New-York tribune., 1909-02-13
WANTS KNOX In CABINET
VIZ TAFT FOR HALE BILL.
WouId Regard Loss of Senator 8
Ser1qces as Public Misfortune.

...-r orleans Feb 1.-THE correspondence be-
- Mr.. Taft and Senator Knox. made public
- odsy makes it clear that the disposition
- conSress 70 remove any constitutional OBJ
-, IN he way Of the appointment Of the
s.v,,-zuia Senator as Secretary of State has
-. .pprovaI Of the Presdent-elect Senator
-, telegraphed to MI Taft as follows:
tsu has been introduced in the Senate to
..-,ove the constitutional bar to my eligibility
fei..s cabinet by repeating the act providing for
% a. Icrsase In salary for the Secretary OF State.
a., a. n no way promoting or having anything to
GO W. matter for YOU the sppointive power.
:. s-st determine whether the proposed action is
oes.t ot5 he free from ali doubt concerning the
-s;:sv and propriety OF the proposed plan
tssoTe acauiescins in It II you have any rea-
N for not approving what is being done, II
is soa b. announced. otherwise injustice
NV be done whoever may be appointed
~ Taft to-day sent the following reply:
sincerely hope that the bill repeating the
,a-esre in salary <or the Secretary OF State viii
- have no doubt that that Will remove
P1hA 5tT5cuities Of the situation in the light OF
a.. -s1-nose should regard your ineligibiity
~ This time as great public misfortune. and
t.,rorId be personal disappointment 70 me TOO
,res4 for me TO express
have teIegraphed Senator Hale, Speaker
,<.rron and Mr.. Payne Of my wishes and hopes
IL this regard
n,, Taeys telegram to Senator Hale follows:
g
- remove any doubt OF Knox's eiigibility.
s.vs no doubt that bill TO repeal the bill in
r-sssinR the salary Of the Secretary OF State
s.- - = win pass I shcuId regard the loss OF
ss-s+o- Knox from the first place in my CasrAet
Is public misfortune
IRON Tae Tribune Bureau-I
washington. Feb. 1z--House leaders find great
.,,so,a4jon in the dispatch received by Sem
.4o- Hale from Mr.. Taft this morning. making
,,.,r.his position with regard 10 Senator Knox
-b.v t.elieve that this message viii have the ef-
sect OF solidifying sentiment on the Republican
,,se and viii greatly facilitate the passage Of e
resolution removing the constitutional bar to the
,nr,o;ntr1ert Of Mr.. Knox The, Hale bin
sent over 70 the House last night. but was not
-.ss-red 10 the Judiciary Committee. After
Conference with his Heutenants Speaker Cannon
decided that It useless TO trust the measure
,o q committee the chairman OF which had al
-ssdy expressed his opinion the subject, and
she members OF which were known TO be about
eo,laliy divided In opinion Mr.. Cannon had re-
solved that the resolution should be put to a
voae of the House and for this reason Repre-
sentative Gaines, OF West virginia, was In
ttructed 10 introduce resolution similar to that
Of senator Hale. which was referred to Mr.
r,snes's Committee on the Election Of Presi-
asnt and Vice-President This committee will
-epo-t the resolution and on Monday at
tempt viii be made 20 pass il Immediately.
Among ths Democrats who have announced
treir intention OF lighting the measure Is John
Wesley Gaines. Of Tennessee. He maintains
that NJ. Knox could not b President If the sal
z-v OF the President is increased, refusing 20
.zke cognizance of the fact that the constitu-
tionsI restriction concerns only appointments 20
civil Office and for this reason he will vote
sssingt the resolution
f7,% -xiO e Z
70 fhs fate of the resolution. and they are max
INK every effort possible 70 secure majority
for II and 10 avoid an exploitation Of constitu-
+ionsI icre which might prove embarrassing TO
the Presi6ent-elect ana the future Secretary OF