New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-15
GRAHAM ON DEFENSIVE
Controller Bay Issue Forces Him
to Explain Position.
MAY GIVE EXCUSES TO-DAY
Sudden Abandonment of Inquiry
Rouses Minority of Com
mittee to Action.
Iron The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington, Aug lion the defensive
because Republican members on the IN
vestigating committee continue 10 demand
a full investigation OF the Controller Bay
fake Representative Graham, chairman or
the House Committee on Expenditures In
the Interior Department, announced to-day
that he would rise in the House TO ques-
ton of personal privilege and answer MS
critics Mr.. Graham may make his reply
tomorrow, and interest attaches to the
excuses he will make for suddenly apah-
doning the investigation.
II is still said to be the intention OF
Chairman Graham and his Democratic col
leagues not TO reopen the Controller bay
investigation until November and IL is
promised the inquiry then VIII be "a gem
eral investigation Of Alaskan conditions.
Representative Burke, one of the minority
members OF the committee. scents mouse.
He believes that the broadening OF the
scope" Of the investigation under the guild
ing hand of Louis y. Brandeis, volunteer
attorney. will prove nothing more nor less
than an effort to throw the public Off the
trail and to have 1t forget Controller Bay,
the Dick-to-Dick letter and similar fakes,
while the committee takes up another
phase Of the alleged Alaskan grab" Mr..
Burke has filed with the committee reso-
luton making as a special order of bust
ness the continuation of the Controller Bay
probe. Chairman Graham ruled the reso-
luton out OF order and proceeded to take
up the White Earth Indian reservation
controversy.
Il have been unable TO get any satisfac-
ton as to the resumption OF the Controller
Bay investigation" said Mr. Burke. 'Ow-
ing to the wide publicity given the grave
charges made against the administration
and others. I thought it only proper that
those charges should he Immediately inves-
tgated, so that If there has been fraud we
may find il without waiting months until
ma iority OF the committee sees fit TO re-
sumo the hearings. The chairman ruled
my resolution out Of order. however, and
proceeded TO discuss other things. 1t APP
pears that the chairman and his party col
leagues on the committee had definitely
abandoned the inquiry until November
which considered unfair in view Of the
gravity Of the charges made and the wide
publicity given to them. Certainly compe-
tent witnesses who were in daily attendance
az the hearings. but who were denied the
opportunity to testify should have been
heard at once, that the public might know
the truth
In his resolution directing the committee
TO resume forthwith the Controller Bay
investigation Mr.. Burke set out the follow
ing facts:
Testimony was submitted and hearings
we're held, following the initial hearing, on
July 10, r. Il, IL. Is and %.
At the hearing held on July 70 there were
present the Alaskan Delegate, James WICK
ester, and the following other material
witnesses who had been subpoenaed,
namely, Miss NJ. F. Abbott, Richard Ryan;
the Interior. and Ashmun Brown, formerly
private secretary to Mr. Ballinger, the
former Secretary OF the Interior.
on July %, at the conclusion Of the tes-
timony OF James =. Adams, upon motion,
the committee adjourned until Friday, July
81 1911. at 1870 O'Clock a. m
On July q. without any meeting OF the
committee. the chairman caused the mem
hers TO be informed there would be no
meeting and no meeting was held on Fri
day. the 2lst. saturday. the 22d, or Monday.
The 9th, Notwithstanding there was no ses-
sion Of the House except a short session
on Saturday. the 22d, lasting only nine MN
utes
one Of the most important circumstances
connected WIN tne inquiry ~ tndt d Ger
tain alleged letter was written by one
Richard s RYAN 10 Secretary Ballinger,
which letter is known as the "Dick-to-
Dick" letter. This letter had been widely
published, and the writing thereof and the
fact that it ever existed had been denied,
creating thereby. universal demand for a
thorough and immediate investigation Of |
all the facts and circumstances pertaining
to the same.
Representative Burke's insistence and the
Introduction Of n resolution by Represen-
tative Humphrey, Of Washington, demand /