New-York tribune., 1907-06-08
mR. KNOI,S CANDIDACY.

The unanimous action Of the Pennsylvania
Republican Convention. placing Senator hnoN
in nomination for the Presidency, brings he"
figure Of force and interest into the contest tor
the Presidential succession. Mr.. Knox enters
that contest with conceded qualifications and
with q considerable measure of support his
candidacy Is not piece of political Dy-plaF' nor
is he being pushed TO the front by pollticlahs
with other chestnuts to pull out of the fire.
PENNSYLVANIA has had few candidates for the
Presidency and in the long period between 1874
and 1896 when the country was almost evenly
divided and availability hinged largely on resi-
dence in one of the doubtful states Pennsyl-
vania, as the banner Republican commonwealth,
was In no position to seek or dictate Presidential
nominations. Her people were satisfied with
the triumph of Republican policies and set little
store on the installation OF one of their own
leaders In the White House. 1t is true that the
keystone State supported General John f. Hart
ranft In the Republican National Convention Of
1876 and Matthew s. Quay in the National Con
ventlOn of 1895. But the delegation was not
unit In either case, and both those candidates.
were movements 10 accomplish a negative rather
than a positive result. They were inspired by
an Interior motive and merely had the effect of
detachng support which would otherwise have
been given to outside residential candidates
Blaine in 1876 and Mckinley in 1896.
There is no ulterior motive behind the Knox
movement Pennsylvania is proud of her junior
Senator, the ablest and most representative she
has had in more than a generation, and her
people are genuinely united in wishing 10 see
him lead the party in the next Presidential con
test If Mr.. Roosevelt is not to have another
term, they want to the Roosevelt policies
carried out by a man intimately associated with
the development of those policies. 1t is no ex-
aggeration to say that Mr.. Knox as Attorney
General laid the basis for the procedure under
which the government has undertaken to break
up unlawful combinations in restraint of trade
and to curb and regulate the operations Of en-
terprses which have been trespassing on the
rights and mmunities Of the public. He out
lined plan of attack on monopOlistic practices
which has been followed with extraordinary
success. He put vitality into old laws and
helped to secure ones under which the
whole attitude Of the government was changed
toward combinations using doubtful or usurped
powers AS President Roosevelt justly said al
Harrisburg last fall: During the last few
years the national government has taken very
'strong strides in the direction of exercising
land securing adequate control over the great
corporations, and 1t under the leadership
"of one Of the most honored public men in our
country, one Of Pennsylvanla's most eminent
"sons-the present Senator and then Attorney
General Knox-that the new departure was
begun
Mr.. Knox is a candidate who can point to
substantial things accomplished as n proof Of
his intelligent public service and his capacity
for further leadership. He has ability high
character and political courage, and ne starts
his canvass with the comfortable nucleus of
siXtyeight votes. The contest for the Repub-
lican nomination next year promises to be a
stirring one. But 1t will be free from faction
alism and petty partisanship There are many
Republicans amply equipped to lead and I'm the
main agreed on the policies which the party
must follow. Republicans everywhere are to-
day united as never before, and with the excel
lent material offered there can be no possible
excuse for falling TO name next year n thor
Oughly acceptable national ticket