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VOLUME 10, NUMBERS
The Commoner.
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now, although wo havo dono absolutely nothing
to morll It, oxcoptlng to oppobo Cannon and tho
hotiKo machlno.
"Tho prcoldont Ib aiding Cannon. Thero Is
no other construction that can ho placod on this
movo of tho admlnlHtratlon.
"J want to Bay that this effort to dofoat ufl by
ntartlng JlghtH against tio at homo Ib open to
vigorous criticism. I havo no objection to
Spoakpr Cannon or any of Ills supporters coming
to Nebraska and making any kind of a fight on
mo thoy wish to mako, but I do deny that tho
republican congress has any honorable right to
attack mo. It Is unjust and unfair.
"The fight of tho Insurgents In tho house will
contlnuo against Spoakor Cannon and tho house
rulos, which ho personifies. Wo will not, how
ovor, opposo any policy of tho prosldont so long
no It Is republican doctrine."
THE PRESIDENT'S VIEWS
Following is an Associated Press dispatch:
Washington, January 5. Whllo no formal
ntatomont was forthcoming at tho White Houso
today thoro was no attempt In administration
circles to deny that Prosldont Taft is withholding
cortaln customary congressional patronago from
thoBO "Insurgent" sonators and representatives
who, tho adherents of the president say, show
no disposition to Bupport administration
moasurcs.
Prosldont Taft Is reported as taking tho attl
tudo that If an obligation rests upon him to
glvo cortaln patronago to a representative of
his party thoro Is a reciprocal obligation upon
tho roprcsontativo to support tho president.
A number of tho "insurgents" were out In
Intorvlows today saying that thoy heartily agreed
with tho president's legislative program and as
sorting that Instead of using tho "whip" on
thorn, tho prosldont should use It on thoso load
ers who In tho paat had opposed tho Roosevelt
policies which Mr. Taft Is Booking to enact Into
law.
On tho part of tho president, It was said to
day that tho withholding of patronago does not
apply to tho "insurgents" and has absolutely
nothing to do with tholr fight against Speaker
Cannon or tho houso rules.
Victor Rosowater, republican national com
mlttooman from Nebraska, ono of tho Insurgent
states, saw Prosldont Taft this afternoon and
in an authorized lntorvlow said:
"Tho prosldont said to mo that ho wanted mo
to holp correct tho reports that aro being circu
lated to tho offoct that ho Is using tho patronago
club to whip so-called Insurgents Into lino. Tho
prosldont says that thoro Is a woll-founded cus
tom that has bocomo almost a rule that In mak
ing cortaln appointments, such as postmasters,
tho prosldont should act on recommendation of
tho members of congress In whoso districts tho
appointments Ho, If reported by a mombor of
the samo political party. This obligation rest
ing on tho prosldont, however, is reciprocal, ho
fools. Tho republican congressman, ho declares,
is undor a similar obligation to support admin
istration measures recommended by the presi
dent to carry out platform pledges on which
both woro elected.
"Tho president says ho has not turned down
recommendations of Insurgent congressmen, but
Is simply preserving tho status quo to impress
thorn of tholr obligation.
"Many of tho Insurgents havo frankly told
tho president that thoy would support him In
his legislative program, which already has been
protty definitely outlined. Thoy declare them
selves to bo republicans first and last, and thoy
say thoy will support measures framed to carry
out tho platform.
"Thoro aro still a fow of the insurgents, how
ever, who soom disposed to carry on an abso
lutely independent attitude and who are gen
erally against everything that tho loaders of tho
party aro for. To mako their position stronger
they aro willing to ally themselves with tho
democrats. It Is against these 'recalcitrants' that
tho no patronago order has been issued and so
far as President Taft is concerned it will stand
until tho members see fit to subscribe to tho
principles of tho party's legislative program."
THE PLOT THICKENS
It will bo romombored that Louis R. Glavls
wag chief of tho field division of tho general
land office and was dismissed at Secretary Bal-
.linger's instance, it is said. It is now Kiven
t ?y lJe admInisttion that Attorney General
-Wickershara made the report which resulted in
' G1a-via' discharge. In this report recently made
.public tho attorney general says that Glavls has
a bad case of "megalomania," which interpreted
means "a wholly exaggerated sense of his own
importance." Following is a summary of tho
attorney general's report:
First The insinuations or charges of im
proper action on tho part of Secretary Ballinger,
Assistant Secretary Pierce, Commissioner Den
nett, or Chiof of Field Division Schwartz are,
in my opinion, entirely disproved.
Second Tho suggestion that it was unlawful
for Mr. Ballinger to havo any professional rela
tion with these claimants because of his previous
incumboncy of tho office of commissioner of tho
land ofllco is, In my opinion, unsound.
Third Tho Cunningham locations were made
In July and August, 1904. All but three of them
proceeded to entry prior to May 1, 1907, and
tho remaining three In October, 1907, payments
aggregating $52,800 being mado and covered
into tho treasury. Instead of hampering or in
terfering with Glavls, every facility was given
to him by tho interior department, and, with
ono or two Immaterial exceptions, every request
for assistance was promptly granted. Had tho
department desired to Improperly pass tho
claims to patent it might havo dono so in Jan
uary, 1908, by simply acting on the favorable
roport of Special Agent Love, without notifying
Glavls that tho claims had been clear listed;
or, when tho fleldwork was redistricted, these
claims might havo been left in charge of the
now chief of field division at Portland when
Glavls was transferred to Seattle.
Fourth Glavls' claim that he prevented the
government from being defrauded by procuring
a reference to the attorney general of tho ques
tions of law involved, and tho overruling by
him of an opinion written by Assistant Secretary
Piorco, which would havo enabled tho Cunning
ham claimants to procure patents on their claims
is absolutely disproved by the record.
Fifth Tho intervention of the forestry
bureau, procured by Glavls, is shown by tho
record to have been entirely unnecessary to tho
protection of the interests of the United States.
Sixth Glavls "report" and summary abound
in contradictions and misstatements. They omit
to a degree that amounts to absolutely suppres
sion letters,, telegrams and other documents,
some of which were in his possession, and others
which were available to him and which com
pletely rebut inferences he seeks to have drawn
from thoso which he does submit.
Seventh Tho action of each and every offi
cial of the land office referred to in Glavls'
charges appears to have been inspired by tho
perfectly proper desire to bring to a conclusion
an investigation which was prolonged beyond
all roason, and which, if it had been prosecuted
with duo diligence, and if Glavls had properly
availed of the assistance placed at his disposal
by the land office, should have boon completed
and ready for trial not later than tho autumn
of 1908. Glavls' actions appear to have been
founded upon a wholly exaggerated sense of his
own importance, and a desire for personal ad
vancement rather than on any genuine desire
to protect the interests of the government, and
this species of megalomania has finally led him
to submit to you charges of Improper motives
and conduct against his official superiors, which,
In my opinion, are so unjust and unfounded as
to merit his immediate separation from the
service.
NOW PINOHOT MAKES TROUBLE
Another bombshell dropped in the republican
camp when Gifford Pinchot, late chief forester
addressed to Senator Dolliver a letter in which
he boldly endorsed the course adopted by Glavls
and intimated that tho president was mistaken
In permitting Glavls' discharge. Senator Halo
openly rebuked Pinchot for having written the
letter, calling attention to a recent order by the
president directing that no subordinate officer
should glvo information concerning the affairs of
the government except to his superior officer. A
Washington dispatch carried by tho Associated
Press says that immediately after this Incident
occurred in tho senate the president sent out a
hurry call for a cabinet meeting. The president!
LS?!!mS' 71 ParculaTly aggrieved because in
his letter to Senator Dolliver, Pinchot described
Glavls as "the most vigorous defender of the
people's rights," despite the fact that President
WhaS ?,Hlared FlavIa lmflt lonser to remaS
in the public service. This direct slap at the
president and the further declaration by Mr
Pinchot that the Cunningham coal lands really
Glayis and the forestry , bureau officials took a
oTtheh Sh lSmoJhUmFins the interns
of the high officials of the Interior department,
are said to havo aroused Mr. Taft to keen resent
jnent. The president is said to havo felt, for
some time that Mr. Pinchot has been "dofying
tho lightning."
TAFT FIRES PINOHOT
So incensed was President Taft by the letter
which Gifford Pinchot, chief forester, wrote to
Senator Dolliver that he ordered Pinchot to bo
immediately discharged from the public service.
Overton W. Price, associate forester, and Alex
ander C. Shaw, assistant law officer, who were
Pinchot's immediate assistants in the forestry
bureau were also discharged. The president
wrote to Pinchot a letter in which ho charges
that Pinchot asked Dolliver to read in the sen
ate Pinchot's letter and he concludes that by his
conduct Pinchot has destroyed his usefulness as
"a helpful subordinate of the government."
On the same day the president removed Pin
chot from the public service the house of repre
sentatives, through the votes of the democrats,
the house insurgents and three of Pinchot's per
sonal friends amended the Ballinger resolution
of inquiry so as to require that the appointment
of the house members of the investigating com
mittee shall be made by the house and not by
the speaker. This amendment was carried by a
vote of 149 to 146. Norris, republican, of Ne
braska, introduced the amendment. Representa
tive Ames of Massachusetts and Hamilton Fish
and Herbert Parsons of New York voted with
tho insurgents.
MR. BRYAN'S SPEECHES COMPLETE
Columbus, Neb., January 3, 1910. Charles
W. Bryan, Publisher The Commoner, Lincoln,
Neb. Dear Sir: A friend sent me a set of
Mr. Bryan's speeches for a Christmas present.
I had thought I was quite familiar with all or
the great commoner's speeches and writings but
now I find I had overlooked some of his best
efforts, and I give thanks to my friend for tho
valuable present. I began walking side by side
with Mr. Bryan at the beginning of his public
career. His labors of the present often carry
him far from tho persona touch of home-friends
but I find him a close companion still whenever
I take up his printed addresses. As one who
loves the man and his cause, I shall hope that
The Commoner will exert great effort to place
copies of the speeches in the hands of the
American people. Such books in any home must
serve as a guide to the household upon the path
of desire for better and purer governments
among men, and as inspiration to everi individ
ual seeking higher paths of civic duty?
Sincerely yours,
EDGAR HOWARD.
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AT STAKE
Everybody's Magazine informs its readers that
"representative government is at stake." It
calls upon its readers to take new interest in
politics. It says:
"In the house, every insurgent who voted
against the Cannon rule should be loyally and
enthusiastically supported, together with every
follower of Champ Clark who stuck by his party.
Retribution should be meted out to the demo
crats who turned traitor. And before the pri
mariesor at least before the congressional
electionevery candidate should be compelled
to give pledge that he will vote against Cannon
MM?ea mra?d vote for a cliailse in the rules
which will take away the speaker's power to
appoint committees, substituting therefor the
naming of committees by a bi-partisan commit
tee of the whole house; thus terminating that
un-American official's domination of the com
mittee on rules. Get that pledge from your con
gressman. Get a pledge that will bind his ac
tion, not alone in the party caucus but, far more
important, on the floor of the house Better
get the pledge in writing." ' - ter
'MOST CONSIDERATE!"
President Taft held a conference with six of
the" railroad presidents and then announced a
change of program in the sending of his mes
sage dealing with interstate commerce and anti
trust laws. An Associated Press dispatch from
Washington said: "President Taft found X
railroad men most considerate in presenting
their views." It was very kind, Indeed, tS
these gentlemen to be "most considerate" to
the president of the United States uenue to
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