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autumn, in which he reiterated his charges against the higher 
officials of the Interior Department, when for a while things 
seemed to quiet down. In December Secretary Ballinger issued 
his annual report in which he recommends far reaching legisla- 
tion in favor of Conservation. Indeed, his suggestions are in 
practical • accord with the most advanced utterances of the ex- 
treme conservationists, the essential points recommended being 
the systematic classification of the public domain, new coal land 
laws, the repeal of the “Timber and Stone Acts,” the amendment 
of the Carey Act, and a comprehensive outline of a law for the 
control and administration of water power sites. 
But the stream though calm on the surface was troubled. 
Criticism of the Interior Department did not cease, and finally in 
December came the demand for an investigation. After a vigor- 
ous debate in Congress the scope of this investigation was wid- 
ened to include the Forest Service in the Agricultural Depart- 
ment as well as the Department of the Interior. While the ap- 
pointment of the investigating committee was under discussion 
in Congress, a letter from Mr. Pinchot was read on the floor of 
the Senate by Senator Dolliver of Iowa, in which Mr. Pinchot in 
defending two of his subordinate officers in the Forest Service, 
Mr. Overton W. Price, Associate Forester, and Mr. A. C. Shaw, 
Law Officer, both of whom had been active in keeping up the 
fight for the retention by the Government of the Cunningham 
claims, openly championed Glavis as a “most vigorous defender 
of the people's interests.” This letter led President Taft, on 
January 7, to dismiss Mr. Pinchot, together with Messrs. Price 
and Shaw, from the Forest Service on the ground of insubordina- 
tion. 
A few days later the President transmitted to Congress a 
strong message in favor of Conservation, recommending that the 
suggestions in Secretary Ballinger’s report be carried out. 
Simultaneously bills prepared under the direction of the Presi- 
dent were introduced into Congress. These bills are now await- 
ing action, being items on the program of legislation advocated 
by the administration. The more important bills meet with the 
approval of the leading exponents of Conservation and whatever 
the outcome of the present investigation of the Interior Depart- 
ment, ought to be enacted, into law. As has already been pointed 
out, the revision and amendment of the existing laws relating to 
the natural resources is of the utmost importance and must not 
be lost sight of in the dust raised by the side issues of this con- 
troversy. 
President Taft has repeatedly shown his belief in the prin- 
ciples of Conservation. A further evidence of his attitude was 
the appointment (to succeed Mr. Pinchot) as Forester of the 
Agricultural Department, of Henry S. Graves, Director of the 
Yale Forest School. Unquestionably next to IMr. Pinchot, Prof. 
Graves is the most prominent forester in the United States. 
