Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-13

chief forester and intimate friend Of
Theodore Roosevelt, was dismissed to-
night from the service of the United
States by President Taft for insubor-
dlnation. Associate Forester Overton W.
Price and the assistant law officer
Alexander c. Shaw, Pinchot's immediate
assistants in the forestry bureau, fol-
lowed their chief out of government en-
rloy.
Thoroughly indignant over the action
Of Mr.. Pinchot in inducing Senator Doll
liver to read letter from him in the
Senate yesterday, President Taft to-day
would listen to no advice that the fores-
ter's violation of executive orders he
overlooked, pending the inquiry soon to
he undertaken by Congress. He declared
the dignity of his office was being at
tackled and he would be unfathful to
Ills trust If he submitted longer.
Mr.. Taft undoubtedly realizes fully
what the dismissal of Forester Pinchot
means in a political way. He has been
convinced for some time that the So
ca led 'insurgents" and other critics of
his administration had enlisted the SER
ices OF Mr.. Pinchot and practically We're
flying him to separate Pnchot from his
flee.
lore doubt. was written with the direct
purpose of putting it sauarely up to the
PRESIDENT.
The President sought to avoid the
threatened war as long as he could but
declared to-day that patience had ceased
to be n virtue.
NO KNOWLEDGE OF OUTCOME.
Political observers in Washington de-
clare that the situation created oy to-day s
developments is the most tense of many
years. What the outcome will be no one
is willing to prophesy.
In the House Of Representatives to-day.
Speaker Cannon lost his first fight to the
insurgents, who, combining with the
democrats, caused to he adopted an
amendment to the Ballnger- Pinchot in
quiry resolution so as to take from the
speaker the power to appoint the House
members Of the Joint special committee OF
investigation. The margin OF victory was
y narrow one OF three votes, but the
Insurgents and democrats alike are
lubilant tonight.
Three republicans. not cassed as In.
surgents. but friends Of Pinchot voted
with the insurgents and democrats fol-
the amendment which calls for Che
selection Of the House investigators by
election from the floor.
The cabinet was in special session
practically the entire afternoon following
the regular session of the morning
Secretary Ballinger, cognizant of the
action that was about to be taken. re
NAMED away from the afternoon sitting
1t was at the end OF this special session
tonight that the President gave out thu
letter he had written to Mr.. Pinchot
notifying him that his usefulness as
public servant under the present ad
nlinstration was at an end.
WILSON TOLD THE FACTS.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
Pinchot's immediate superior. 1t APP
pears. was one of the forester's chic
,ccusers. He told President Taft thai
ne had had advised Mr. Pinchot MOI
TO send the letter to Senator Dolliver
that Pinchot had told him he had suci
letter in mind, and could induce
Senator Dollver" to read 1t on tn,
very day that President Taft's spe
ial message transmitting the attor
ney generals exoneration of Score
tary Ballinger was to be presented t.
he Senate.
1t was this story of Pinchot's ap
pnrently calculated INSTRUMENTATION
that aroused the President to keenes
resentment,
Mr.. Taft accuses Pinchot of havini
taken his stand against Secretary Bal
linger wholly upon the evidence ad
duced by L. r. CLAWS, and without re
gard for the evidence on the othe
side. on file in the interior depart
ment. The letter directing Secretar,
Wilson to dismiss the forester forth
with was carefully framed during tn
afternoon sitting of the cabinet an
was revised several times before fin
ally being made public. 1t is tn
Presidents own statement of the case
TAFT"S LETTER TO PINCHOT.
President Tafts letter to Forester Pin
chot. informing him of his dismissal. fol
1.-THE White House,
"Washington, Jan. = 1910.
"Sr:-The secretary OF agriculture in
forms me that on the 2sth of Decembe
your associate forester, Mr.. Price. wen
TO him and proposed to resign on tn
around that he had been engaged wit
Mr.. Shaw, assistant law officer, in inst
eating the publication of articles in varl
ous newspa pers and magazines attackin
The good name OF Secretary Ballinger an
charging the interior department an
land office with corruption. The secre
tary thereupon wrote note to yoi
under date OF December %, asking fo
your recommendation in the premise.
You did not answer, but on January
you had conversation with him
which you said you wished to make
statement which should be read In tn
Eenate at the same time that my mes
rage transmitting the record In the CLAW
ease reached there. and that you though
that he could induce Senator Dolliver
Introduce the statement for you. tn
iecretary advised against such course
but asked you for recommendation q
10 accepting Prices resignation. In ordt
that he might bring the matter to me
whom, he told you, II must ultimatel
come, because had considered the CLAY
charges and had passed upon them