The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-05-01
PENNsYLvANIA's CANDIDATE.

dppdlSAks 4g1f 1891 r& LLr .brtes
PENNSYLVANIA CANDIDATE.
Senator Philander Chase Knox was
yesterday endorsed by the republican
state convention Of Pennsylvania as
the choice Of the Quaker state for
the republican nomination for the
presidency. Those who have read the
leading republican newspapers Of Penn
sylvania realize that a determined ef-
fort is to be made to nominate him.
his chances are is problematical.
He will be one Of the many candi-
dates to whom the party can turn in
event Secretary Taft is not nomi-
In many respects Senator Knox is
a strong candidate. He stands well
with the financial interests as welr as
possessing the utmost confidence OF
the president. He is credited with be-
ing the attorney who planned the
United States Steel corporation, while
on the other hand he secured the dis
solution Of the Northern Securities
company while attorney general Of
the United States.
Senator Philander Chase Knox is
still a comparatively young man. He
will celebrate his fifty-ffth birthday
a week from yesterday, having been
born in Brownsville, Pa, on May 6,
1858. He has been we'll described as
a small, bullet-headed, round-faced
man, with a long upper lip, straight
jaw and heavy, square chin; dark blue
eyes, by turn twinkling or cold and
penetrating; a figure so short, COM
pact and symmetrical, so faultlessly
clothed, so dapper, as to seem boyish;;
a p~assionless mind absorbed in the
practical business Of life, with Slip
pered domesticity, golf and trotting
horses as his recreation"
IA sawed-of cherub," is a still
briefer description supplied by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. Others have referred
to him as a "Napoleon of %statecraft."
All agree that he is an able man.
Born in 1858, in the quiet town Of
Brownsville, Fayette county, Pa,
which has now some 1900 inhabi-
tants, his father, a respected rural
banker, desired him to adopt his
own vocation. The boys bent, how
ever, was to the law, and to the law
he went. He first attended the public
| school Of the village. Later he was
not sent, like many ons Of well-to-do
men Of western Pennsylvania, to a
famous eastern Institution, but to the
modest Mount Union college at ALI
ance, Ohio, a fact which had its fate
full effect upon the current Of his life
There he was study-mate Of William
Mckinley, with whom he, formed
friendship which grew with the
years, and when the former became
president Of the United States he In
duced the latter to accept a place II
his cabinet. Knox was graduated
at the age Of 10 and was already re
solved upon the career Of law. /
was with McKinley's urgent approva
that he entered the law office Of H. B
| Swope, then the United States distric
attorney for western Pennsylvania.
Three years later he was admitted
to the bar, and with remarkable "a
pidity he rose to distinction. Hi
success in pleading before juries wa
almost UNMARRIED. His manner wa
%colloquial, direct and intimate. HI
had the faculty Of making each juro
feel that he alone was being address
ed, thus gaining an ample sympa
thetic reinforcement Of his argu
ments. While still in his 20's he be
came district attorney Of Pittsburg
but soon relinquished the office 70
private practice.
Mr.. Knox's practice Of the la,
brought him a rich competence i
comparatively few years.
A month after Mr.. Mckinley wa
inaugurated as president Mr.. Kno
entered upon the duties OF attorne
general Of the United States. Ate
the assassination Of the president, t.
ward the end of the year 1901, M
Knox, IS well as the other cabine
ministers, remained in ONCE at M:
Roosevelt's request, and until nearl
the date Of his appointment to tn
United States senate.
--O
SENATOR CLARK AND HIS MINE.
+ 1t has been frequently asserted Il