East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-01-08

insurgents" but who profess their
friendship for Pinchot. voice with the
insurgents" and democrats. for the
adoption OF the amendment which
calls for the selection of the house in
vestigators by election from the floor.
The cabinet was in special session
practically the entire afternoon, fol-
lowing the regular session of the
morning. Secretary Ballinger, cog
infant of the action that was about
to be taken, remained away from the
afternoon sitting. II was at the end
of this special session last. night that
the president gave out the letter he
had written to Mr.. Pinchot notifying
him that his usefulness as public
servant under the present administra-
tion was at an end.
Wilson Against Pinchot.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson.
Pinchot's immediate superior, II ap-
pears. was one of the forester's chief
accusers. He told President Taft that
he advised Mr.. Pinchot not to send
the letter to Senator Doliiver; that
Pfnchot had told him he had such a
letter in mind. and could induce Sem
ator Dolliver" to read II on the day
that Taft's special message transmit
ting the attorney generals exonera-
ton of Secretary Ballinger was TO be.
presented to the senate.
1t was this story of Pinchots ap-
parently calculated insubordination
that aroused the president to the
keenest resentment.
Mr. Taft accuses Pinchot of hav-
ing taken his stand against Secretary
Ballinger wholly upon the evidence
adduced by Mr. CLAWS, and without
regard for the evidence on the other
side, on file in the interior depart
ment.
The letter directing Secretary Will
son to dismiss the forester forthwith
was carefully framed in the afternoon
sitting of the cabinet, and was re-
vised several times before finally be-
ing made public. 1t Is the presi-
dents own statement of the case.
Pinchot Bctrays Little Emotion.
Mr.. Pinchot received last night the
letter of the president and Secretary
Wilson'S peremptory note of dismis-
sal; but nothing about his demeanor
indicated that he was surprised or dis
tressed by either. To an accompani-
ment of sounds of merriment floating
down from above stairs, where there
was a party OF guests, Mr.. Pnchot
came down to meet the reporters, in
evening dress and silk hat in hand,
smiling and undismayed. Asked II he
would say anything for publication, he
replied:
''It will suit me just as well IL you
will make for me just that simple
statement. I have nothing to say"
Dismissal Will Not Hinder.
The dismissal of the principal Off
Ger OF the forestry service will in no
way delay or divert the congression-
al Investigation. One of the subjects
eagerly debated last night was the
question whether the dismissal will
rob the investigation of much of its
public interest, or will make it more
sensational than before. Friends of
the administration hold to the former
view and today urged it upon the
president and cabinet officers as an
argument against the summary dis
missal.
Friends of P.nchot, on the other
hand, have for weeks been declaring
that the president "would not dare
to dismiss Pinchot;" that 1t would
cause breach between Taft and
Roosevelt" and that 1t would cause
such split in the republican party
as has not been seen In years.
Situation Regarded as Serious.
Friends of the president said last
night, however that the actual dismis-
sal of Pinchot could add nothing to
the embarrassment of the admins
tration, inasmuch as all the ammu-