The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-09
GIVES MONOPOLY
TO S Y N DIG AT
Alleged That Taft, Influenced by
Brother, Charles P, Was In
duced to Grant Request
of -Guggenheims.
Whole Matter to Be In
vestigated by Congress.
Especial to The Times -plspa tch

dSHihSton' u ., July S.--The al
legged influence of Charles p. TAFT
in having the Controller Bay, Alaska,
water front thrown open to entry Will
be investigated by Congress
Two steps were taken toward this
end to-day following the publication
of the alleged letter from r. S Ryan, to
former Secretary Ballinger. in which
the former declared that he had to in
woke the aid of Charles 2. Taft to
induce the President to open to entry
those lands which constitute the only
available railroad outlet on the Alas
kan coast
troduced resolution calling on the
President for all information concern
Ing the executive order under which
the land was opened to entry including
any influence eXerted upon him by
any of the persons mentioned in this
connection.
Mrs. Abbotts Story.
Coincident with the introduction of
this resolution, announcement was
made that at its meeting on Monday
morning. the House Committee on Ex-
penditures in the Interior Department
would take up the investigation of the
story of Mrs. NJ. f. Abbott. the news
paper woman who claims to have dis
covered the remarkable letter In the
files of the Interior Department.. which
were thrown open to hcr at the request
or New York periodical President
Taft already has informally denied the
charge that is to be investigated; and
in reply to the allegation that by
ordering the reopening of the Com
trollcr Bay land. the President hae
made 1t possible for the Guggenheim
syndicate to secure control of the land,
Interior Department officials assert
that this would be impossible, inas-
much ms the law requests the govern
ment to reserve for it's own purposes.
lie, the prevention of monopoly, al
ternatc sections on all water front land
that Is thus thrown open
II was also. declared yesterday that
! no such letter as that alleged to have
been found by Mrs. Abbott is in the
iiles of the Interior Department.. At
the department to-day. however, all
information was refused in the absence
of Secretary Fisher. This statement
was given out:
In the absence of Secretary Fisher
We would not care to discuss this mat
ter. All these matters viii come out
In time, and pending any inquiry and
In the absence of the secretary moth
ing Will he said"
DO you care. to state whether since
the publication Of Mrs. .>bbotts story.
you have examined the files. and whe-
! ther that letter was in them?" was
| asked.
NO" was the reply. I'VE will say
nothing about it,"
President Taft is out of the citv.
and the only Information obtainable
from administration sources was that
the order opening the Controller Bay
lands issued last October, three months
| subsequent TO the writing of the al
legged Dick to Dick" letter. was pro-
mulsated on the recommendation of
the forestry service through the De-
partment of Agriculture
VIII he Stnr Witness.
Mrs Abbott. who, in any investiga-
ton that is begun will be one of the
star witnesses adheres to her origi-
nal story. She made this statement
this morning:
on which copied the postscript AS
stated In my interview. printed Fri
day, Secretary Fisher had instructed
Mr.. Brown, his secretary. to show
me the whole record in the Controller
Bay matter. Mr.. Fisher was leaving
for Philadelphia at IL o'clock, and I
spent from that time to quarter
TO in the afternoon going through
the records with Mr.. Brown I found
:. letter from X. 5. RYAN to R. A.
| Ballinger. dated July 10. 1910. type
written on printed stationery. at the
| head of which was 81 William Street
New York 1t was signed n. S. Ryan
"
sheet of paper, which began
Dear DICK and which said: L
went to see the President the other
day about this Controller Bay affair
The President asked whom II was
represented | told him. according to
our agreement, that | represented my
self But that did not seem to sat.
isfy him. so l sent for Charlie Taft
and asked him 10 tell his brother who
1t was I really represented The Pres.
ident made no further objection to my
claim. yours
DICK
THE postscript was written with a
pen and was illeeible as to one word.
l showed it TO Mr. Brown, and asked
him what word 1t was. He said 1t
was agreement. so l completed my
copy of it, and have 1t now in my
possession.
When Brown and I were going
through the records. he was turning
the pages at first and l noticed that
he several times turned two pages al
a time. l made mental note OF that,
and when he had gone through tho
pile of papers. held out my hand for
the bundle. It was apparent that he
gave 1t to me with reluctance He had
remarked, from time to time. You
see this is all right. or that is all
right or words to that effect
II took the papers and turned
through 10 where Mr.. Brown had
turned two pages at time. and fahind
this letter with the postscript. 1t was
| so vital that I copied II verbatim.
vitality Important.
Il realized that IL Was yitaliy Inn.
| portant. 1t showed that an under. !
standing had been reached betwesr