The San Francisco call., 1909-02-13
TAFT WANTS KNOX
TO ENTER CABINET
Says His IneligibiIity Would Be
Disappointment and Mis-
fortune

NEW. ORLEANS, La. Feb 12.-
President elect Taft today gave out the
kilograms exchanged between him and
Senator Knox which seem to. furnish
solution to the constitutional diff
Guilty that has arisen in connection
with Senator Knox's eligibility for a
place in Judge Taft's cabinet
Senator Knox wired Judge Taft as
follows:
A BIZ has been introduced in the senate TO
remove the constitutional bar to my eligibility
70 the cabinet BY repeating the act providing
for an increase in salary for the secretary OF
state am in way promoting having
anything to do with the measure
It is matter for you, the appointiye
power, 10 first determine whether the proposed
action is desirable or would be effective our
the legality and propriety of the proposed plan
before scquieseing in it, II you have any
il should be announced. otherwise injustice
may be done TO whOmever may be appointed.
Judge Taft today sent in reply the
following:
sincerely hope that the bill repeating the
increase in salary for the secretary of state
/ have no doubt that thst will remove ali
the difficulties OF the situation in the light Of
its purpose / should regard your ineligfbiIify
at at this time as great public misfortune and
il would be a personal disappointment TO me
too great for me TO express.
1 have Photographed Senator Hale, Speaker
cannon ana MI Payne OF my wishes ana hopes
in this regard. W II. TAFT.
AS soon as the brilliantly lighted and
decorated hall had been filled Mr.. Taft
was tremendously invested with the
jewel and title of the prince of the
Philippines" by the imperial ambassa-
dor OF Rex, Judge Larry O'DonneH, the
compliment being a forerunner of the
carnival season.
Opposition in House
WASHINGTON. Feb. ia bill of
Representative Gaines to decrease the
emoluments of the secretary of state
late today was referred to the house
committee on election of president, vice
president and representatives in con-
gress. Some of. the members of the
committee on judiciary, however, are
striving for a way to get hold of the
measure. They claim that both the
Gaines bill and its counterpart, the SEN
ate bill, should have been referred to
the committee OF lawyers. Instead, the
former was sent to another commit
tee and the senate bill stin rests on
the speakers table waiting for the
Gaines measure-to make Its appearance.
movement is being considered to
have some members of the committee
ask tomorrow for a change of refer
enee.
representative Clayton (Ala), recog-
nized as one of the leading lawyers of
the house, believes that the bill will do
all 1t is, intended to accomplish, and
he will vote in accordance with that
view He contends that the house is
not considering the eligibility of SEN
ator Knox. That question, he says, will
only come before the senate when the
confirmation of his probable nonGna-
ton is requested.
The telegram of President elect Taft
to Senator Hale urging legislation to
make Senator Knox eligible has worked
great change Of sentiment in the
house. Even members of the judiciary
committee who had believed the bill
inefficient in removing the ineligibility
expressed their intention to vote for
the senate bill, since the president elect
so desires it.