Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-27
President Personally Responsible for
Enlargement of Elimination.
NO CHANCE FOR MONOPOLY
Control of Terminal Facilities on Bay
Not Possible Under Order.
dick TO DICK" FABRICATION
Postscript Quoted by Magazine
Writer Did Not Appear on Letter,
Nor Did BaIIinger Ever See
the Document.

MASHlNGlON, july Eb-treSluent lhAt
sent a special message to the senate to-
day shouldering fun responsibility for
opening for settlement and development
1880 acres of the Chugach national forest
reserve in Alaska, an incident which has
become to be known as the Controller
bay affair" In concluding he brands the
now famous "Dick to Dick" postscript as
a wicked fabrication" and says that
Charles p. Taft whose name appeared 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. Ryan. repre-
senting the Controller Railway & Naviga-
ton company.
AS for eliminating the land in question
from the reserve, the president says that
there is no danger of the Controller Rail-
way and Navigation company or any other
interests monopolizing the field, and noth-
ing to show that this company is in any
way connected with the Morgan Guggen-
helm interests. Hence he believes that in
eliminating the land he has acted for the
best interests of the nation.
II wish to be as specific as possible upon
this point" says the president in his mes
sage land to say that 1 alone ara respon-
slble for the enlargement OF the proposed
elimination from 800 acres to 12,S00 acres.
and that proposed the change and stated
my reasons therefor. The thing which the
Territory of Alaska needs is development.
and where rights and franchises can be
properly granted to encourage investment
and construct a railroad without conferring
exclusive privileges. 1 believe 1t TO be in
accordance with good policy to grant
them"
Maps and Reports.
Accompanying the presidents message
are documents, reports and maps bearing
on the case, as requested from him by
senate resolution OF June 81 last. 81 deem
It wise," says the message, ito accom-
panying the submission OF these documents
with a statement in narrative form of the
action OF the administration with the rea-
sons therefor" Here follows description
of Controller bay and environs and a map
showing the effect of withdrawing the
much mooted 1880 acres from the reserve.
The president 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 Navigation COM
pany, applied in 1909 for the elimination 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 elimina-
ton of the tract indicated, 'or indeed" as
the president writes, 'to the elimination OF
1900 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 general land office
a recommendation was made to him that
800 acres with a frontage OF 160 rods on
the northwest shore OF Controller bay be
thrown open. A formal order to this ef-
feet was finally submitted TO him in Oc-
tober, 1910. but when the matter came be-
fore the cabinet late in that month he
found objection to it., His reasons for TAX
ing this stand he explains In his message
in part as follows:
why Tract Was Enlarged.
II expressed dissatisfaction with the or
der because II purported on it's face to
make the elimination for the benefit OF
railroad company OF a tract of land which
the company could not by lawful entry
secure for 1t was a tract 800 acres In one
body when only 100 acres could thus be
acquired. In the second place, I preferred
70 make a much larger elimination OF a
tract facing the entire channel. and with
sufficient room for a terminal railway
town. / was willing TO do this because
found the restrictions in the law sufficient
to prevent the possibility of any monopoly