The Irish standard., 1911-07-29
PRESIDENT ASSA|LS
D|CK.T0-D|CKLETTER
SAYS NEWSPAPER WoMAN'S "DIS.
COVERY" is WICKED
FABRICATION.
WAS WORKING IN GOOD FAITH
Presents Evidence to Prove Brother
Not Interested in AIaska.-Goes
Over Whole Controller Bay
Affair in Message to Senate.

Washington, July 81. - President
Taft sent special message to the
senate shouldering full responsibility
for opening for settlement and develop
ment 1880 acres of the Chugach Ma
tional Forest Reserve in Alaska-an
Incident which has come to be known
as the Controller Bay Affair."" In
concluding he brands the now famous
Dick to Dick" postscript as wicked
fabrication" and says that Charles P.
Taft, whose name appeared in the al
legged postscript, has no interest in
Alaska, never had, and knows nothing
of the circumstances connected with
this transaction" Moreover, the presi-
dent adds, his brother does not even
remember that he ever met Richard
S. Ryan, representing the Controller
Railway & Navigation Company.
AS for eliminating the land in ques-
ton from the reserve, the president
says that there is no danger of the
Controller Railway & Navigation Com
pany or any other interests monopoliz-
ing the field, and nothing to show that
this company is in any way connected
with the Morgan-Guggenheim interests
Hence, he believes that in eliminating
the land he has acted for the best in
terests of the nation.
Il wish to be as specific as posi-
BILE upon this point" says the presi-
dent in his message, land to say that
alone am responsible for the enlarge
ment of the proposed elimination from
800 acres to 1880 acres, and that
proposed the change and stated my
reasons 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 privileges,
l believe it to be in accordance with
good policy to grant them"
Ryan's First Appearance.
He relates how Ryan, representing
the Controller Railway and Naviga'
ton Company, applied in 1909 for the
elimination of 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 view that
perhaps the navy desired to use Con.
troller Bay as reservation The for
estry interests found no objection to
the elimination Of the tract indicated,
cor indeed" as the president writes.
Ito the elimination of $4,000 acres in
the northwest shore of Controller
Bay"
Navy Officials Say "No."
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
general land office, a recommendation
was made to him that $50 acres with
frontage of 100 rods on the northwest
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 it. His rea'
sons for taking this stand he explains
is his message in part as follows:
~ expressed dissatisfaction with the
order because it purported on its face
TO make the elimination for the benefit
of a railroad company of tract of
land which the company could not by
lawful entry secure, for it was tract
800 acres in one body when only 1eo
acres could thus be acquired. In the
second place, l preferred to make
r,uch larger elimination of tract fac
ing the entire channel, and with sum-
Gent room for terminal railway
town. was willing to do this because
" found the restrictions in the law suf-
ficient to prevent the possibility OF
any monopoly of either the upland or
the harbor or channel by the Control