The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-07-31
An Exploded Scandal

ter front, approximately five miles
have not been taken. While the tracts
filed upon presumably are the most
favorable for wharfage, there is deep
water all along the bay shore, and
all of it could be utilized for wharfage,
if not Immediately, then after little
dredging
The fact that completely upsets the
Guggenheim monopoly theory is found
in the showing that even If Ryan did
represent the Guggenheims, and even
if they had acquired all the water
front that could be acquired under
the law, they would have no monopoly,
nor even a start toward one. The law
requires that between each two 160-
acre claims eighty rods of water
front must be left in the hands of the
ment-approXimately two and
three-fourths miles of the whole bay
shore. Not only that, but the shores
between high and low water mark,
comprising in this instance several
miles of tidal flats, remains perpetual
| ly under government control. To reach
the channel, viaducts or trestles three
or four miles long must be built over
these flats. They must be construct
ed with the permission of congress
and may be removed at the will of
congress. Obviously nobody has &C.
quired any exclusive water rights on
Controller bay. and nobody can &C
quire such rights.
AS to the "Dick to Dick" postscript,
the President presents an array OF tes-
| timony conclusively demonstrating
that it is nothing more than fake.
1 The alleged writer testifies that he
never wrote it and never even spoke
to the PRESIDENTS brother. The Presi-
4 dents brother testifies that he knew
nothing about Controller bay. Former
Secretary Ballinger testifies that he
i never saw the postscript. President
/ Taft testifes that he looked over the
papers last fall and saw no such post,
script. 1t is impossible to avoid the
conviction that the alleged. postscript
was a fabrication deliberately faxed
to bolster an otherwise empty scan.
; dali"
The committee that started in so
} cheerfully to ventilate the scandal
: has dropped the investigation without
calling for the testimony of the news
paper woman who claimed to hav'
found the letter in the interior depart
ment files. Ostensibly the matter has
i been postponed until fall, but in all
probability it never will be taken ur
again.
President Taft's action in opening
Controller bay was intended to pave
! the way for the commercial develop
/. ment for which Alaska has been pray
/ ing. entreating and threatening. Il
coal is to be mined there must be
= railroads to transport it to the coas
r and harbor facilities on the coast
: Capital must be encouraged to make
e these investments A President wht
! would put straw in the way OF nor
i. nal development along these lines
l. would be false to his duty to Alaska
: So long as the coal fields. the rail
t roads and the harbors remain unde
t congressional regulation there is nj
d danger that Alaska can be exploite'
Ii by monopolists. Notwithstanding al
e the false sensations that have follow
S ed every attempt to utilize Alaska
n natural wealth, the President Is DE-
n termined to do what he can to brea
e the deadlock now existing there. 1t
IS hoped congress may be equally coul
n ageous in tackling its share of tn
a. task.