Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-01-12
President, Spurred to Action,
Takes Prompt and De-
cisive Step.
Washington in Ferment OF
Political Turmoil
Feeling Intense
Insurgents Combine With Dem
ocratS and Defeat
Cannon.
Secretary Nelson Acts>Promptly
In Execution of .Iaft'S
Orders.

Washington, Jan. S.-Glford
Pinchot, chief forester and intimate
friend of Roosevelt, was last night
dismissed from the government serV'
ice by President Taft for lnsubordl-
nation. Associate Forester Overton
w. Price and Assistant Law Officer
Alexander c. Shaw, of the forestry
bureau, also we're dismissed
Indignant over the action OF
Pinchot in inducing Senator Dolliver
to read his letter in the senate Thurs
day. Mr. Taft listened to no advice
that the foresters violation OF the
executive orders should be overlooked
pending the inquiry undertaken by
congress He declared that he would
be unfaithful to his trust if he sub
mitted to such an attack.
Mr.. Taft has been convinced for
some time that the insurgents ana
other critics had enlisted the services
of Forester PfnchUt and practically
were defying him to dismiss Pinchot
The iatter7s letter, few there doubt.
was written with the direct purpose
of putting it squarely up ito the pres
ident"
The president sought to avoid the
threatened war, but yesterday picked
up the gauge thrown down by P1nchot
through Dolliver, and was ready Tor
the FRAY certain to 'ensue. What the
outcome of the TENSE situation will be
be nobody is willing to prophesy.
In the house Cannon lost to the in
surgents, who, combining with the
democrats, caused the adoption of an
amendment to the Ballinger-Pinchot
inquiry resolution, to take from the
speaker the power to appoint the
house members OF the joint investl-
CATION committee. The margin OF
victory was only three votes, but the
insurgents and democrats are alike
jubilant
Three republicans, not claSsed as
insurgents. but processing friendship
for Mr. Pinchot, voted with the in
-suFgents and democrats Incidents at
the capitol and the white house kept
Washington in a political ferment yes
tterday. The cabinet was in special ses-
sion practically the entire afternoon,
following the regular session in the
morning. Secretary Ballinger was
absent from the afternoon sitting.
A letter directing the dismissal OF
the forester was carefully framed yes
terday afternoon and repeatedly re-
viSed.
The Presidents Letter.
Sir: The secretary of agriculture
informs me that on the twenty-eighth
of December your associate forester,
Mr.. Price, proposed to him to resign
on the ground that he had been en-
gagged with Mr. Shaw, assistant law
officer, in instigating publications IN
various newspapers and magazines
attacking the good name of Secretary
Ballinger and charging the interior
department and the land office with
corruption. The secretary wrote you.
December %, asking your recommen-
dat:on in the premises. You did not
answer, but on January 4, you said to
him that you wished to make STATE
ment which would be read in the SEN
ate at the same time my message
was, transmitting the record in the
Claws case reached there, and that
Won thought you could induce Sena-
tor Dolliver to introduce the state
ment for you The secretary ad-
yised against such a course: but
asked YOU for a recommendation as
to accepting Prices resignation. In
order that he might bring the matter
TO me. To whom. he told you, it must
ultimately come, because | nad con
sidered the CLAWS charges and passed
upon them.
Without further conference with the
secretary, and before making report