The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-08
COMBINATION OF INSURGENTS
AND DEMOCRATS DEFEATS
REPUBLICAN FORCE.
RESULT SURPRISES ALL
BY Majority Of Three Votes House
Takes Appointment Of Members Of
investigating Committee Out Of
Hands Of Speaker and Provides for
Investigator Election by Floor Vote.

Washington. Jan. THE house .,
representatives today after parlia :
mentary battle In which a combination
of insurgent republicans anu democrats
defeated the republican organization,
adopted a joint resolution providing for
an investigation of the interior de-
partment and of the forestry bureau
The resolution provides for an in
yestigation to be conducted by joint
committee of the house and the SEN
ate. The defeat of the Cannon or
ganization came i'm the adoption by a
vote of 149 to ii6 of an amendment
providing that house members of the
joint committee be appointed by the
house itself and not by Speaker Can
non.
As soon as the presidents special
message had been read in the house
today Chairman Dalzell.. OF the rules
committee. brought in a privileged
resolution providing for the immediate
consideration of the joint investiga-
tion resolution introduced several days
ago by Representative Humphrey OF
Washington. Mr.. Dalzell explained
that after its adoption BY the senate
and its signature by the president. the
joint resolution will become law
giving the investigating committee
power to summon witnesses and COM
pei them to testify. An agreement to
limit the debate to three hours with
the privilege of offering amendments
being reached. MIR. Fitzgerald of New
York opened the struggle. He declared
he was heartily i'm favor of this regu-
lation. He expressed the opinion 1t
should be narrowed 50 as TO eliminate
In the inquiry Clifford Pinchot whose
only defense he asserted, has been
that he has been too active against
land thieves and land grabbers and
so as to deal only with the grave
charges against the official integrity
and personal honor Of a member of the
presidents cabinet"
Beneath Dignity.
Mr.. Fitzgerald said he thought 1t
beneath the dignity of congress to
ask the president to investigate a
member of his cabinet and therefore
he was opposed to a joint resolution
which would require the executives
signature.
Referring To Secretary Ballinger's
letter TO Senator Jones asking that
the forest service be included in the
proposed inquiry. Mr.. Fitzgerald OBJ
jected to Mr.. Ballinger's attempt to
dictate the character of the inquiry.
Mr.. Fitzgerald offered two amend
ments to the pending resolution. aimed
to eliminate the forest bureau from
the proposed investigation. Repre-
sentative Norris of Nebraska said that
the proposed investigation was such an
important matter that he believed the
six members of the committee to rep
resent the house should be elected By
that body instead of being appointed
by the speaker. and he offered an
amendment to that effect.
Representative Hitchcock of Ne
braska questioned the right OF Mr..
Ballinger to dictate the form of the
investigation that congress shall make.
Representative Martin democrat of
Coiorado) criticized the forest service
and the administration of Forester
Pinchot. Mr.. Martin was overwhelmed
by a series of pointed questions from
both republican and democratic sides.
Representative Sims of Tennessee
wanted to know why MIR. Taft re-
tanned in office such man as You
describe Mr. Pinchot In be"
Martin Replies.
Representative Martin replied.
There were indications that that Of
fetal would not be retained in office
Indefinitely, at least
Can YOU name a single violation Of
law by Mr.. Pinchoi2' demanded Mr..
Cooper.
Mr.. Martin replied that his office
was full of information about such
cases which looked like offenses
Representative Cooper Of Wisconsin
proposed another amendment making
all hearings either By the committee
or its sub committee open to the pub
lie. This was agreed To by the rules
committee.
Representative Underwood of Ala
hama opposed extending the inquiry
to the forest service. He said the
only possible charge against Pinchot
was 'pernicious activity" on protect
ing the public lands of United States.
Representative Scott of kansas con-
cluded the debate in favor OF the
adoption Of the resolution He deciar-
ed he spoke as personal friend of Mr..
Pinchot when he stated that the scope
Mr.. Pinchat or the country demanded.
The Norris amendment providing for