Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-08
TAFT DISMISSES
CLIFFORD PINCHOT
WASHINGTON Is AMAZED AT
PRESIDENTS ACTION
TWO ASSISTANT FoREsTERs ALSO
QUIT OFFICE
Deposed Enemy of Corporate Greed
Receives Many kilograms ExtoI-
ing His Able Work-Insur-
gents Much Aroused
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tContinued from Page OneI
above stairs, where there was a party
of guests, Mr.. Pinchot came down to
meet the reporters in evening dress
and silk hat in hand, smiling and un-
diSmayed.
Asked if he would say anything for
publication he replied:
Nothing to Say
ut will suit me just as well if you
will make for me just that simple
statement, 4 have nothing to say
Mr. Pinchot added that he probably
would say nothing tomorrow, but he
would not say how long he would
maintain his silence.
The dismissal of the principal officer
of the forestry service will in no way
delay or divert the congressional in
Vestigation. One of the subjects eager
ly debated tonight was the question
whether the dismissal will rob the in
vestigation of much of its public IN
terest, or will make it more sensa-
tional than before.
Friends of the administration hold
to the former view and today urged IL
upon the president and cabinet OIL
GERS as an argument against Inc sum
mary dismissal.
Friends of Pinchot, on the other
hand. have for weeks been declaring
the president would not dare TO dls-
miss Pinchot," that it would cause a
breach between Taft and Roosevelt,
and that it would cause such split IN
the Republican party as has not peeh
seen in years.
Friends of the president said tonight,
however, that the actual dlsIhlssal oA
Pinchot could add nothing to the efl-
barra ssment of the administration, IN
asmuch as all the ammunition OF
Pinchot and his partisans already had
been directed against Secretary Bal
linger, and, through him, against the
president.
Breach Discussed
AS for a possible breach between Mr'
Taft and former President RooseVelt,
that subject is much debated, but any
discussion of it is entirely speculative.
In the face of a party split all Re-
nubIicans here regard the situation as
exceedingly serious.
PARTY leaders in the senate and
house declare the controversy ana the
summary action of the president are
sure to lead to many harsh words III
congress, and to much bitterness Oh
feeling throughout the country,
They say, however, that the president
other course; that Pinchot had "dehed
the lightning" and that there was
nothing otherwise for the lightning
to do.
Senator Dixon of Montana, one of the
few senators who would be quoted to-
night, said: IL am sorry that Mr..
Pinchot. who is warm friend of mine,
wrote the letter that resulted in this
action.
The letter undoubtedly will prejudice
his chances in congress, but the episode
will not affect the investigation by
congress, which will be just as thorough
as if this action had not been taken"
Nelson Gives Views
Senator Nelson of Minnesota, who is
to be chairman of the investigation
committee, indicated today that nc
action with reference to Mr.. Pinchoi
would affect the scope of the inquiry.
Speaker Cannon received his Jolt
today in the house on the vote of the
amendment offered by Mr.. Norris OF
Nebraska, insurgent leader, and the
vote was 149 to 146, five voting
present"
So unexpectedly was the victory ac'
complished that the insurgents anC
their Democratic allies could scarcely
believe their ears when the speaker an
nounced the vote. For an instant al
most complete silence. reigned; then the
storm broke, and for almost a full
minute the noise in the chamber wa:
deafening.
After that the Democrats. jubilant
that they had helped to pierce the
hitherto imperVious armor of the
speaker seemed willing to abandon the
fight against the resolution itself,
X1TI1i i1I1 o11 of
broad to suit them, and all of them
voted for it on a viva Voce vote.
Organization leaders made no at
tempt to conceal their confusion.
Hurried Conference
There was a hurried conference at
Representative Dalzell's desk, and for
| a time the Insurgents feared that their
| triumph was to be short-liVed, as three
of twenty-sX Republicans who voted
! for the amendment never have been
| classed with their number. and they
suspected that at least one might have
! voted in the affirmative that he might
move to reconsider should the amend
ment carry.
But no such move was made. 1t de-
veloped that the three regulars who
| voted for the amendment were all
! stanch friends of Chief Forester Pin
chot They were Representative Ames
of Massachusetts, and Fish and Par
sons of New York.
The insurgent ranks had only one
| deserter-Steenerson of Minnesota
! Strangely enough, Fitzgerald of New
York was the only Democrat to vote
with the Republican regulars, though
he led the minority fight on the joint
resolution.
Republican leaders attributed theiI
deafeat to large number of absentees
but the tide of battle was really turned
| by Mr.. Pinchot's three friends.
Nearly the entire day was devoted by
the house to the consideration of the
joint resolution, which was taken UP
after the reading of the presidents
interstate commerce and antitrust
message had been concluded.
| The Democrats made their fight on
an attempt to narrow the proposed
| investigation to the general land office
contending that as no such charges
as had been made against Secretary
Ballinger had been preferred against
Forester Pinchot, there was no reason
for dragging the latter into the inquiry
The resolution, as it goes to the SEN
ate, provides for an investigating COM
mittee of twelve members, six to be
appointed by the president of the SEN
! ate and six to be selected by the house
Presidents Letter
President Tafts letter to Forester