Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-07-27
TAFT Shoulders
RESPONSIBILITY
ASSUMES FULL ALL OF BLAME
FOR CHUGACH OPENING.
BROTHER Charley innocent

BY Associated Press.

Iatt sent speclul message 10 tHe
Senate today shouldering full RESPONSE
billty for opening for settlement and
development l2.S00 acres of the Chu-
gaoh National Forest Reserve In AL
aslta--an incident which has become
20 be known as the Controller Bay
Affair" In concluding ne brands the
now famous "Dick to Dick postscript
as a wicked fabrication" and says
that Charles +. Taft, whose name ap-
peared in the alleged postscript, "has
no interest In Alaska, never had and
knows nothing Of the circumstances
connected with this transaction"
Moreover, the President adds, his
brother does not even remember that
he ever met Richard s. Evans, repre-
senting the Controller Railway & Nav
igating Company
As for eliminating the land In ques-
tion from reserve, the President says
that there Is no danger of the Con-
troller Railway 4 Navigating Com
pany or any other interests monopo-
llzlng the field, and nothing to show
that this company Is in any way con-
nected with the Morgan -Guggenheim
Interests. Hence. he believes that in
eliminating the land he has acted for
the best interests OF the Nation,
Il wish to be as specific as possible
upon this point" says the President
In his message. "and 20 say that alone
am responsible for the enlargement
of the proposed elimination from 800
acres to 12SOO acres. and that l pro-
ghop M cta q
ons therefor. The thing which the
Territory OF Alaska needs Is develop
ment and where rights and franchises
can be properly granted to encourage
Investment and construct railroad
without comforting exclusive privil-
eyes, believe It to be In accordance
with good policy to grant them"
Accompanying the Presidents mes
sage are documents, reports and maps
bearing on the case az requested from
him by a Senate resolution OF June
27, last II deem It wise." says the
message, "to accompanying the sub
mission of these documents with a
statement In narrative form Of the
action Of the administration with the
reasons therefor" Here follows a
description of Controller Bay and en-
virons and map showing the effect
OF withdrawing the much mooted H.
500 acres from the reserve. The Presi-
dent then takes up the thread OF his
narrative as concerns the events that
precipitated the controversy
He relates how Ryan, representing
the Controller Railway and Navigating
t,J Ia, fnr tha al
iminatlon of a tract to enable this
company to secure railroad terminals
etc The application was referred to
the Forestry Bureau and then TO the
Navy Department with a view that
perhaps the Navy desired to use Con-
troller Bay as reservation. The
forestry interests found no objection
to the elimination Of the tract indi-
Gated, cor indeed" as the President
writes, to the elimination Of $4,000
acres IN the northwest shore Of Con-
troller Bay"
The Navy Departments answer was
negative" says the President and
after the matter had been considered
by the Secretary Of Agriculture, by the
Secretary Of the Interior and the Cen
eral Land Office n recommendation
was made to him that 1920 acres with
a frontage Of 100 rods on the north
west shore Of Controller Bay be thrown
open. A formal order to this effect
was finally submitted TO him In Oc-
tober 1910, but when the matter came
before the Cabinet late in that month
he found objection TO II. His reasons
for taking this stand he explains in
his message In part Is as follows;
81 expressed dissatisfaction with the
order because II purported on It's face
to make the elimination for the bene-
TT of n railroad company Of tract
OF land which the company could not
by lawful entry secure, for II was q
tract 800 acres in one body when only
16O acres could thus be acquired. II
the second place, | preferred 20 make
a much larger elimination Of a tract
facing the entire channel, and with
sufficient room for a terminal rail.
way town. was willing to do this
because found the restrictions In
the law sufficient TO prevent the pos
slbiity Of any monopoly Of either the
upland or the harbor or channel by
the Controller Ry. and Navigation
Company or any other persons or com.
pany. Because of a lack Of time shf.
ficient to draft memorandum my
self requested the Secretary OF the
Interior, who, with the Secretary OF
Agriculture, aftor full discussion had
agreed in my conclusion TO prepare O
letter setting forth tho reasons FOL
making the larger elimination so thai
II might become n part of the record
II wish TO be as specific on posslbl,
upon this point, and TO say tina. alon,
am responsible for tho enlargement
Of the proposed elimination from 32(
acres TO r., 500 acres, and that ! pro.
posed the change and stated my re.
asons therefor, and while both secre.
tarles cordially concurred In It the
suggestion was mine"
The President says he had every
assurance at the time the Controller
Railway and Navigation Company was
an Independent enterprise working ir
oil good faith, and that no evidence tc