The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-08
TAFT GETS SCALP
OF CHIEF FORESTER
President Summarily Removes
Clifford PinchOt From High
Position.
PARTY LEADERS WORRIED
OVER PROBABLE EFFECT
Some Believe That Breach Be-
tween Opposing Factions
Will Prove Serious.

! w hSf1 lN'T ON, DaDs is--plnOIu u
! Pine hot. chief forester aud intimate
, friend of Theodore Roosevelt, tonight
| was dismissed from the service of the
United States by President Taft for
| insubordina Associate FORESTER
Ovcrton ". Price and Assistant Law
Officer Alexander c. Shaw. Pinchot s
Immediate assistants in the forestry
! bureau, followed their chief out Of
! government employ. Thoroughly in
dignant over the action OF Mr.,
Pinchot in inducing Senator Dolliver
TO read letter from him in the senate
Yesterday. President Taft today
would listen 10 no advice that the
| forester S violation of executive orders
be overlooked pending the inquiry
soon to be undertaken by congress.
He declared the dignity of the presi-
dental office was being attacked. and
| be would he unfaithiul 10 his trust if
he submitted longer.
Political Significance,
Mr. Taft undoubtedly realizes fully
what the dismissal of Forester Pinchot
means in a political way. He has
! been convinced for some time that the
| so.called ''insurgcnts' and other
! critics of bis administration had en-.
listed the service OF Mr.. Pinchot. and
practically were defyine him TO dis
miss Pinchot from office. The lat
ter's letter of yesterday, few here
doubt. was written with the direct
purpose OF putting it squarely up
TO the president
The president sought 10 avoid the
| e in .o,,lI
but declared today that patience had
ceased 10 be a virtue. He picked up
the gauge OF battle thrown down by
AIr Pinchot through the hand of Sen,
ator Dolliycr in the senate, and. with
the administration supporters, is ready
! for the coming fray.
Outcome Uncertain
Political observers in Washington
declare that The situation created by
] todaNs developments is The most
tense IN mauy years. What the out
come viii be. no one Is willing TO
propbcsy.
day Speaker Cannon lost his first fight
10 the insurgents, who, combining
with the Democrats, caused TO be
adopted an amendment 10 the Bal
lingcr Pirchot inquiry. so as 80 take
from the speaker the power TO ap.
point the house members of the joint
( special committee of investigation.
The margin of victory WAS narrow
three votcs-but the insurgents apd
Democrats alike are lubilaDt tonight,
The dismissal Of Piuchot has lent fuel
10 the flame Of their celebration. and
they are venturing all manner of pre-.
dictions as TO what will happen.
Close Vote in House.
Three Republicans, not classed AS
"insurgcntS, but who profess their
friendship for Piuchot, voted with the
'iusurgeDts and Democrats for the
amendment. which calls for the selec-
tiou of the house investigators by
election from the floor,
The cabinet WAS in special session
practically tho entire afternoon. follow
ing the regular session OF the morning
Secretary Ealhuger cogOiZant OF the
action that was about TO be taken re
manned away from the afternoon sit
ting It was nj the end oi this spc
cial session tonight that the president
gave out the letter he had written IL
AIR. Piu"hot notifying hlm that ms use ,;
fulncss as = public servant under tho
present administration Was at m end.
Wilson Chief Accusor.
Secretary ot Agriculture Wilson Pin
chot s immediate superior. 1t appears
was one of the forester & chief &c
cpscrs FIe told President Taft thai
he advised Mr.. Pinchot not 10 send thu
letter 10 Scuator Dollivcr; that Pin
chot had told him be had such letteI
, in mind and "could induce Senator
Dollivcr' 10 read il on the dav tina
President Taft 5 special message trans
mtting the attorney general : eXoncra
tion Of Secretary BaIhnger was TO b'
: presented TO tho senate
| L. Hfo aI hI. /. II
pareutly calculated iDsubordination tba
aroused the president to keeUcst resent
} ment.
Mr.. Taft accused Pinchot of hayins
: taken his stand against Secretary Bai
Iinger wholly upon The evidence ad
= duced by l.. f CLAWS and without re
I gard for the evidence on thc other sl"e
=, on file in the interior department.
: The letter directing Secretary Wllsol
+ ia dismiss the forester forthwith va
D carefully framed 10 the afternoon SIT
!. ting of the cabinet, and was reV1se'
several times before finally being mad
: public Ii is the president s own state
ment Of the case.
I Pinchot Still Smiles,
y Mr.. Pinchot received tonight the lei
c ter nf ibc president. and Secretary W,
Il son Is peremptory note Of dismissal; bn
nothing about his demeanor indicate
that he was surprised or distressed t.
8 either. To m accompaniment Of sound
It of mcrriment 6osting down from abov
Il stairs, where there was a party o
= guests. Mr. Pinchot came down To mcoeG
@ The reporters, in evening dress and 81!
S hal in hand, smiling aud undIsmsyet
:. Asked If he would say anything ~
publication. he replied:
OF will suit me lust as well II 70
). will make for me lust ihnt simple. stnt;
3 ment. Il have nothing 10. say,
n Mr.. Piucbot added that he probahl
n Will say nothing tomorrow but a
II would not say how long he would mair
tain his silence; :,
o Tho dismissal of tho principal off
= Ger of the forest service will in no, wa
70 defer ar divert the congressional u