The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-08-09
KNOX DISPLAYS
HIS FISTIC SKILL
Attorney General Furnishes an
InsuIter in Restaurant.
PROMINENT MEN IN PARTY
TOO MODEST TO SAY JUST WHAT
HE DID TO HIS ADVERSARY.

cleared away the mass of official cor |
respondence, and was ready to receive |
the attorney general and Mrs. Knox, |
who arrived from New York about |
noon. They will be the guests of the
president and Mrs. Roosevelt until To-
morrow
To a representative of the Associated
Press Mr. Knox confirmed the report
that he had had a personal difficulty
with party of men in Atlantic city
last Wednesday night.
1T was one of those disagreeable IN
cidents," said he. that sometimes oc-
cur in a restaurant or other pubic
place. Accompanied by Mrs. Knox, my
daughter and two or three friends, in
Guiding District Attorney Youngs or
Pittsburg, / was dining in the res
taurant of the Gardener hotel. A par
" of men, none of whom l knew, !
seated themselves at an adjoining ia
bic. Their conduct was unseemly and
boisterous. They talked loudly, and
made comments upon members of my
party and were otherwise insulting, TO
put it very mildly. Under the circum-
stances, accompanied by the ladies, L
could not resent their actions or their
words at that time. They evidently
were seeking trouble, so without at
tracing more attention than possible,
I got my party out Of the restaurant.
Were Looking For Trouble.
"Then l returned" continued Mr..
Knox, with a smile, Ito see if the men
really were looking for me. L think
they were, for scarcely had L APP
preached them when they sprang up.
one of them aimed blow at my stom-
ach. but it failed TO reach me. l have
no idea who he was What happened
TO him am not prepared to say These
things occur very quickly. 1 am quite
satisfied, however, that he does not feel
as well today as I do. You will note
that l am looking first rate
You do not know who were in the
party of your assailsnts?'' the attorney
general was asked.
Not positively. l understand that
Charles T. Schoeu of Philadelphia and
one of the Cramps, also of Philadelphia,
were I'm the party, but even of that
am not at all positive
What actuated them 1 do not know
A newspaper today said that it had
something TO do with my attitude on
the trust question. but that seems to
be entirely unlikely. As they sat at the
table in the restaurant they made no
reference to the action which, as at
torney general, I have taken against
certain so-called trusts. Their remarks
ere personal to me and to my family.
end were of such "A nature that / could
do nothing but resent them.
Il understand that after / left the
restaurant at the conclusion of the diff
hculty. the walters suppressed the
crowd with some energy"
The attorney general evidently was
not in the least injured by his assail-
ants. and as he chatted about the
trouble did not seem to regret it very
seriously.
Important Topics Discussed.
The afternoon conference between
the president and Attorney General
Knox developed into one of the most
important held at Sycamore Hill.
Several months ago the Pacific Com
mercial Cable company sought permis-
sion from the executive branch of the
government to lay a Pacific cable, run
ming from San Francisco via Honolulu
and Guam to China. there to connect
with the British cable to the Phillip
pines.
The proposition of the company was
TO ASSUME ali expense of operating
the cable. For the concessions of the
lapdings at San Francisco, Honolulu
and Guam the company proposed to
grant to the United States government
special rates and in certain conditions
of war practically absolute control of
the cable. The conditions as presented
by the company to the president were
naturally such as any corporation
might make. They had been drawn
for the company's interests. Mr..
Roosevelt referred the whole subject to
Attorney General Knox with a request
that he go carefully over the proposed
conditions, eliminating such as he
might believe would be adverse to the
interests Of the government.
The results of his investigation and
his conclusions Mr.. Knox presented to
pr,eax-ag- IN, -I1.,r 4.
papers in the matter having been laid
before the president. Mr.. Roosevelt
approved of the amended conditions
and so far as the executive branch of
the government is concerned the COM
pany now may proceed with the work
of laying the cable.
Must Be Ratified by Congress.
IL is regarded as essential. however.
that the conditions be ratified by act
of congress. as some doubt exists OF
the right of the executive branch of
the government alone to grant such
privileges as are included in the Pa
cific Commercial Coble company's
proposition.
The conditions as approved by Mr..
Roosevelt are regarded as particularly
favorable to the government. and it is
believed that with the cordial indorse-
ment of the president. which he will
December. congress will ratify the con-
ditions without serious delay.
Attorney General Knox added sew
eral important conditions to those pro-
posed by the company, including these:
That the United States government at
all times shall have priority of service.
That the government. through the
postmaster general. as is customary in
such contracts. shall have the right to
FIX the rates TO be charged by the
company.
That in time of war the government
shall have the right absolutely to con-
troll the cable.
Right TO Purchase Cable.
That in order to protect not only the
government but also individual private
customers of the company, the Pacific
Commercial Gable company is required
30 lay a distinct line of cable from
China 20 Manila so that IL will not be
necessary TO depend upon the British
company which now controls the only
cable from Hongkong TO Manila
And finally. that the United states
at any time after the completion of the
line may purchase she line at an ap-
praised valuation to be fixed by arbi-
traitors selected in the usual manner by
the two parties TO the transaction.
BY those who have studied the sub
5ect, IL is believed that a cable laid un-
der the conditions proposed will be. to
all intents and purposes. a government
line. with few. if any. of the disadvan-
tages attendant upon government con-
struction and maintenance.
Under the United States treaty with