Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-24
KNOX SELECTION WISE
Taft's Choice of Premier Pleas
ing to People of Country
Generally
CONFIDENT HE WILL MAKE GOOD
Knox Makes Heavy Personal Sacrifice
in Quitting Senate for Cabinet Po-
sition Choice from Upper House
Not Always Strongest - Knox
Wealthy and Able to Do Honors.

Wealthy and Able to Do Honors.
Washington, Dec. 24.-Word reach
ing Washington from all parts OF the
country is that the public generally is
we'll pleased with the announcement
that Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania, Is
to be secretary of state in the Taft
cabinet. 1t is doubted here if bet
ter selection could have been made.
John c. Spooner, the brilliant lawyer
from Wisconsin, probably would make
as good a secretary of state as Mr.,
Knox, but Mr.. Spooner was not avail
able. 1t is understood that Mr.. Taft
had him In mind, but was compelled
that Mr.. Spooner is a poor man, and
it takes money, and lots of it, to do
the proper things socially here as the
chief of cabinet
"A book might be written about the
expense of living In the nations capt
tai, particularly for those In official
place and how that expense has been
increasing by leaps and bounds during
the past quarter century. 1t is
enough in this place, however. to say
that no man without an independent
income, and large one, can in these
luxurious days afford to be leading
cabinet member, or hope In any way TO
become part of social washington.
The rapid and steady influx of mill
iionaires who have come to see that
Washington is highly desirable place
for winter residence, has entirely al
tered the standards of living, and only
the rich can do those things which now
come to be expected of those in society
OF course, such a state of affairs at
once eliminates such men as John C.
Spooner, no matter what their ability
or how useful they might be to an adj
ministratiOn.
Mr.. Knox is wealthy and he will be
able to do the honors of the American
premiership with perfect taste and
ability of high order The selection
is believed to have assured Mr.. Taft
a successful four years, so far as our
relations with the outside world are
concerned.
Knox Makes Sacrifice.
Mr.. Knox accepted the offer made by
Mr.. Taft with a good deal Of re-
luctance, for in these later days a
place in the senate is regarded, as a
general proposition, as being more de-
sirable than a place in the cabinet.
complete change from the prevailing
opinion existing up to generation ago.
The power of the senate has been
steadily increasing with the passing
years, while that of the cabinet has
either remained stationary or has act
ually diminished, the latter being the
case when the presidency is occupied
by man of the vigor of Roosevelt.
Most of the distinguished secretaries
of state in this country have had pre-
vious training in the legislative branch
of the government, the same as Mr..
Knox, and some of them had served in
both houses of congress. This was
true of the great trio, Webster, Clay
and Calhoun, probably the men who
adorned the office of secretary of state
more than any Of their predecessors or
successors. When they left legislative
office to go into the cabinet, it was
generally thought that they were being
promoted. In 1877 John Sherman left
the senate to become secretary Of the
treasury, but there was a peculiar rea-
son for this act on his part. In the
Hayes cabinet he exerted a tremendous
influence, owing to the weak and color
less administration Mr.. Hayes was Civ
ing the country, and besides he was
able to build up political machine
with which for years afterwards he
fought for the presidency.N When Mr..
Sherman left the senate in 1897 to
enter the Mckinley cabinet, he was
merely the pawn in a big game of po-
litical chess being played by Mark
Hanna, who wanted place in the SEN
Sherman off to the cabinet, Mckinley
consenting under protest.
Senate Won't Be Weakened.
For the most part, of late years. when
presidents have gone to the senate for
cabinet appointments, they have made
mistakes, weakening themselves In the
legislative branch Of the government.
This was notably true of Mr.. Cleve-
land, who it is now generally admitted
ought not to have taken Bayard Lamar
and Garland out Of the senate to COM
plete his cabinet. These men, if left
in the senate, might have been able to
stem the tide which set in there
against Cleveland and caused him so
much trouble. The men in question
were the democratic leaders of the
senate, and when they were removed
there was nobody, on that side of the
chamber able to resist the terrific on
slaught made by such republicans as
Edmunds, Hoar, Sherman, Harrison,In-
gals and Spooner. In the second
Cleveland administration it would have
been better, 1t is now believed, had
Mr.. Cleveland left Carlisle in the SEN
ate to defend his policies.
Mr. Knox's place in the senate will
be acceptably filled by Elihu Root, who
is to succeed Thomas G. Platt, of New
York, next March. And besides, Mr..
Taft has the advantage which Mr..
Cleveland did not have, of a strong ma
jority of his party in the senate. The
"lifting" of Mr.. Knox will therefore
probably not weaken the senate repub-
licans materially, while it will strength
en- the new cabinet.