Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-03-06
PHIl-ANDER c. KNOX.

| Philander Chase Knox, who will be
MIR. Taft's secretary of state, re-enters
the cabinet after five years in the
| United States senate, to which he was
appointed in June. 1904, ito fill the va
cancy caused by the death of Matthew
NJ. Quay Like most of his colleagues
in the new cabinet Mr.. Knox is a law
yer and first came into national prom
lnence as attorney general in Mr. Nc
Kinley's first cabinet when he success
fully prosecuted the Northern Securi
having been born in Brownsville, Pa,
May 6, 1853 After graduating from
Mount Union College at Alliance, o.,
he began the study of law in Pitts
burg and three years later was adj
mitted to the bar in that city. When
MIR. Knox was only "A years of age he
was appointed assistant United States
district attorney for the western dis
trict of Pennsylvania. After a short
| term in this office, however, he. re-
signed and entered private practice
with James H. Reed, under the firm
name of Knox & Reed. The firm be-
came counsel Cor many large interests
and it is sstid that Mr.. Knox has re-
ceived some of the largest fees ever
paid in this country. During the Home
stead riots IN 1892 he was counsel for
the Carnegie Steel Company, and d.
rected the legal end of that famous la
Dor disturbance. When in 1901 Mr. Nc
kinley appointed him attorney general
Mr. KnoX's participation in the Home
te,fn 4 fc,;r =
the part of labor organizations to his
confirmation. AS attorney general Mr..
Knox not only prosecuted to a success
full issue the governments suit against
the Northern Securities Company, but
conducted the case against the So
called beef trust with the re-
suit that that combination was
dissolved by the final decree
of the United States supreme court.
MIR. Knox has been credited also with
having prepared and carried thru the
Panama canal purchase in 1908. 1t was
shortly after the conclusion of the
Panama purchase that Mr.. Knox was
appointed to the United States senate
by Governor Pennypacker to fill the va
cancy caused by the death of Senator
Quay, and afterward he was elected by
the Legislature for the full term eX-
piring in March. 1911.
1t was at Mount Union College that
Major Mckinley first became ac-
quainted with young Knox. Mr.. Nc
Kinley was at that time prosecuting
attorney of Stark county, and the ac-
quaintance begun when they were both
young finally ripened into the friend
ship of latel. years, and eliminated in
the Pennsylvanian's entry into the
second Mckinley cabinet. 1t has ALWAYS
been understood that President Nc
kinley sought to induce Mr.. Knox to
accept the attorney generalship in his
cabinet, but the offer was declined on
the plea of private interests. Mr. Knox
is entitled to twice write the degree of
LID. after his name, both the Uni
versity of PENNSYLVANIA and Yale I'm
iversity having conferred that honor
upon him.
RICHARD A. BALLINGER.
Four states may claim a proprietary
interest in Richard A. Ballinger, the
new secretary of the interior. He is a
native of Iowa having been born in
Boonesboro in 1859; after practising
law in Illinois for a while he removed
to Alabama, and in 1889 he became a
resident of Port Townsend in WASH
ington state The next year he was APP
pointed United States commissioners at
Port Townsend and later was elected
judge of the superior court of Jeffer-
son county. Five years ago Mr.. Ballin-
ger was elected mayor of Seattle, and
when his term as mayor expired Pres
ident Roosevelt appointed him COM
missioner of the general land office.
AS practitioner at the bar Mr..
Ballinger made a speciality of the adj
lniralty and maritime law, and his po-
sition as commissioner of the general
land office gave him wide knowledge
of the land laws and other important
problems which will fall under his
jurisdiction as secretary of the in
terror.
Mr.. Ballingers father Studied law in
the office of Abraham Lincoln, and his
ancestors on both sides participated in
the war of the revolution and the war
of 1912 He was prepared for college,
in the public schools and is a graduate
of Williams College, class Of 'S4. He is
the author of "Ballinger on Commu-
nifty Property" and Of "Ballinger's An
notated Codes and Statute of Washing
ton" Mr. Ballinger is republican
state committeeman for the state of
Washington and was a member of the
advisory committee during the last
campaign.