The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-27
THE CONTROLLER BAY scANp,,


ey the United States Senate request.
ms the President 20 transmit TO that
oody copies OF all letters, maps. execu-
tive or departmental orders or in
Strnetions. surveys, applications to en-
ter land or for rights of way for rail 4,
roads or otherwise, and all other doou. /.
ments. recommendations. reports. rec I
oTas from the War, Interior and Agri- !
cultural Departments OF OF any of the
officials or bureaus connected with
these departments relating in any way
10 the elimination from the Chugach
National Forest, In Alaska of land
fronting upon Controller Bay. and so
on and so on. The President has COM
piled fully with the request of the
&enate and has accompanied the sub.
mission OF these documents with a
statement in narrative form of I've
action OF the Administration with the
reasons therefor"
1t is moving story that ought TO
set at rest forever, and will set a,
rest forever the slanderous intima-
tions that the President and his adj
visers have in any way sought TO pro-
mote tho interests of any OF the men
or syndicates who have invested their
money in the development of the IA.
cilities at Controller Fay at the ex-
pense of the public. The President
assumes the entire responsibility Cor
the enlargement OF the proposed clint
nation of the land on Controller Bay
from $40 to $4,000 acres. which he
ordered because the land so eIi,ni
mated is in no sense necessary for
forestry purposes, but is neces-
sary for the commercial develop
ment OF Alaska SO far as he
knows. the Inorganic uggenheim syn
dicate which has been worked to q
hnish by all the muckrakers and pro.
sressives. has no interest in the pro-
jeoted railroad on Controller Bay: the
Government has protected the rights
Of the public by reserving In its In
terest alternate sections of the lanG
fronting on the Bay; the valuable con-
cessions' about which there has been
SO much talk and so much misrepre-
sentation are separated from the main
land by two or three miles of mud
flats. all of which belong to the Gov
eminent and cannot be alienated from
II except by special authority OF Con-
gress; out OF the 1880 acres elin,-
mated by the Presidents direct order
1900 acres still remain open for entry
under the provisions OF the act of
Congress, and "the prospect of monop-
oily in one railroad company Is most
remote" The Presidents message is
distinguished by most refreshing
candor which Will appeal to the COM
monest sense of justice.
What he says about the story that
Richard S. Ryan wrote to Secretary
Rallinger-7the Dick. 10 Dick" letter,
as 1T has. 6sep called--saying that he
had sent for Charlie Taft and asked
him to tell his brother. the President
who 1t was really represented" and
that the President made no further
objection to my claim" will impress
the honest public mind with the fact
that the President has acted in all
this matter with an eye only 10 the
welfare of tho public. In the first
place. the Dick to Dick" postscript
was never written as Il part of the
Ryan letter Ballinger never saw IT,
the clerks in the office at Washing
ton never saw II. the President never
saw it, Charles p. Taft never wrote
to or spoke 10 the President in refer
ence to Richard s. Ryan or on the
subject Of Controller Bay or the grant.
ing OF any privileges or the making
OF any o1ders in respect to Alaska.
Charles P. TAFT has no interest IN
Alaska. and never had and never
heard OF the Controller Bay Railroad
until he received n inquiry by cable
from the President asking him about
the matter.
It would appear from the Presidents
statement that he has been foully
dealt with. and what he has written to
the Senate should sting the slanderers
and arouse public sentiment against
the dirty work of those who have
been engaged in tho muck-raEins
business to the dishonor of this coun-
try The President confesses his full
sympathy with the view that the
valuable resources Of alaska should
not be turned over to be exploited for
the proht Of greedy, absorbing and
monopol'atic corporations or syndi-
Gates; but ne does not lose sight Of
the fact that "the resources or Alaska
caa never become available either to
The people of Alaska or TO the public
OF the United states unless reasonable
opportunity IS granted to those who
would invest their money to secure a
return .proportionate TO the risk run
in the investment and reasonable un-