The citizen., 1910-01-14
THE PRESIDENT S ACTION IN
THE BALLINGER-PINCHOT
CONTROVERSY.

The controversy that has been going
on for nearly year between Ballnger
and Pinchot. reached climax last week,
when President Taft summarily dis
missed Pinchot from his position as
Chief Forester.
Mr.. Pinchot has been very active and
jealous official in protecting the timber
lands, water power and coal lands of the
public domain against the syndcates OF
spoilsmen, who are seeking to get con-
troll of all that is most valuable in the
public domain. OF course we are not
familiar with all of the facts, but the
public is sufficiently acquainted with the
controversy TO know that something is
beng attempted and done to prove that
a systematic effort is being made to rob
the public of the public domain. Mr..
Plnchot is said to be a man of great en-
ergy, honesty capacity and great wealth.
Mr. Ballinger is also spoken of very
highly by his friends as a man of high
character,
One thing is, however, certain, and that
is that some how or other Mr. Pinchot
has the confidence of the people who are
entirely in sympathy with his efforts.
He is undoubtedly trying to save for
the people the public domain, and that
domain is either in danger of being
stolen, or else Mr.. Pinchot believes that
it is in danger of being stolen. Public
sentiment was so strong that Congress
has been forced to so into an investiga-
ton of the facts in the controversy. 1t is
beyond all question a controversy and
there are two sides to it.
The one side is true and the other
is false, for both cannot be right Just
as Congress determines to investigate the
matter President Taft mtervenes and
summariy dismisses Pinchot from office
The action of the President raises num-
Der Of interesting and important ques-
tions for the consideration of the public
\ What is the position Of the President in
the controversy? What ought to be done
with the public lands? What is the
Presidents attitude now to the so-called
Roosevelt policies?
Where does the President stand now as
compared with his ante election prom
ises?
The action OF the President was per-
haps surprise TO the people, because it
is the first time that a President has
taken the clearly indicated dishonest side
as against the honest side. He has
taken the side of the spoilsmen as against
the rights of the people.
Still this should not have surprised
any intelligent man, after the speech
made by the President in his tour in
which he declared that the Aldrich-
Cannon Tariff Bill, was the best bill that
the Republican party had ever adopted
which was an absolute reputation of all
of his ante-election pledges, and which
were made to secure the peoples votes,
and by which he did probably secure
enouuh votes to elect him. After he
became President a different condition
arose and Mr. Taft simply faced about
to meet the new conditions and his own
personal interests.
Mr.. Taft is an Ohio Republican, and
an Ohio Republican must always be
taken at Discount.
I The real inside of the whole matter is
that from the very minute that Mr.. Taft
: delivered his inaugural address, he be-
gan campaign for a reelection, and all
that he has said and done since that time,
has been with that view.
Now it is very evident that he must
look to the reactionaries to get renom-
ination because they are in control oi
fthe Republican party organization and
Ibecause conlrol and own the trusts. and
oprotected interests weose money always
~elects the Republican candidate.
So that the so-called Roosevelt follow.
ers Who nominated Mr.. Taft, will find
rthemseIves left out in the cold 50 far as
lcMr. Taft is concerned, as is clearly
ltkhown.
Mr.. Taft gave them full notice of this
,svhen he signed the Tariff Bill, but if that
svas not sufficient his speech in support
f that bill and his eulogy of Aldrich
ought to have been conclusive.
Mr.. Taft's position is SO clear that a
blind man could see therein. From now
u Mr.. Taft will be bed fellow with AID
ich and Cannon.
=. But then as to the public domain a.
hat Is 70 be done about