Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-01-11
CLIFFORD PINcHoT,

time that the so-called insurgents"
and other critics of his administration
had enlisted the services of Mr. Pin
chot and practically were defying him
to separate Pinchot from his office.
The latter's letter of Thursday, few
here doubt, was written with the di-
rect purpose of putting it squarely
up to the president"
Wilson Accused Pinchot.
Secretary OF Agriculture Wilson,
Pinchot's immediate superior, it ap-
pears was one of the forester's chief
accusers. He told President Taft that
he had advised Mr.. Pinchot not to
send the letter to Senator Dolliver, that
Pinchot had told him he had such
letter in mind, and could induce Sen.
ator Dolliver" to read it on the very
day that President Tafts special mes
sage transmitting the attorney gener-
ais eXoneration of Secretary Ballin-
ger was to be presented to the SEN
ate
Mr. Taft accuses Pinchot of having
taken his stand against Secretary Bal
linger wholly upon the evidence adj
duced by l.. R. CLAWS and without re-
gard for the evidence on the other side
on file in the interior department.
The letter directing Secretary Will
son to dismiss the forester forthwith
was carefully framed during the after
noon sitting of the cabinet and was
revised several times before finally be-
ing made public. 1t is the president S
own statement of the case.
In the house of representatives
Speaker Cannon lost his first fight to
the insurgents" who, combining with
the Democrats, caused to be adopted
an amendment to the Ballinger -Pinchot
inquiry 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 narrow
one of three votes, but the "insur-
gents" and Democrats alike are jubi-
liant.
Three Republicans, not classed as
insurgents" but who profess their
friendship for Pinchot, voted vita the
insurgents" and Democrats for the
amendment which calls for the selec-
ton Of the house Investigators by cleo
ton from the floor.
Probe Will Proceed.
The dismissal of the principal officers
of the forest service will in no way
defer nor divert the congressional in
vestigation. Ose of the subjects Gag
erly debated here was the question
whether the dismissal will rob the in,
vestigation of much of it's public in.
terest or will make it more sensational
than before.
Friends of the administration hold
the former view, and urged it upon
the president and cabinet officers as
argument against the summary disms
sal
Friends of Pinchot on the other hand
have for weeks been declaring that the
president would not dare to dismiss
Pinchot," that it would cause a
breach between Taft and Roosevelt
and that it would cause such spill,
in the Republican party as has not
been seen in years.
Friends of the president said, how
ever, that the actual dismissal of Pin
chot could add nothing to the e,nbar
rassment of the administration mas
much as all the ammunition of Pinchot
and his partisans had already been di
1ected against Secretary Ballinger anC
through him against the President.
AS for possible breach between
Mr. Taft and ex-President Roosevelt
that subject is much debated but any
discussion of that obviously is entirely
speculativa.