The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-12

IN House Broken.
Washington. Jan. 7.--Gifford Pin
chot chief forester and intimate
friend OF Theodore Roosevelt, tonight
was dismissed from the service of the
United States by President Taft for
characterization. Associate Fores-
ter Overton w. Rice and Assistant
Law Officer Alexander C. Shaw, PIN
chot's immediate assistants In the
Forestry Bureau. followed their chief
out Of government employ.
Thoroughly indignant over the ac-
tion of Mr.. Pinchot in Inducing SEN
ator Dolliver to read letter from
him In the senate yesterday, Presi-
dent Taft today would listen to no
advice that the forester's violation OF
executive orders be overlooked pend
Ing the inquiry soon to be undertake
en- by congress He declared the dig
nifty of the office ne has been chosen
by the people to All was being attack
cd and ne would be unfaithful to his
trust II he submitted longer.
Mr.. Tart undoubtedly realizes ful.
ly what the dismissal of Forester Pin
chot means in a political way. He has
been convinced for some time that
the so-called insurgents" and other
critics Of his administration had en-
listed the service Of Mr.. Pinchot and
practically were defying him to sep
arate Mr.. Pinchot from his ONCE.
The latter's letter Of yesterday, few
here doubt. was written with the d.
rect purpose Of putting Il squarely
up to the President"
The President sought to avoid the
threatened war az long an he could
but declared today that patience had
ceased to be a virtue. He picked up
the gage OF battle thrown down by
Mr.. Pinchot by the hand of Senator
DoIliver In the senate. and With the
Administraticn suppoFtsrs. u. ssaxy
<ses sas fsay which y csftain TO en- n.
sue. ~
Political Observers In washington
declare that the situation created by
today's developments II the most
tense Of many years. What the out
come viii be no one IL willing to
prophecy.
In the House of Representatives
today Speaker Cannon lost his first
night to the insurgents" who. COM
bining with the Democrats. caused to
be adopted an amendment to the
ballinser-Pinchot inquiry resolution
80 az to take from the speaker the
power to appoint the House members
OF the Joint special committee of in
vestigation. The margin of victory
was q narrow one or three votes. but
the insurgents and Democrats alike
are 5ubilant tonight. The dismissal
or Pinchot has lent fuel to the flames
OF their celebration and they are ven-
turing all manner Of predictions as
to what Ia to happen in the future.
Three Republicans. not classed as
Insurgents. but who profess their
friendship for Pinchot, voted with
the insurgents and Democrats for
the amendment which calls for the
selection Of the House investi gators
by election from the floor.
These two incidents, at capitol and
White House. kept Washington in a
political ferment all day.
The cabinet was In special session
during practically the entine after
noon following the regular session of
the morning. Secretary Ballinger,
congnizant of the action that was
about to be taken, remained away
from the afternoon sitting. 1t was
at the end OF this special session to-
night that the President gave out the
letter he had written to Mr.. Pinchot
notifying him that hts usefulness as
public servant under the present
administration was at an end.
| Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson,
Pinchots immediate superior, 1t 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 Mr.. Ptnchot had told him he
had such letter I'm mind and could
induce Senator Dolliver" to read It
on the very day that President Taft's
special message transmitting the At
torney Generals exoneration of Sec
retary Ballinger was to be presented
to- the senate.
IL was this story OF Pinchot's ap-
parently calculated insubordination
that aroused the President to kaepast