Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-01-08
would not say how long he would
maintain his silence. -

| 1ud4AIolA A40 oAACANOs
Investigation Still On.
The dismissal Of the principal Of
fcers of the forest service will in
no way defer or divert the congress-
sional investigation. One of the SUBJ
jects eagerly debated here tonight
was the question whether the dismis-
sal will rob the investigation of much
of it's public interest or will make
it more sensational than before.
Friends of the administration hold
the former view, and today urged it
upon the president and cabinet Off.
GERS as an argument against the
summary dismissal.
Dared the President.
Friends of Pinchot on the other
hand have for weeks been declaring
that the president "Would not dare
to dismiss Pinchot" that it "Wou1d
| cause a breach between Taft and
Roosevelt" and that it would cause
such split in the republican party
as has not been seen in years.
Friends of the president said tonight
| however, that the actual dismissal of
Pinchot could add nothing to the en-
barrassment of the administration
inasmuch as all the ammunition of
P1nchot and his partisans had al
ready been directed against secre-
tary Ballinger, and through him
against the president
AS for a possible breach between
Mr.. Taft and ex-President Roosevelt
that subject is much debated but
any discussion Of that obviously is
entirely speculative. On the subject
of party split all republicans here re.
gard the situation as exceedingly
serious.
Silence reigned; then the storm
broke and for almost a full minute
the noise in the chamber was deaf
ening. After the democrats, jubi-
liant that they had helped to pierce
the hitherto impervious armor of the
speaker, seemed willing to abandon
their fight against the resolution it.
self, which all afternoon had appear.
ed too broad to suit them, and all of
them voted for it on a viva voce vote.
Inc organization leaders made no
attempt to conceal their confusion.
There was a hurried conference at
representative Dalzell's desk, and
FOR time the insurgents feared that
their triumph was to be short-lived.
as three Of twenty-six republicans
who voted for the amendment have
never been classed with their num-
Der, and they suspected that at least
one of them might have voted in the
Affirmative in order that he might
move to reconsider in event the
amendment carried.
But no such move was made, al
though several of the regulars, whom
Representative Dwight, the whip"
had been unable to corral when he
made his roundup for the vote, one
struggling in and another vote
would have been even closer. 1t de-
veloped that the three regulars were
voted for the amendment were all
stanunch friends Of Chief Forester
Pinchot and they had favored the
election of members of the commit
tee by the house to insure an i'm
partial jury to try what is popu-
larry known as the Pinchot-Ballinger
cause. They were Representative
Ames of Massachusetts and Fish and
Parsons of New York.
The insurgent ranks had but one
deserter-Steenerson of Minnesota.
Strangely enough, Fitzgerald of
New York, was the only democrat
who cast his vote with the republi-
can regulars, although he led the
minority fight on the joint resolu-
ton. Mr.. Fitzgerald previously an
nounced that he was opposed to the
principle of the amendment as he be-
lieved the speaker elected by the ma
jority should have the power to ap-
point the members of committees.
Republican leaders attributed
their defeat to the large number Of
absentees but the tide of battle was
really turned by Mr.. Pinchot's three
friends.
Practically the entire day was de-
voted by the house to the considera-
ton of the joint resolution, which
was taken up after the reading of
the presidents interstate commerce
and antitrust message had been
concluded. The democrats made
the fight on an attempt to narrow
the proposed investigation to the
general land Office, contending that
as no such charges as had been made