Smyrna times., 1910-01-12
TAFT DISMISSES
CLIFFORD PINCHOT
Chief Forester and Two Others
Removed From Office.
WROTE OFFENDING LETTER

Speaker Cannon Was Reversed In the
House When Appointment of Com
mittee to Invetigate RalIinger Was
Taken From Him and Made Elec-
tive.
After a cabinet meeting lasting
nearly four hours, President made
the announcement that he had directed
Secretary OF Agriculture Wilson to
dismiss Clifford Pinchot from the Of
fee of forester of the agricultural de-
partment. Later on it was made
known that Secretary Wilson, III ac-
cordance with a decision of tho presl- |
dent and the cabinet, had dismissed |
Overton w. Price, associate forester.
and Mr.. Pinchot's chief assistant, and |
Alexander C. Shaw, assistant law Of
ficer of the forest service. The action
of the president on the eve of the con-
| gressional investigation into the allie
cations and insinuatiOns against Sec
retary of the Interior Ballfnger's CON
Duct of the policy of conserving natu-
| raj resources is certain to cause
sensation.
Coupled with the dismissal of For
ester Pinchot was the significant ac-
tion of the house of representatives in
connection with the joint resolution
for an investigation of the charges af-
fecting Secretary Ballinger. Through
a combination of Democrats and Re-
publican insurgents, aided by personal
friends of Mr.. PinchOt, the house re-
iected that provision of the resolution
which directed Speaker Cannon to
choose the representatives who should
sit on the congress committee of in
uuiry. The Cannon organization, which
stood behind the resolution for an in
vestigation, was overturned by bare
majority of three. Under the resOlu
tion as amended the house member!
of the joint committee of 1quiry viii
be elected by the house itself.
The decision to dismiss Messrs. Pin
chot. Price and Shaw was reached a
a regular session of the cabinet.
later session was devoted to the PREF
aration and revision of a letter writte1
by President Taft to Mr.. Pinchot giN
ing the reasons why Mr.. PlnchOt wa
to be removed from the governmeI
service. Briefly these reasons wer
that, contrary TO instructions from Se
retary Wilson, Forcste" Pinchot ha
written a letter to Senator DOlliver
be read publicly in the senate d
Tending Price and Shaw after they ha
) admitted that they had inspired II
magazine and press campaign again
Secretary Pallinger; that Mr.. Pinch
had cast reflections in the DOlliver lt
5 ter on the action of President Taft
directing the dismissal of Louis
s CLAWS, of the public land Office, Il
3 man who charged that Mr.. Balling
s and other officers of the interior
p partment had been guilty of impTop
s. official conduct in connection wi
p Alaska coal land claims, and that \
E Pinchot had intimated in the Dolliy
III letter that without the magazine a
81 press exploitation of Price and Sht
the administration would have allow
. fraudulent coal land claims in Alas
to be patented. According to Preside
Taft. Mr. Pinchot wrote to Sena
Dolliver to Offset in the public mi
z the presidents decision in the Gla
= case. Mr.. Pinchot in this letter p
= a high tribute to Mr. CLAWS and il
: Gated that President Taft had erred
z dismissing him, and, by inference, t
; Mr.. Claws charges against Secret
= BaIlinger were based upon pro
= grounds.
z In official circles it is said there :
no difference Of opinion at the cabi
= meeting in regard to what COT
: should be taken with respect
z Messrs. Pinchot, Price and Shaw.