Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-30
M. P|NCBOI' 5 D[n.
RECENT SPEECH OF CHIEF FOR
ESTER A CHALLENGE TO HIS
CRITICS.
HE'S A FIGHTER OF
THE ROOSEVELT CLASS
Pinchot Expects Former President to
Give Him Active Support in con:ro-
versy = Forestry Service HAS Clean
Record and Nothing Will Be Kept
Back BY Pinchot and His Partisans.
Especial corresnonaence.l

in which he has thrown mis- glove fair
ly in the face Of his adversaries and
critics, is accepted as one of the most
interesting documents in the whole
conservation controversy 1t is ac-
cepted on all hands as the assurance
that the forest service, instead Of
meekly accepting such an investigat ion
as may be given to it, proposes to fight
for an inquiry that will include all the
charges that have been made against
the interior department.
The significance of Mr.. Pinchot's
attitude is very we'll indicated
by the observation of member of con-
gress who is not particularly devoted
lican party. Talking about the Pin
chct speech and the contest between
Ballinger and Pinchot. he observed:
Some of the boys were talking abou,
that yesterday, and l said to them.
You'll find it just as we'll not to
with this Roosevelt buzzsaw; ;
It's still in pretty good working orde-.
Fighter of Roosevelt Stripe.
This man Pinchot," continued the
speaker, "is worth watching That
speech sounded like one of the sort
that IT r. used to halld out on occa-
sion. Pinchot is fighter; if there has
ever been any doubt about it. this ad-
dress will put an end to it. More than
that, he Is not going to be caught nap
ping. They aren't going to be allowed
to do him up on any technicalities
about the sort of evidence that may or
may not be introduced. He will be
on hand for any investigation, with a
case that will have to be put into the
record. Observe the he defies 'em all
to show wherein the forest service has
violated any laws. They will have to
show something on him more serious
than some alleged indiscretions COM
mitted in an excess of zeal to protect
the public interests. And from present
indications this investigation will Just
about have reached the interesting
stage about the time IT. r. will be
getting home from Africa He hasn't
had anything to say about the progress
of things in the states since he went
away. There isn't even claim that
anybody has had letter from him on
such a subject. But he'll be heard
from before he is long at home: and he
can be counted to stand by Pinchot
He considered Pinchot one of his most
valued lieutenants. and he took more
pride in the conservation movement
than anything else achieved under his
administration. He gave Pinchot credit
for the largest share of responsibility
for that movement: and he will be for
Pinchot against anybody. whenever
that policy, as interpreted by Pinchot
is at stake. Roosevelt knows all about
this fight. He didn't go thru the fight
for the forests, at a time when there
was no great public. sentiment aroused
on the subject, without finding GU.
what such a fight means 1t will be
safe to count that when he gets home
he will turn up very promptly on the
will get right out with a club to make
himself felt.
Forest Services Record Clean.
Mr.. Pinchot declares that the forest
service has violated no laws, and in
that declaration he is certain to have
the vigorous support of the former
president, simply because the acts of
the forest service were the proudest
piece of the Roosevelt policy. Realiz-
ing the weakness of an attack on the
conservation program as it was car
ried out under Roosevelt, the oppon-
ents of Pinchot have latterly tried to
make their fight against certain of
Pinchot's subordinates. Mr. Pinchot's
speech is construed to mean that he
will stand by these officers, and make
their cause his own.
The people against whom the Bal
lingerites have aimed their criticisms,
in this connection. are Overton w.
Price. associate forester, and A. C.
Shaw, law officer of the forest service.
Mr.. Price is perhaps the one most pc
culiarly Objectionable to them. They
have charged that Price. while the
chief Of the bureau was in the west last
summer, conducted a press agency to
give out information in derogation of
the conduct Of the general land office.
This is the sum of the indiscretions
charged against Price.
Will Conceal Nothing.
There is every reason to expect that
when Price and Shaw are put on the
stand, they will admit quite as much
as anybody can charge against them !;
probably more; and that they will pre-
sent a record which they will urge as
their justification. They will conceal
nothing On the ether hand, II they
get the first chance to testify they
will very likely head off the opposition
by telling so much of what their enc
mics were going to give out as "revela-
TONS" that there will be little for the
other side to charge. And in defense
Of their acts, they will present all
they know about the Cunningham and
other disputed claims, about certain
water power matters, etc., and will
protest that if the whole record can
be brought forward, it will prove their
right to feel that the public interest
was menaced.
Pinchot, very apparently, judging by
his New York speech, is determined
to stand by his subordinates, and give
to their actions all the moral support
Of his own Endorsement. That will
mean, it is expected, that their acts
will be presented as entirely consist
ent with the policy that would have
been pursued, in like circumstances, ii
Roosevelt had been the head Of the
government. That will bring squarely
into issue the question of whether the
Roosevelt policies are being executed
by the bureau. II Mr.. Roosevelt shall
stand by. after he gets home, and per-
NIT 1t to be claimed, in behalf of Pin
chot. that the Pinchot bureau has been
working along Roosevelt lines, Roose-
welt will not need to say word. His
silence will indicate to the country