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One of the most bizarre stories surrounding the administrative history of Crater Lake National Park involves the year-long controversy to oust Arant as superintendent and replace him with William G. Steel. The controversy was shrouded in considerable political intrigue and maneuvering, resulting in a year of wrangling during which little attention was devoted to park management. The struggle ended in July 1913 amid scenes of comic-opera violence and subsequent lawsuits.

In July 1912 a campaign was mounted by William G. Steel and Alfred L. Parkhurst, president of the Crater Lake Company, to oust Arant as park superintendent. In fetters to Senator Jonathan Bourne on July 2 and to Secretary of the Interior Walter L. Fisher on July 15, Steel made a number of somewhat oblique and incongruous statements that nevertheless revealed his intentions. To Bourne he observed:

The Superintendent is a man for whom I have a very high regard, and for whom I would do almost anything,—. He has been faithful to his trust, but the fact cannot be denied that he is not the sort of man needed if the park is to come into its own. —–. I dislike very much to express such a sentiment, but feel that the needs of the park are above those of any man, and when a friend stands in the way of a proper development! he ought to give way. However, I know there is no disposition to do so in this case, so it becomes necessary to consider other means. . . .

If the present Superintendent should be removed, the new man might be selected, as I understand it, by the Congressman from the First District who would probably name some friend, not because he is peculiarly fitted for the place, but because he has been useful in politics, so it is not impossible that the new man would be worse than the old one. No one will question the honesty of the present incumbent, but the new man may be both incompetent and dishonest, so we would be making a bad matter worse.

———. However, things are not as they should be in the park management, and never will be as long as the present official is continued, simply for the reason that he is not the type of man for such a place.

I am willing to make sacrifices in the matter, if necessary, and mean just what I say in expressing the fact that it is not the position of Superintendent that I want, but wholly a park management on a very much higher plane, which I believe I can bring to pass. . . .