New-York tribune., 1909-11-12
FOR TAFT'S RETURN
NO CONFERENCE YET.
Ballinger-Pinchot Controversy
Nay Go to Congress.
rYron The Tribune Bureau.l

lFycn ne IrlouEe bl-cal-J
Washington. Nov. 1.-THE chance meet
ing OF the Attorney General. the Secretary
OF War. the Secretary of Conimeree and
Labor and the Secretary OF the Interior In
the Presidents Office to-day led 70 the re-
pert that a conference was being held over
the political situation which has been fully
described in these dispatches and TO the
wholly erroneous report that Secretary
Ballnger had demanded the resignation or
Clifford Pinchot. the Chief Forester. The
fact is that each member or the CABINET
sought the President on matters relating
20 his own department, and that the chance
meeting of all four actually resulted IN
hindering the transaction Of any business
The political situation will not be for
maliy discussed with the President until
he returns from Connecticut. and possibly
not until next week Secretary Ballinger
has made no demand for the resignation OF
Mr. Pinchot. and will not do so. When
the proper time arrives. the entire situa-
tion will be laid before the President, each
member of the Cabinet contributing such
information bearing on the subject as mas
come TO his knowledge. II is PROBABLY
safe prediction that even then no line of
action will be urged on Mr.. Tart. His
official advisers will. of course, express
seems TO be a practically unanimous opin-
ion among theP that they will have done
their duty when they have informed the
President of the facts, and that the de-
termination of his course should rest en-
tirely with him.
Further details of the charges which are
to be preferred against the Postmaster Cen
eral have been received here. and It is now
learned that they will attempt 10 show that
Mr.. Hitchcock, as chairman Of the Republi-
can National Committee. definitely prom
ised 20 the GUggenheims the appointment or
judge Balliager as Secretary OF the In
terioT I'm return for their support OF Mr.
Taft in the Northwest, ana that Mr.. Taft
approved this pledge. IL is reported here
that an attempt will be made 10 drag in
the name OF John Hays Hammond. who ac-
conpanied the President on his recent trip
through the West, as the go-between who
conducted the negotiations between the Gus-
genheim interests and Mr.. Taft and his
campaign manager.
Friends of Clifford Pincho, asserted to-
day IN emphatic terms that whatever hap
pened, Mr.. Pinchot would not resign his
Place as chief forester, and that II Presi-
dent Taft desired TO dispense with Mr. Pin
ohot's services he would be compelled TO dis
miss him. as Mr.. Pinchot purposed, were
his services dispensed with. at least 10 have
the satisfaction OF going before the country
and saying that he had been forced out of
the federal service because Of his loyalty 70
the Roosevelt policies
1t is confidently predicted by members
of the bureau OF forestry that the entire
controversy between the chief OF that
bureau and the Secretary Of the Interior
will be made the subject OF Congression-
/ al investigation, and there are indications
that already wires are being pulled TO
secure such investigation by committees Of
the two houses which are friendly 20 the
/ forest service
Should the effort 20 have Congress in
| vestigate the controversy prove successful
and il seems generally believed that it
/ villa decidedly interesting situation will
be caused. Ths forest service has many
| friends and many enemies in Congress.
/ The policy for which il stands is very
generally approved. but the methods by
which that policy has been prosecuted
have often been deemed drastic and ex-
travagant. and for a number of years the
| annual appropriation for the forest service
has not been made without protracted and
bitter debate. II has been assumed gen.
orally that the so-called insurgents would
espouse the Pinchot end OF the contro-
versy. This view doubtless grows out of
| the avidity with which Senator LaFoIlette
seized on the affair and the vehemence
with which he has denounced Secretary
Ballinger. Senator Cummins. on the other
hand. told some of his friends to-day that
he had not been especially interested in
the controversy and had formed no con-
clusions as to its merits
| II there is an investigation there will
| doubtless be a vigorous contest in the
Senate regarding the committee which
shall conduct IL. The Committee or Agri-
| culture and Forestry viii doubtless claim
/ the right TO make the investigation. Sena-
! tor Dolliver is chairman OF that committee
/ and Senator Burkett, another insurgent, is
a member, as is, curiously enough, Ssne-
tor Guggenheim. There is one vacancy on
| the Republican side OF the committee. AS
! such an investigation would naturally deal
largely with the subject OF coal lands in
Alaska, the Committee on Public Lands
| would doubtless insist upon its right %
conduct the investigation Its chairman is
Senator Nelson. of Minnesota, decided in
surgent but all the other Republican mem
bers are regular. The list includes, more
over. Senator Hepburn, OF Idaho, an i'm
placable foe OF the forest service.
ANY investigation by Congress would be
regretted by the President. for the reason
! that IL is the custom OF committees OF
1 Congress 10 take such a mass OF extra
neous testimony that their Investigations
as in the case OF the Brownsville raid
rarely serve any useful purpose and almost
invariably 3ecloud the issue.
-------e--------