The Washington times., 1911-10-07
PLOT TO D|SCRED|T
VALUE. Of ALASKA
SEEN BY P|NCHOT
Violent Clash Expected Be
tween Secretary Fisher
and Former Forester.

Clifford Pinchot will return to Wash
ington about October Is, prepared {
charge that a conspiracy has been care
fully organized to misrepresent, unde!
value and mislead public opinion con
corning Alaska.
1t will be charged that a most wide
spread and highly organized movemen
is afoot for this purpose.
1t will be charged that Secretary o
the Interior Fisher, during his shcr
visit to Alaska, was grossly misled q
TO facts concerning the Territory.
That the Guggenheim interests ar,
back of and are responsible for thii
mlsstatement of Facts and misleading
of people In authority, will be urgeC
upon Congress.
Mr.. Pinchot and Secretary Fisher
will, without doubt, have a violent
Lam committee, which is looking into
the Controller bay grab.
All this is foreshadowed by the re-
cent developments of the fight in Alas
are confident he has ''the goods" on the
Administration in Alaskan matters.
In -specitl kilograms to The Times
and the Newark News, John E. Lath-
rop. one of Mr. Pinchot's travelling
companions, has made this situation
perfectly clear. The merits of the con-
troversy cannot be judged from the
statements wired by Mr.. Lathrop and
the brief observations Secretary Fisher
has made since his return to this
quarrel is ahead, and that the Admins
tration considers it of grave Importance
in connection with developing opinion
toward Mr.. Taft, is unquestionabIe.
In his latest dispatch to The Times,
Mr.. Lathrop. speaking for the Pinchot
party, says:
1T is now evident that word has been
passed along the line to all represen-
tatives of the Alaska Syndicate and Of
the Federal Administration, to knock
the coal, copper. timber-everything
Men who a few months ago were ex-
plating eloquently on the riches and
possibilities of Alaska, have suddenly
begun TO discover that there is nothing
of value here. Ordinary facts of com
mOnest knowledge to all Alaska are
distroted with this purpose. The
situation is well understood in Alaska,
and is so serious that 1t is realized the
whole Alaska controversy is about to
be precipttated in a form that may out
rival the bitterness of the Ballinger-
PinChot fight.
Most amazing statements have been
printed in the ne exspapers In the States.
regarding the visit Of the Fisher party,
and also of Mr.. Finchot and his corr.
panions. to Controller bay. Following
Tr. Fishers visit. the story was sent
back. that he experienced very rough
water and ,onditions which Satisfied
him that Controller bay was utterly
worthless as a harbor, and that If II
were given to Ryan or anybody else,
u would not be worth taking or using,
Now. on the statement of Captain
Lane. commander Of the Yacht Elyirn
in which Secretary Fisher visited Con-
trGmer bay, the Secretary rode through
the Controller waters while they were
as smooth as millpond. The only
storm ne experienced was outside the
harbor. IN waters that--have none sf
the Eotect!on that makes ControIler
bay such a valuable harbor.
The same is true concerning the |
stories that have been sent back home
about the experiences Of the Piuchot
TartY e.
We examined short lines. msde
and generally SURVEYED the
harhor. with care. 1t is prdtec ted by |
the Kayak ana Kanaka islands ard
OkGlee spit, from all winds except those
from off shore. which never kick ma |
seas Of consequence.
CAPTAIN Lane told us that one Seattle |
told him that he was
going TO knock Controller bay regard
less Of facts Many of the Statements
that have been sent out from Cordova
like purpose. 1t must also he
remembered that all telegraphfc reports
rom the Controller region 60 r,It
through Cordova, and that town Is ieai-
Gus ct controller tecause If the Con.
roller harbot is developed it will take
ne BUSINESS away from Cordova."