The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-01-14
Chief FORESTER
DISMISSED
PRESIDENT NOTIFIES PIN
CHOT SERVICES NOT
NEEDED
Executive Claims Dignity of Pres
idential Office Was Attacked.
Insurgents Win First Victory in
House Over Speaker Cannon.
They Celebrate.

Washington, Jain. 5.-Gifford Pin
chot, chief forester, last night was dis
missed from the esrvice Of the United
States by President Taft for insubordi-
nation and conspiracy. Associate For
ester Overton w. Price and Assistant
Law Officer Alexander G. Shaw, Pin
chot's immediate assistants in the for
esrtzy bureau, followed their chief out
of the government employ.
Thoroughly indignant over the action
of Mr. Pinchot in inducing Senator
Dolliver to read letter from him in
the senate Thursday, President Taft
would listen to no advice that the for
ester's violation of executive orders be
overlooked, pending the inquiry soon
to be taken up by congress.
Presidential Dignity Attacked
He declaerd the dignity of the presi-
Dental office was attacked, and he
would be unfaithful to his 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-called "insurgents" and other critics
of his administration had enlisted the
services of Mr.. Pinnchot and practical
" were defying him to dismiss Pin
chot from office The latter's letter,
few here doubt, was written with the
direct purpose of putting it square
up to the president.
f0 h0
threatened war as long as he could, but
declared yesterday that patience had
ceased to be virtue.
All Ready for Fray
He picked up the gauge of battle
thrown down by Mr.. Pinnchot, through
the hand of Senator Dolliver in the SEN
ate, and with the administration sup
porters is ready for the coming fray.
Political observers in Washington de.
clare that the situation cerated by these
developments is the most tense in
many years. What the outcme will be
no one is willing to prophesy.
In the house yesterday Speaker Can
non lost his first fight to the insur-
gents, who, combining with the Demo-
Gratis, caused to be adopted an amend
ment to the Ballinger- Pinchot inquiry
so as to take from the speaker the pow
er to appoint the house members of
the joint special committee Of investi-
cation.
Insurgents Celebrate Victory
The margin of victory was narrow
three votes; but the insurgents and
Democrats alike are jubilant. The dis
missal of Pinchot has lent fuel to the
flame of their celebration, and they are
venturing all manner of predictions as
to what will happen.
Three Republicans, not classed as
insurgents" but who profess their
friendship for Pinchot, voted with the
insurgents and Democrats for the
adoption of the amendment, which
calls for the selection of the house in
vestigators from the floor.
The cabinet was in session practi-
cally all the afternoon, following the
regular session of the morning. Sec
rotary Ballinger, cognizart of the &C
ton that was to be taken, remained
away from the afternoon session. It
was at the end of this special sitting
that the president gave out the letter
he had written to Mr.. Pinchot notify
ing him that his usefulness as public
servant under the present administra-
ton was at an end