CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION OF ALASKA COAL CLAIMS
Congressional Investigation of Alaskan Coal Claims Glavis' Testimony Confirmed UNEXPECTED confirmation of the Glavis testimony before the congressional committee and of the wisdom of Glavis in...
...This Mr...
...Occasionally this developed surprises...
...He testified that Ballinger became attorney for the Cunningham and Greene interests although knowing that their claims were fraudulent...
...He prepared affidavits for the Cunningham claims," said Glavis, "with a view to obtaining patents for them...
...Glavis: "Well, I learned that they were sent under frank, so I thought they were public business and ordered copies made of them...
...that Ballinger had written Schwartz to consult Postmaster General Hitchcock as well as the president in appointing agents on the Alaska cases...
...The important developments of the week came in the Hoyt testimony, and in the departmental papers and correspondence brought in by Mr...
...Glavis showed a remarkable memory, an evenness of temper and a coolness of head that convinced unprejudiced hearers he was telling the whole truth...
...Senator Fletcher protested against exacting from the witness deductions and inferences which the committee members could draw from the records...
...Hoyt testified that it was at his (Hoyt's) suggestion that Ballinger's name was left out of an escrow agreement in an Alaska case as it was not necessary in the case and might embarrass him because of past connection with it when not in office...
...He also saw me and discussed how the Cunninghams could get patents...
...Because I had absolute faith in him...
...Ballinger had told Glavis he would have the Attorney General interpret the law, but nothing had come of it...
...previous connection with the cases as counsel it would create a mighty scandal which the administration could ill afford and which he was anxious to spare it...
...Mr...
...Glavis denied that his purpose was to bring tbout the removal of Dennett or Ballinger...
...Glavis testified that this did not cover the Alaska cases and turned the tables by presenting a letter from Schwartz to Dennett, dated September 23, 1908 asking that Glavis be allowed to resume his work on the Alaska cases...
...Why did you go to him...
...Sheridan, his successor, used the affidavits before he did the record evidence, whereat the audience laughed...
...It looked to me as if he was trying to get patents to claims which he knew to be fraudulent...
...Vertrees: "How did you get hold of them...
...he believed this a great mistake, one in which he hesitated to join...
...One half day was devoted to an attempt to minimize the charges brought against Commissioner Dennett...
...Last spring while in Washington, D. C, Glavis came to him in great mental distress for advice...
...I was worried in mind about these things and wanted advice...
...Vertrees said he was after the motives of Glavis, which brought the heated retort from Mr...
...HOYT prefaced his story with a brief account of hit governmental services in Alaska and the Northwestern, states, of his association with Glavis in the recovery of thousands if acres of coal and timber lands, and characterized tile work of Glavis as of a "very high order, intelligently, skillfully and thoroughly done...
...Vertrees could not shake it by cross examination...
...also that he had written the forest service that if the Cunningham claims could be beaten the forest service would have more power over coal lands and their disposal...
...If it is sidetracked, the result is the same...
...Believing as I do, I don't see how I can clearlist the claims...
...This bill is an attempt to split the conservation forces...
...In requiring the witness to detail the lengthy testimony already given, counsel for Ballinger asked questions so long and involved as to suggest sentences of German metaphysicians...
...Glavis, another week's hearing by the congressional committee on the Ballinger-Pinchot issue came to a close...
...Sidetracking an Issue SENATOR CARTER of Montana has introduced a bill into Congress providing for the transferral of jurisdiction over water power sites from the general to the state governments, and it is said to have the endorsement of the President...
...Brandeis...
...The statute which he believed Ballinger violated reads: "It shall not be lawful for any person appointed after the 1st of June, 1872, as an officer, clerk, or employe in any of the departments to act as counsel, attorney, or agent for prosecuting any claims against the United States which was pending in either of said departments while he was such an officer, clerk, or employe, nor in any manner or by any means to aid in the prosecution...
...Brandeis, attorney for L. R, Glavis, of a mass of important papers showing that Secretary Ballinger was thoroughly familiar with the Alaska coal cases in all their various stages, and the testimony of H. H. Hoyt, attorney general of Porto Rico, completely corroborating the testimony of Mr...
...Brandeis that the witness had no motive but to tell the truth...
...He finally admitted that the property controlled by the syndicate, together with its railroad holdings, gave it virtual control of the coal in the Copper river country and put the syndicate in a position where it keld the key to natural resources in Alaska which he estimated to be valued at $900,000,000...
...Turn it over to the states, and it will be beaten in detail...
...Finally Mr...
...If conservation is turned over to the states, those who have followed western politics will not need to be told who will reap the benefit of the colossal blunder...
...Vertrees denied, and he introduced a letter from Land Commissioner Dennett to Glavis dated May 23, 1908, telling of a new appropriation and to "push the work...
...Wickersham also sent for Glavis and promised an early decision...
...Because of the effort to trap him, Glavis was required to give from memory a tedious recapitulation of his direct testimony, all of which was in the printed testimony...
...Damaging to Ballinger AMONG the many important developments of Glavis' cross examination were the following: that Dennett seemed to wait for directions from Ballinger in things commissioners had previously done alone...
...They admitted that this syndicate had an option on the Cunningham claims...
...Chairman Nelson, however, roughly criticized the witness for attaching "strings" to his answers, and while powerless under the rules to prevent it, he said the committee could pass upon the facts and the only effect of such answers was to delay proceedings...
...Hoyt Corroborates Glavit MR...
...It was in a railroad that he received some stock for acting as counsel...
...This looks very much like an attempt on the part of the Taft administration to wash its hands of an issue that is important to the people and more or less embarrassing to the executive...
...Glavis understood Secretary Ballinger would let Assistant Secretary Pierce's construction of the law stand...
...Asked to be specific, Glavis gave as his reasons for doubting the motives of Dennett that the latter appeared to take no interest in investigations urged by Glavis...
...Vertrees asked if record evidence was not enough without affidavits...
...Birch is managing director of the Morgan-Guggenheim Alaskan syndicate...
...What did he tell you...
...His testimony corroborated in every way the Glavis testimony and Mr...
...Testifying in regard to the meeting with Forester Pinchot at Spokane at the irrigation congress, Mr...
...Vertrees Fails to Trap Glavis WITH the introduction by Mr...
...To advocate state control is to abandon the whole policy of conservation.—Farm, Stock and Home...
...and that Glavis was to go slow in his investigation during the political campaign...
...Glavis said: "The meeting was not prearranged...
...Thus Glavis testified that in May, 1908, he was ordered to suspend his investigation of the Alaska cases because the appropriation was insufficient, and was not put on again until October...
...Filings upon other coal land and other mineral claims had been made in the names of men interested in the syndicate...
...and that he wrote personal letters regarded as "queer" by those who read them...
...then he said there was only one course open to me and that was to take it to the F resident...
...He did not want to report until an interpretation had been given to the new Alaska law, the corrective value of which he doubted...
...that he held back where he should have acted...
...Well, after hearing my story he called in Gov...
...The Taft-Ballinger position is that if such action validating the reserves is not taken that the Department of the Interior will have no other recourse than to open these sites to entry...
...He admitted that hearings had been postponed at his request, but believed the cases would be ultimately decided by Ballinger and against the interests of the public...
...Glavis stuck to his previous view that he believed it improper of Ballinger after being Land Commissioner and knowing government secrets to become attorney for coal claimants contrary to law and then on becoming Secretary of the Interior and with the same knowledge refusing to protect the government and putting the duty upon a subordinate...
...I believed him sincere and honest," replied Glavis...
...Steele is attorney for the same syndicate...
...The hope of the enemies of conservation lies in suspending action during this session of Congress...
...It was to purchase property at $250,000 which Mr...
...Attorney Brandeis for Glavis strongly objected to counsel framing his involved questions in the form of answers and then demanding direct replies...
...It was furnished by Stephen Birch and John N. Steele in a hearing before the Senate Committee on Territories...
...Oh...
...that is, they had used dummy entry-men...
...Were you aware that Ballinger had stock in one group of mines...
...Hoyt agreed with Glavis and offered to run over to Connecticut to see his classmate, Horace Taft, and have the latter present the matter to the President, but Glavis said there would not be time...
...Hoyt testified he laid the whole case before Attorney General Wickersham, vouching for the fidelity and thoroughness of Glavis and laying the Pierce decision and much other evidence before him...
...that congressmen who held Alaska stock were not to be quizzed...
...asked Vertrees...
...said Glavis, "and yet to refuse would be insubordination...
...and that because of Ballinger...
...I am mistaken," added Vertrees, after consulting his colleagues...
...Birch, under cross examination, admitted to be worth $25,000,-000...
...he was asked...
...He doubted the fitness of the interior department, and a subordinate at that, passing on claims worth a billion dollars...
...That's the first I ever heard of it," said Glavis with a startled and interested look...
...Pardee and made me tell it to him also...
...On this promise Glavis resolved to withhold his report still longer...
...Conservation is a national, and not merely a state issue There is some chance of effective control through the Federal government...
...Glavis said the affidavits were not intended to be used except when necessary to clinch a government case although Mr...
...Congressional Investigation of Alaskan Coal Claims Glavis' Testimony Confirmed UNEXPECTED confirmation of the Glavis testimony before the congressional committee and of the wisdom of Glavis in holding up the Cunningham and the Greene claims came to light last week...
...His final report on the Alaska coal cases on which he had spent many months had again been demanded and was already overdue...
...For more than three days, under a fire of questions, Mr...
Vol. 2 • February 1910 • No. 8
