during
Secretary Garfeld's administration, consti- |
tufed in effect the transfer to one depart /
merit Of an appropris iion made to another |
He held that this was Illegal, and he was