The San Francisco call., 1910-01-08
Letter TO Senator DoIIiver on
CLAWS Charges Brings
Drastic Action
PRESIDENT PERSONALLY
AND OFFICIALLY HURT
Forester Rebuked for 'TnsubOr.
dinatiOn" and Reflections on
President and BaIIinger
INSURGENTS WIN
VICTORY In HOUSE
Especial DispOtch 10 The Call

Nv 7 ASHINGTON, Jan. THE last
w q hours have been fruitful Of
w sensations in the Ballinger-
Pinchot controversy, eliminating this
evening in the removal of Forester
Pinchot, Associated Forester Price and
Assistant Law oficer Shaw of the for
est service. This action was taken by
the president after two cabinet discus
sions OF the Pinchot letter to Senator
Dollver, read in the senate yesterday.
President Taft was both personally
and oficiaIly hurt by Forester Pinchot's s
letter.
In private conversation last night
and today Taft said that if he should
yield to his personal feelings he would
remove Pinchot forthwith. but he felt
that he should regard only his official
duty. He added that he felt a sense of
responsibility TO the people in protect
ing the dignity OF the presidency, which
he felt had been ahronted by Pinchots
action in sending a letter to the senate
in spite of the executive order prohibit
ing such activity on the part of subor
dinate officials OF the government. The
letter. moreover, was regarded by the
president as rejecting upon himself
thus constituting a double breach of
discipline that could not be overlooked.
Cabinet Divided
At today's cabinet meeting opinion
was reported to be divided as to the
propriety of removing Pinchot, some OF
the presidents advisers counseling
postponement until after the conclusion
Of the investigation about to be un-
dertaken Attorney General Wicker
sham was strongly in favor of the i'm
mediate removal of Pinchot, and this
advice. agreeing with the presidents
inclination, resulted in tonights let
ter OF removal
Il is said on good authority that
Pinchot recently remarked that the
president dared not remove him and
this remark reached Tafts ears. 1t
did not serve to allay the feeling be-
tween them.
Pinchot was smiling tonight, appar-
emily unrufHed by the order of removal
He said he had absolutely nothing to
say. Secretary Ballinger could not be
found.
The opinion among public men to-
night is that the breach between the
radical followers OF Roosevelt and
Tafts friends will be widened by the
removal Of Pinchot. At the same time
the presidents message on interstate
commerce legislation is recognized to
be in accordance with the Roosevelt
policy, and its appearance at this time
may have the effect of resssuring
those who feared that Taft was drift
ing away from Roosevelts ideas.
Letter of Dismissal
President Tafts letter to Forester
Pinchot informing him of his dismissal
follows:
The White House,
Washington, January Z, 1910.
Sir: The secretary OF agriculture
informs me than on December %
your associate forester, Mr.. Price,
went to him and proposed to resign
on the ground that he had been en-
gagged with Mr.. Shaw, assistant law
officer. in instigating the publica-
tion in various newspapers and
ma agazines of articles attacking the
good name of Secretary Ballinger
and charging the interior depart
ment and the land office with cor
ruption. The secretary thereupon
wrote a note TO you under date Of
December % asking for your
recommendation in the premises.
You did not answer, but on Janu-
ary YOU had a conversation with
him in which you said you wished
to make a statement which should
be read in the senate at the same
time that my message transmit
ting the record in the CLAWS case
reached there, and that you thought
YOU could induce Senator Dolliver
10 introduce the statement for you.
Against Secretary's Advice
The secretary advised against
such q course, but asked you for
recommendation as to accepting
Prices resignation. in order that
he might bring the matter TO me,
rnately come, because ! had con-
xidered the Claws charges and had
passed upon them.
without further conference with
the secretary and before making a
report TO him you succeeded in
making public by having ii read
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