The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-21
BRANDE|S To S|FT .
GUGCENHE|M CRAB
Pinchot's Counsel Called In
to Controller Bay In
vestigation
CHAIRMAN GRAHAM
THROWS A BOMB
Shows Executive Order,
Re-Opening Lands, Ante
Dates Land Office Notice
Four Months

WASHINGTON, ID. c, July 90
Louis r.. Brandies is to assist the Com
mittee on Expenditures in the Inter-
Tor Department to deveIope the Alas
kan scandals. especially the Guggen-
helm grabs OF Controller Bay.
Mr.. Brandeis Was counsel in the
Ballinger- Pinchot controversy and de-
veloped facts in connection with the
Alaskan coal lands grab game. Chair
man Graham, OF the committee, has
worked for weeks to induce Mr.. Bran
deis to complete his work of as
sisting the committee In a thorugh
cleanup of Alaskan matters. This
Is, the purpose OF the Investigating
committee.
President Taft has completed his
statement to the committee with re-
ference to his action In Withdrawing
Controller Bay lands from the for
est reserve. He will send it in short
iy. His friends say ii viii be a COM
plete answer to all the charges grow
Ing out of the alleged secret ex-
ecutiye order Of withdrawal and the
grab of valuable wharf and dock
rights by Richard s. Ryan in the In
terest of the Guggenheim syndicate.
Bomb From Graham.
Chairman Graham also threw a
small bomb in the com mitlea roen TO-
day when he suddenly produced a
circular signed by Fred bennett, gen
eral land commissioner, dated Feb
ruary IL 1911. declaring. among 9TH
err things, that Controller Bay will
become subject to entry
This was four months after the Sc
crst executive order had been issued.
october rs. 1910. reopening the lands
10 entry, and yet. Chairman Graham
pointed out. there had been no pub
ncity attending the executive order
and the public did not know of the
opening OF the valuable harhor lands
until the bennett circular, which had
the item buried among sixteen other
notices
The executive order restored to
public entry Assoc acres of Con
trolier Bay land The bennett cirru-
lar dated February IL. 1911. advised
that this tract will be opened" The
circular referred tn q number of other
tracts opened to entry In various Sec
tons
Graham Wants To Know.
What was tina necessity for this
circular notice OF the General Land
Commissioner ?" demanded Chairman
Graham OF Captain James Adams. as
sistant forester.
Il presume 1t was for the fnfornna-
ton of The public" said Capt Adams.
What Notify the public four
NM Is
had been issued asked Representa- =
tive George.
THAT circular Of February Ii, 1911.
is the first notice the public had of
the elimination OF these lands from
the public domain - asked MIR. Ora
ham.
SO far as / am directly informed"
said Capt Adams.
Public In Ignorance.
The significance of this devejou-
ment Is that the presidents order,
known only 10 Il few. was promulgated
in October. 1919. whereas general pub
lie knowledge. was first conveyed, in
the bennett circular of February fol-
lowing
Chairman Graham asked who knew
of the executive order.
THE employees of the department
VINO hdHNIeu IT. Sdlu the assistant
forester
Could they have made 1t public o.
They would have been censured n
they published ii. but they would not
have been subject TO censure If any
citizen had. inquired as to the order
ana they had stated that It had beer,
issued. These matters are made pub
lie"
The Executive Order. y
Yes. but do you know that this
executive order was made public
Was 1T given to the newspapers on
October IS, 1902"
II don't know
Don't you know that 1t was not 7-
interrupted Mr.. Graham
Captain Adams said he had no
personal knowledge, but ne presumed
the order was given out to the new.-,
papers as usual.
I'm the light OF subsequent events
you would regard that order as a
fine newspaper ITEM"
YES"
yet nothing was printed. The
reason probably is that nothing was
given out until four months later"
suggested Chairman Graham. Can
tain Adams admitted that the order
might not have heen given out.