Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-14
BaIfnger -pinchot Mixup
Has the Floor.
The Party Leaders Support
1.-THE President.
Insurgents Have a finish Fight
On Their Hands.

ciaD The men in war clothes have
the center of the political arena. Ru-
mors Of combat fly thick and fast.
Washington focuses party attention
because the forces that champion di-
vergent views are vieing and promise
to make d high old winter Of it.
Nowadays there Is little talk of
aught else than Ballinger and Pinchot.
Men are fond Of telling one another
every morning how Chief Forester
Clifford Pinchot wrote a letter to Sena-
tor J. r. Dolliver, Of Iowa, which Dol
liver read to the Senate, how the let
ter breathed with characterization, re-
fiected upon the Presidents decision in
generating Ballinger and justified O..
w. Price, assistant Forester, and A. G..
Shaw. Bureau Attorney, for aiding and
abcttirg the publicity campaign
against Secretary Ballinger. Every
morning in the lounging places of the
Capitol men are telling one another
anew how the President held three
cabinet meetings forthwith, reluctantly
threw Forester Pinchot out of office,
making public letter explaining why
and how the battle is raging at the
Capitol over the makeup of the Bal
mittee
There are many observant men who
are careful to let no detail of the mo-
mentous transactions of recent days
escape them. Such events, that stand
out in the chronicle of Washington af-
fairs, set men to talking as nothing
else can. The Senate and House com
mittee rooms buzz with comments. The
,x,iA
meEt. The Departments crave for the
latest ard most incisive developments.
The wise old leaders, however, are
sitting steady and holding tight. When
Washington is thrilled by events like
these, there are earnest souls who
rush forth with feverish comments
about crisis being at hand and en-
phasiZc the dangers of the party going
to the bow vows. They have had
better chance than ever because
handful of Insurgents and the Demo
Gratis Of the House happened to COM
bine the very day that Pinchot was fir
ed and by majority of three modified
the provision for the choice of the six
members of the joint committee to in
vestigate Ballinger and the interior
Department.
The President is putting his hand
firmly to the helm. He will not sane
ticn INSTRUMENTATION in his official
force. he has announced his Legislative
program in a special message. he pro-
poses to drive straight ahead. Tho
1olcful comparisons about the condi-
tons of ihc party when he was triunl-
phantly elected and inauguratcd ant
now and. also the lugubrious compari-
sons between the conditions that pre-
vailed with Harrison in the middle OF
his administration and between Re
publican conditions that are prevalent
now do not discourage the big man ir
the White House. He tried as NJ
President ever tried before to patel
up Il peace between the warning Bal
linFer and the warning Pinchot. The
quarrel was forced to an Issue anf
when the fateful NONE nta came the
President assumed responsibility. He
proposes to drive straight ahead.
He makes no secret of his decision
that the Investigation must be helf
and made thorough. even though cX-
Forester PnChot, now outside the gov
eminent service. takes IN the role of
chief prosecutor and even though hi:
own Secretary Of the Interior SHOULD
he discreditcd, no one thinks for .
inmate he will be, but the President is
not looking at that prospect. He wants
all the facts brought out for the in
formation of the country. He has
been 30 earnest about it that he ha.
practically directed evcry stcn vet TIA
ken in Congress. He has even gone t.
the extent OF scrutniZing the names of
suitable men for the service on the
committee from the Senate and the
House, seeking TO obtain Senator's and
Representatives of known ability and
fairness who would command the CON
fdcncc of the country.
His fighting blood is up. Now that
the insurgents and the ultra Roosevelt
tians have forced the administration
into winter of political turmoil the
President proposes that they shall
have their fill of il. He preferred
peace. For nearly nine months OF his
administration he put forth his best
efforts in behalf Of party harmony
Now he is calling Upon his friends to
step out into the Omen and stand by
the administration. Repeatedly in re-
cent days he has reiterated to visitors
That the country designated him as
President to execute certain ideas.
That made him at least the titular
head of the party. 1t imposed upon
him responsibilities. Republicans
holding Office are naturally expected to
stand by him and help execute the
peoples mandate
Men elected as Republicans or APP
pointed TO office under his administra-
ton. who work actively against him,
ought to show confidence in him and
in the Marty. IL they proceed other
wise. they can not expect his favor.
BY that line of reasoning he has justi-
NED punitive measures against the
rantankerous insurgents of Senate and