Evening journal., 1909-03-05
Men WHO MAKE
TAFT CABINET
Only Two Of Roosevelt Ad-
miniStratiOn in New Of
fiCiaI Family
MANY SECTIONS
ARE REPRESENTED

WASHINGTON. March president
Taft starts his administration with
new advisers in seven Of the cabinet
posts and two occupants who held over
from the Roosevelt era, Secretary Will
son continuing as Secretary of Agri-
culture and George Won l.. Meyer
changing from his former post of
Postmaster General to that of Secre-
tary of the Navy.
The most marked characteristic of
the men forming Mr.. Tafts official
family is the preponderance of lawyers
among them, seven out of the nine
having had legal training. From a
geographical point of view the East
FURNISHES four of the new cabinet, the
Middle West three and the South and
the Pacific Coast one each.
Secretary Of State.
Philander Chase KNOX, who assumes
the heavy burdens Of secretary of state
in the Taft cabinet, was born in
Brownsville, Fayette county, Pennsyl-
vania, on May 4, 1858. His father.
David S. Knox, banker had desired
and intended that his son should sue
coed him. Young knox demurring
was sent to Mount Union College at
Mckinley, and the two entered into a
close friendship. Mckinley prevailed
on Knox to adopt the law. and when
ina 1872 he was graduated from the
Mount Union College he went immedi-
atoly to Pittsburs to begin his studies
He made that city his home, entering
successfully the law Offices of II. b.
Swope, then United states district at
torney for the Western district OF
Pennsylvania, and OF David Reed
On being admitted TO the bar IN
January, 1875. he entered into a part
nership with Judge ]. II. Reed.
Secretary Of War.
The new secretary of war, Jacob M
Dickinson. is a Democrat by inherit
ance and a native of Mississippi, hav-
ing been born at Columbus, January
80. 1861. on being graduated from
the University of Nashville. he came Il
New York and took the law course
at Columbia College, going later to the
University of Leipsic and to Paris tC
supplement these studies. His admis
sion TO tie bar followed IN 1874. Two
years later he married, Miss Aiarths
Overton. of Nashville. Tenn.
Mr.. Dickerson has been the recipen
of numerous appointive honors. IL
served several times by special com
mission ON the Supreme Court bencl
of Tennessee, was assistant attornel
general of the United States from 1S9
TO 1897 and counsel FOR the Unitel
States before the Alaskan Bonndar.
Tribunal in 1903. From 1907 to 100
he was president Of the American Ba
I Association.
He became chief adviser to the Car
negie Steel Company. the Union Trus
Company, Jones & Laughlin, the Do
nora steel Company and many othe
rich and powerful corporations. Hi
settlement of the Frick-Carnegie dif
ferences first brought general recogni
ton Of his abilities. For his service
in that momentous duel he is said I
have received a fee Of sl,000.0ee.
Previous TO entering the Cabinet 0
President Mckinley as Attorney Gen
eral, in 1901, Secretary Knox had he'll
no public office other than that Of AS
sistant United States District Attorne
for the Western District of Pennsyl
vania.
In 1904 Attorney General Knox lef
the Cabinet Of Theodore Roosevelt /
become Senator from Pennsylvania
succeeding Matthew S. Quay.
Secretary Knox married Miss Lilila
Smith, daughter of Andrew ID. Smiti
Of the LabeIfe steel Works. They hav
four children.
Secretary Of the Treasury.
! Franklin McVeagh, like the man vii
is the chief of the incoming Cabinet
halls from Pennsylvania. He wa
graduated from Yale in 1862 and tw
( years later from the Columbia LAY
School. He is a brother Of Wayn
McVeagh, who was attorney general 4
| Garfield's Cabinet and Minister TO Ital
, under Grover Cleveland.
Abandoning the law. because Of i
health, he went TO Chicago and entere
business there. The wholesale fir
which bears his name and OF whic
, he is the head, is one of the largest /
the country.
Mr.. McVeagh, in 1874. was mad
: president of the Citizens Association
: and bore a leading part in many an
important municipal reforms. Beside
holding the presidency OF the Chicag