Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-18
PINCHOT and BALLENGER
Story Of Controversy That VIII Be
Investigated.
fight IS old and OF LONG STANDING
Facts That Show Light on the Opera
ton of the Great Forestry Bureau
and incidentally on the Way Politics

| tion Of the Great Forestry Bureau
and Incidentally on the Way Politics
Is Worked.
New York Sun.
What probably will continue to be
known under its present designation
of "The Ballenger- -Pinchot Contro-
versy" has been constantly astir In
official circles since Aug. II last
when the chief forester fastened to
the White House to urge the presi-
dents direct Intervention against his
secretary Of the interior. 1t simmer
ed through the presidents period OF
rest at Beverly, broke out afresh In
what are known as "The CLAWS
Charges" and finally reached its crisis
on Sept. Is at Albany.
On that day President Taft's spe-
cial train was westward bound from
Beverly and the president stopped the
routine events Of his welcome In the
New York state capital long enough
to make public a letter exonerating
Mr.. Ballenger and giving him a COM
plete Endorsement; also ordering the
dismissal from the service Of L. H.
CLAWS, chief of division of the general
land office. The question from that
moment on became: What will Mr..
Pinchot do?" and 1t received a tenn
porary answer ten days later at Salt
II r do
public a letter to Mr.. Pinchot In
which he expressed the wish that he
might continue in the government
service, and Mr.. Pinchot, who had
come up from California to meet the
presidents party, announced that the
president had approved his course and
that he planned to continue his work
as usual.
But the secretary Of the interior
and the forester did not join in the
| smoking of the peace pipe at Salt
Lake. At a luncheon given to Mr..
Taft at the Country Club, following
long conference with Mr.. Pinchot,
It was announced that Mr.. Pmchot
| would be numbered among the guests.
Mr.. Ballenger sent word to the local
committeeman who called to escort
him from his rooms at the Knutsford
Hotel that he was suffering from a
sore throat and could not attend.
And Mr.. Pinchot had avoided Mr..
Ballenger in shaking hands with the
Taft party in the presidents private
car when he first met it in Provo,
Utah.
On Nov. IL, when the president
reached Washington, he found real
Pinchot- -Ballenger fight upon his
hands, ripe again for a settlement.
In the meantime the magazines had
been busy. There hadn't been an
especially large assortment of muck
| raking themes on hand for some time,
and those given to that sort Of thing
for a daily diet grabbed the new sub
iect with avidity. There was an indi-
| cation in the statements issued by
Mr.. Ballenger from time to time that
he suspected that Mr.. Pinchot knew
something about this magazine on
slaught. And in Mr.. Pinchot's cas-
ual and occasional remarks there was
an indication that he missed very
much a former military man, at
| present out Of reach and not In po-
sition to write warm letters of the
most heartfelt Endorsement and con-
graduation.
But President Taft's regard for
| Pinchot had not been lacking In en-
thusiasm. This is what he said OF
the forester's work at a time when
many folk suspected matters were
ready for an enforced resignation:
II wish you to know Of my utmost
confidence in your desire to serve
the government and the public. l
should consider it one Of the greatest
losses that my administration could
sustain If you should leave it."
This expression Of confidence was
the presidents attempt to heal the
breach created in the dismissal OF
Pinchot's ally and subordinate,
CLAWS. Pinchot's moves after the
arrival of the president in Washing
ton were not made directly in the line
| Of differences which had up 10 that
point been widening between him and
Mr.. Ballenger. Instead, CLAWS, out OF
the service, took the centre of
the stage with magazine help, and
launched charges with magazine
help, and launched charges impugning
the good faith of both Mr.. Ballinger
and the president Mr.. Pinchot on
Nov. II was the subject of Wash
ington gossip to the effect that he
had issued an ultimatum to the pres
ident to choose between him and
| Ballinger. When asked about the
rumors he said:
"The story that have issued an
ultimatum is a silly fabrication. Of
course 1 have done nothing of the
kind; not anything that could De
twisted into that meaning. The presi-
| dent has been good enough to ex-
press his satisfaction with my work
and / am going ahead with it."
With the meeting Of congress a
resolution was introduced calling Tor
congressional inquiry into the whole
situation. And then came a step that
had not been anticipated and was out
Of the government routine, and ap-
parently was aimed at making the
conflict as dramatic as possible. Mr.;
Pinchot succeeded in having read
upon the floor of the senate letter
rejecting uopn the president and en-
forcing his own dismissal as the only
possible consequent act. A days ses-
sion Of the presidents cabinet preced-
ed the decision to dismiss
And that leaves the possible Bal
Ilinger-Pinchot" investigation now
merely a question Of investigating
single officer Of the government on
charges which the attorney general
has ridiculed and on which the presi-
dent has passed judgment. Mr.. Pin
chot, conceded universally to have
taken a deep and inclusive interest In
the country's resources, Is free to
| fight as a magazinist or publicist or
| lecturer for the object of his con-
stant zeal-the prevention OF the
growth of what he styles the water
power trust"
| An in this matter he is assured the
support of the president and of his
former principal antagonist, Mr.. Bal
linger. They have no aims, both have
frequently declared, that are at Vari-
i Doo,a,,a1f nnncarV1 ti0n