The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-02-17
TAFT URGES KNOX
Senator DiSpIeaSed at the
House Opposition.
INCLINED TO DECLINE OFFICE.
Er. Taft Says He Greatly Desires
to Have the Pennsylvania
"a Secretary Of
State.

Washington, Feb. 49,. President
Elect Taft and United States Senator.
Philander G. Knox Of Pennsylvania
held q conference here today, and the
main topic discussed by them was the
question whether Senator Knox should
accept the post Of secretary of state In
the Taft cabinet.
Mr.. Knox was disposed to decline
the offer of place in the cabinet in
view Of the opposition that developed
in the house of representatives to the
disability.
The fact that the house by a vote
of 179 to 1913, which lacked the neces-
sary two-thirds, refused to suspend
the rules and that after the committee
on rules had substituted a majority
vote the bill was passed only by the
vote Of 173 to III made Mr.. Knox feel
that the assurances given to him that
there would be but little opposition
were not fulfilled.
Regardless Of the fact Mr. Knox did
not stop the efforts to pass the bill.
Many of his friends said he would re-
fuse to accept the Office Of secretary of
state-not on the ground that he can
not accept cOnstitutionally If the sal
ary is reduced to the figure 1t was be-
fore, but for the reason that, on the
grounds Of ethics, he may injure his
standing with the bar Of the country
If he consents to the appointment.
While no official statement was
made as to the result Of the confer
.ence today, 1t was said that President
Elect Taft urged Mr.. Knox to accept,
saying that he greatly desired to have
the Pennsylvania as secretary of
state.
The first vote was taken on the bill
under general order for the suspension
of the rules, and under that order, ac-
-cording to the standing rules Of the
house, a bill must receive a two-thirds
majority to insure its passage. The
first vote stood 179 to 1913, the major
ity thus falling considerably below
the two-thirds requirement.
Immediately after this result was
announced the house committee on
rules held q meeting, which resulted
in Mr.. Dalzell's bringing in a rule
making 1t in order for the house to
again take up the bill and act upon it
under conditions which would require
only majority vote to pass it.
The opponents of the measure did
not cease their antagonism, which on
the previous consideration had brought
out a number of sharp criticisms, but
Immediately demanded a roll call on
the previous question on the adoption
of the rule.
Mr.. Olmsted of Pennsylvania con-
tended that the bill did not accomplish
an evasion of the constitution. Among
other precedents Mr.. Olmsted cited the
case of Senator Morrill, of Vermont,
who was appointed secretary of the
treasury.
Mr.. Williams of Mississippi. who
opposed the BILL declared that Senator
Morrill, had been confirmed through
senatorial courtesy, which, he said,
"overrides all bars, constitutional and
otherwise" The bill, he declared, was
"a clear, plain, palpable, obvious and
manifest case of n direct and express
ed constitutional inhibition"
Mr.. Clark of Missouri took the floor
In opposition to the bill and said that
congress was making itself "the laugh
ing stock of every intelligent man on
the face of Gods green earth" He
quoted a famous expression by the
late Tim Campbell of New York,
whats the constitution between
frlendsy'
III adding his voice against the bill
Mr. Caulfield of Missouri declared that
it was a case of constitutional Jug
glery or legislative favoritism.