The Springfield herald., 1910-01-14
P|NCHOT STEPS
DOWN AND OUT
HIS USEFULNESS HAS BEEN DE,
sTRoYED BY INsUBoRDINA.
TIoN, SAYS PRESIDENT.
IS QUICKLY DISMISSED
PRESIDENT kEENLY REsENTs
CHIEF FoREsTER's LETTER
TO SENATOR poLLIvER.

Washington.-Gifford Pinchot fores.
ter and intimate friend of Theodore
Roosevelt. was dismissed Friday night
from the service of the United States
by President Taft for insubordination.
Associate Forester Overton w. Price
and Assistant Law Officer Alexander
c. Shaw. Pinchots immediate assist
ants in the forestry bureau, followed
their chief out of the government en-
ploy.
Thoroughly indignant over the ac-
tion of Pinchot in inducing Senator
Dolliver to read a letter from him in
the Senate Thursday, President Taft
would listen to no advice that the for
esters violation of executive orders be
overlooked pending the inquiry soon
to be undertaken by congress-. He de-
clared the dignity of the presidential
office was being attacked and he
would be unfaithful to his trust If he
submitted longer.
Taft undoubtedly realizes fully what
the dismissal of Pinchot means in a
political way. He has been convinced
for some time that the so-called lin
surgents," and other critics of his ad-
ministration had enlisted the services
of Pinchot practically were defying
him to dismiss Pinchot from office.
The latter's letter of Thursday, few
here doubt, was written with the di-
rect purpose of putting 1t squarely up
to the President"
The President sought to avoid the
threatened war so long as he could.
but 4 haI
ceased to be- virtue. He picked up
the gauge Of battle thrown down by
Pinchot through the hand of Senator
Dolliver in the Senate, and with the
administration supporters, is ready for
the coming fray.
Political observers in Washington
declare that the situation created by
Fridays developments is the most
tense in many years. What the out
come will be, no one is willing to
prophesy.
In the House of Representatives
Friday. Speaker Cannon lost his first
fight to the insurgents, who. combin-
ing with the Democrats, caused to
be adopted an amendment to the Bal
linger-Pinchot inquiry, so as to take
from the speaker the power to ap-
point the house members of the joint
special committee of investigation.
The margin OF victory was a mar
row one of three votes, but the lin
surgents" and Democrats were alike
jubilant. The dismissal of Pinchot
has lent fuel to the flame of their
celebration and they are yenturing
all manner of predictions as to what
is to happen in the future.
Three Republicans, not classed as
insurgents" but who profess their
friendship for Pinchot, voted with the
insurgents" and Democrats for the
amendment. which calls for the Sc
lection of the house investigators by
election from the floor.
The cabinet was in special session
during practically the entire after
noon, following the regular session of
the morning. Secretary Ballinger,
cognizant of the action that was about
to be taken, remained away from the
afternoon sitting. 1t was at the end
of this special session that the pres
ident gave out the letter he had writ
ten to Pinchot notifying him that his
usefulness as public servant under
the present administration was at an
end.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson,
Pinchot's immediate superior, it ap-
pears, was one of the forester's chief
accusers. He told President Taft that
he advised Pinchot not to send the
letter to Senator Dolliver; that Pin
chot had told him he had such let
ter in mind and could induce Senator
Dolliver" to read it on the very day
that President Taft's special message
transmitting the attorney generals ex-
oneration of Secretary Ballinger, was
to be presented to the Senate.
1t was this story of Pinchot's ap-
parently calculated insubordination
that aroused the President to keenest
resentment.