New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-11
tFiom. The Tribune bureau J

PERFECTLY IMPARTIAL" - The
House Committee on Expenditures In the
Department Of the Interior undertook to-
day TO make a perfectly Impartial 'h'es-
tigation of the charges against President
Taft and his brother. Charles T. 1ai'' IN
connection with the opening to settlement
of lands along the shore of Controher Day
Alaska. entries on some OF which have
been filed by Richard S. Ryan, OF New
York. representing the Controller Bay
Navigation Company. and by the repre-
sentatives OF other railways. The impair
TALLY" OF the investigation Is strikingy
demonstrated by the following statement
of Representative Graham, or ILLINOIS,
chairman of the committee Said Mr. era
ham to-day: I'm the beginning L was con-
WINGED that the President was merely the
victim of confidence in people VINO nap
pened TO be his advisers and VINO had
misled him In these matters. AS light mas
been shed on these various transactions
have been brought to the feeling that the
President himself was not 50 much misled
as I had at first supposed My present
desire is to go entirely TO the bottom OF
this whole chain of transactions. Inc
king, Of course, cannot be a Witness ne
can do no wrong. But we will do the best
we can to learn all the facts
MONOPOLY IMPOSSIBLE.-Comm
sioner bennett OF the General Land once
who appeared before the Graham commit
tee to-day, made 1t perfectly clear that
there could be no monopoly Of the water
front on Controller Bay by his reiterated
explanation that the government must,
under the law, retain title TO every alter
nate eighty rods OF frontage. so that, even
If the claims pending were granted the
government would retain half the frontage
He further testified that only four applica-
tions had been filed, and that as three OF
these adioined, constituting continuous
frontage of 240 rods, one or two or them
would have 10 be rejected as Illegal. Fur
thermore. he testified that, as the land had
not been surveyed, these claims have not
the legal standing Of entries on surveyed
land. In view Of Chairman Grahams con-
clusion that the President has been guilty
of malfeasance, In advance OF hearing the
testimony, evidence before his committee
of whatever character is hardly likely 10
alter his conviction or affect his report
Those who followed the Ballinger-Pihchot
Investigation had ample opportunity to Cd
serve the complete '1mpartiality' OF the
chairman who has undertaken this in
vesugation.
FUR SEAL PROTECTION-How will a
treaty between the United States, Great
Britain. Russia and japan abolish pelagic
sealing? What is TO prevent the shippers
OF all other nations from engaging in the
practice? These questions have been ad-
dressed TO me by a reader of The Tribune.
and they are certainly pertinent. The chief
obstacle TO the pursuit of pelagic sealing
By the shippers of nations not signatory 20
the pending treaty is the provision therein
that no ship engaged In the practice Shall
enjoy the right TO enter the ports OF any
OF the signatories for any purpose-coai-
ing, supplies. refuge. etc. Bering Sea Is
long distance from any country other than
those named and 1t would be practically
inposslble for vessel sailing from such
country 10 carry a sufficient supply Of coal
10 last it anywhere near through the seal
Ing season. Moreover. the question of other
supplies. notably food and water. would
present grave difficulties, In the opinion
of the experts. with the provisions OF the