The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-05
TWO FAST FRIENDS
ARE NEAR A BREAK
Alaskan Question Draws Sec
rotary Fisher and Clifford
Pinchot Apart.
National News Associationl
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD.


er OF the Republican radical conserva-
tves, are striving TO bring the two to-
sether for a quick and amicable solu-
i ton of Alaskan problems that mean
much to the people OF the United
States and OF Alaska
The same persons have already
sought to create Il widespread impress
sion that all danger of an alteration
between Fisher and Pinchot over these
matters is past, that when the proper
! time arrives they will be found work
ing shoulder to shoulder. Their mu-
tual friends would have them sitting
. before an open fire crate in Washing
ton some cool evening this fall sett
ling Alaskan affairs by a friendly dis
cussion Of the issues involved
War Clouds lowering?
Despite this, to many ObserVant
government officials in close touch
with the real situation. war clouds
are still lowering over the Northwest
ern territory, with the Secretary of
the Interior and Pinchot preparing for
uncompromising battle.
The long controversy between Mr.
: Pinchot and Richard \. Ballinger, Mr.
; Fishers predecessor in the Interstate
Department, over the Cunningham
coal claims, government policy rela
tive to Water-power sites, and the sub
sequent break between Mr.. Pinchot
and the Taft administration over the
opening of the Chugach National For
est Reserve in Alaska, whereby Rich
ard S. Ryan secured a harbOr site on
Controller Bay in connection with
proposed railroad from the Guggen-
helm copper and coal property, has
caused considerable speculation in the
national capital AS to the future rcla-
lions of Pinchot and the new Secre-
tary of the Interior in regard to
Alaska. Interest is heightened by the
fact that they were fellow officers in
Pinchot's personality conducted con-
servation organization prior to Fish
er's elevation to the secretaryship of
the Interior Department.
Risk Lives for Facts.
According to the optimistic view of
the Alaskan situation the problems of
that territory rest fundamentally up
opinion is advanced that Mr.. Pinchot
and Mr.. Fisher will not differ material
ly as to facts, they appear to have
been unwilling to take each other S
word for anything bearing upon the
issues. This is strongly indicated it
is believed, by the personal visits Of
the two at different times to that
country, in which both are said to have
risked their lives in an effort to get
at the facts
Mr. Fisher was the first to venture
into the wild frozen country. The
whole party suffered great hardships,
on the Boring river especially, and
even imperilled their lives, it is re-
ported, in the quest for truth. This
stream is OF glacial origin and its cur
rent swift and treacherous. The con-
slant shifting of the glacial silt on its
bottom causes shallowness in spots
so that even an Indian canoe cannot
navigate it safely. The Fisher party,
we'll knowing all this Ia tip from the
guides), ventured fifteen miles up the
river, and it's members frequently
found themselves standing Waist-deep
in mud and water. Leaving the stream
they tramped about five miles in the
dark and forded streams, each with a
their final destination until toward 2
o'clock in the morning. Just to get
at the TRUTH" when Mr.. Pinchot might
have supplied it without a bit of risk
or expense.
Finchot Visits Alaska.
Not long afterwards MIR. Pinchot, &C
companied by United States Senator
Miles Poindexter, of Washington,
radical Republican progressive, jour
neyed to the same territory on an in
dependent hunt for the facts about
Alaska To many these incidents
alone indicated that any agreement be-
tween the two men, both still well to
the front in the political limelight. re-
gardng the Alaskan questions in is
sue, is hopeless.
1t was supposed that Mr.. Pinchot
was aware of Mr.. Fishers trip. and
many wonder why he was not willing
to accept Mr.. Fishers report as con-
tanning the real truth about the terri
tory and it's affairs. Hence the sig
nificance attached to his following the
Secretary there. The possibility that
the two might arrive at wholly differ
ent conclusions excited considerable
uneasiness among their friends and
others. and as the result many then
expected, and still expect, a clash be-
tween them eventually.
The Pinchot party are reported to
have followed the trail of the Fisher
party from beginning to end in search
OF facts which might have been obtain
ed from the other party by awaiting
its return.
To Controller Bay.
Both parties took trip on Con-
troller Bay, the waterway to Katalla,
where the Guggenheim interests ex-
pended 100000 for breakwater
and other terminal facilities for
railroad from the copper and coal dis
tricts, which since has been swept
away by storm. They found the bay
very shallow, SO much so that a slight