The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-01-22
SNEAK IN
NEW LAND
GRAB LAW
ALLEGED SCHEME BEING
HATCHED IN NATIONS
CAPITAL


Washington, u. c.. Jan. 2l.-nhc
ghost Of the Ballinger business has
arisen In tha house Of representatives
in the form Of a bill, fathered by
Frank Mondell Of Wyoming, arch op-
lOnent OF conservation. aud urged on
by the influence Of the white house
end all supporters of the administers
tion.
This is the bill suggested by Mr..
Ballinger providing for the reference
OF the Cunningham coal claims to a
court in the District of Columbia.
The bill has quietly emerged from
committee without hearings, and q
poll of tha house has been going
On for several days to determine
whether there is strength enough in
the special privilege element of that
body to gel the legislation through.
The prOgressiyes are on the alert,
and many members not classed as pro
gressives believe the bin is rotten,
and viii oppose IT, These members
feel that this Mondell bill is drawn
not merely in the interest of secur-
ing the Alaska coal deposits to the
Guggenheims but that It's passage
would be a continuing evil to the or
linary citizens Of the nation.
The merits Of the matter appear
clearly in the simple statement that
poor man has less show before
our courts than the man whose purse
is long. Even President TAFT, before
h. was chosen president, made state
ments to this effect lie called atten-
ton to the evils of the courts delay
and showed now the lengthy purse
could secure Justice not to be OBJ
tained by the man without great fl
nancial strength
The Morgans and the Guggenhems
want nothing better than a chance
to put their millions and their law
yers against the public interest in
the decision of the merits of the Cum
ningham claims. They could fight
the claims through the District of Co
lumbia courts and up to the United
States supreme court, firing out the
public, blurring facts, quibbling over
points of law, and probably finally
sin the great prize against the inter
eStS or the common clllAell.
Under guise of judicial fairness in
the decision OF these and other claims
it is intended to give the rich grab
bing corporation second chance tt
overrule an adverse decision In tins
land Office, while the poor man has
none. He cannot afford to take his
claims to the courts.
~ XIII fc had for
reasons It permits the secretary o.
the interior to shirk the responsibility
for canceling the fraudulent Cunning
ham claims, and ii opens the way fol
similar lrauds to be pursued for in
definite years in the future. 1t allows
Mr.. Ballinger to Dodge the ISSUE
raised by CLAWS, an issue which Bal
lnger should be forced to meet.
The Mondell bill is special legisla
ton in the interests of the Guggen
helms and Morgans. 1t is an effor
to permit Ballinger and the presden
to shirk the responsibility Tor giylnt
the Alaskan coal fields to the speca
privilege clique in wall street Ii TINS
| bill becomes a law, il will be In con
sequence of pressure brought to beal
| by the special privilege influences II
and out OF congress. and all who vote
Tor It may properly be branded as th'
servants of these interests.
A similar bill has been introduced
in the senate by Knute Nelson OF Min
nesOta.
Nelson's fathering the senate bill
| ehould la aufiCiant indication OF iti
character.