The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1910-01-27
The Dismissal Of PinchOt.

tional questions, has this to say edi-
torially of the Interior Department
scandal:
A man named Clifford Pinchot, a
oneideaed fanatic, lank, lean, long
legged American, who happened to
be born the heir of several millions
of dollars without tendencies toward
the purchase of chorus girls and
vintage wines; who happened to be
/ born with ideals and a tendency to-
ward concentration of his abilities;
who happened to be a big man, d
fanatical fighter at the crucias
moment when a nation, in its
awkward age, needed ''scrappy"
scions, has just been kicked out of his
chance to do the work that he chose
as his days work because it was the
work that he loved best.
We have waited almost full week
to talk about Clifford Pinchot and
Taft. And the reason of that delay
has been because we think that we
know Pinchot and our President.
Let US confess. Our comment has
been hesitaut. Our conclusion is that
neither the President nor the Chief
Forester could have done otherwise
than both have done, in view of the
happenings of the preceding months.
We do no more than express the
sentiment of most of the millions of
the 80,OO0,OOO of Americans when we
say that the enforced retirement of
service means the inhiction of a loss
to this country that would be irrepar-
able if We did not know that the
official retirement of Pinchot meant
only thatIhe had "just begun to fight"
Pinchot is not a parsonage nor a
politician. He is just an economic
issue personified. He has been "fred'
from ofice-and properly so. But he
is the first man in Americas political
history who has forced himself to be
"fired" from Office in order to streng-
then cause. Therefore, Mr.. Pinchot
private citizen, presents today an
interesting study of citizenship as
contrasted with other citizens of
officially higher rank.
We are ready and willing to face
with facts and figures any citizen
who would dare deny that in the en-
forced retirement of Pinchot from
the public service the country has
sustained loss well-nigh irreparable.
No one citizen of America, from
Washington to Roosevelt, fathered,
fostered and disseminated an idea
fertile with such future possibilities
and fallow with such far-reaching
value to this nation as did Pinchot
when he preached and teached and
nagged Roosevelt into setting up as
the highest, withest monument OF the
public life of Roosevelt the conserva-
tion of the national resources.
Viewing things broadly, real Amer
leans can well afford to look into each
others eyes and exchange straight
flung words and few" and, knowing
that the wrong passes but the right
persists, talk to each other as "neither
children nor gods, but men in a world
of men,"
Fools may think that Aldrich and
Cannon and Ballinger and Hitchcock
are winners because Clifford Pinchot
has been ''fred." Other near-sighted
folk may wonder why the North
American does not promptly denounce
President Taft as took of the cop
per Guggenheims and Tom Lawson,
because they are the only ones who
have indorsed unequivocally the in
choate Taft trust program as outlined
in a tentative message.
Here is our talk to those who regard
Clifford Pinchot as discredited:
Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton,
and Lewis and Clarke, and Crockett
and Bowie and Houston were regarded
as crazy, trouble-stirring fanatics
when they started out in their empire
winning work for this nation. They
gave their lives to win. But they
won. They got no gain. But their
country stands strong among the
world powers today because of them.
Aaron Burr was a Cabinet officer in
his day. He never went into the
wilderness. He sailed smoothly down
the Ohio and landed at Blennerhas-
sets Island. He had imperial dreams,
too-an empire of privilege and an
aristocracy of money. And his name
today is one that by right once was
higher than that of any Aldrich or
Ballinger, but today is synonymous
with that of "traitor" and "dog-a
thing for every honest American to
spit upon. as when Arnold is men
toned.
1t is just a question of time in this
country when the pioneers are prop
erly honored and the would-be be-
trayers properly condemned. Clifford
Pinchot can we'll afford to bide mis-
time. And the time of the Ballingers
will come.
1t is the country that cannot afford
to wait too long.
".