The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-13

 GIVEN OUT Taft And Knox Confer
 By Wire. ELIGIBILITY FOR CABINET President-E Elect Appeals to Senator
 Hale. azr. Taft Says the Ineiigibility of sen- ater Knox At This Time
 Would Be Pabiic
 Misfortune.

New Orleans. Feb. 12--PresIdent-
 elect Taft today gave out telegrams exchanged between him and Senator
 Knox, which seem to furnish solu- tion of the constitutional difficulty which has arisen In connection with
 Senator Knox's eligibility for a place In
 Judge Taft's cabinet.
 Senator Knox wired Judge Taft. care
 New Orleans custom house. as follows: "A bill has been introduced in the Senate to remove the constitutional bar
 to my eligibility to the cabinet by re- pealing the act providing for an in- crease in salary for the Secretary Of State. I, am In no way promoting or having anything to do with the meas-' | ure.
 "It Is a matter for you as the ap- whether the proposed action is desir-
 able or would be effective. Our minds should be free from all doubt concern | ing the legality and propriety of the proposed plan before acQuiescing in 1t. | If you have any reason for not approv- ing what ls being done,, 1t should be lannounced, otherwise an injustice may
 he done whoever may be appointed. "P, c. Knox"
 Judge Taft today sent in replys the | following:
 T sincerely hope that the bill repeal l ing the increase in salary for the Sec
 retary of State will pass. have no
 doubt that that will remove all tne oiL- ficuities of the situation in the light of its purpose. I should regard your in. eligibility at this time as great pub 1 lie misfortune and ft would be per. sonaI disappointment to me too great for me to express.
 1T have telegraphed Senator Hale.
 Speaker Cannon and Mr: Payne ose my kwa (Signed.) 'fW. H. Taft" Appeals Ts gematora Hale. Washington. Feb. 12--President-elect Taft has teiegraphed to Senator Hale urging Congress to remove all donpt of Senator Knox's eligibility to the os-
 fee of Secretary of State and saying tiIat the loss Of Mir. Knox from the eah~ fret pxsmierghip would be public mis- s
 me tsiewram foiiows,
 New orleans La. Feb. 17 1903.
 Hon. Eugene Hale. United States sen | ate, Washington.
 ''I sincerely hope that congEess VI,
 uass n bill eo remove any doubt ox Knox's Eligibility. have no duupk that a bill to repeal the bill increasing the salary of the Secretary of Htate VIII effect this purpose. and sincerely hope That it will pass. should regard the | loss of Senator Knox from the first place in my cabinet as public mts-
 fortune. (signed) "william H Taft"
 House leaders favorable to the adopt
 ion of the Senate hill reducing the sal ary of the Secretary of State to Ss,OoO year in order to make Senator Knox ei- l iKible for the position, have evolved scheme to avoid sending the Dill 70 the
 House Committee. on Judiciary. which | is said to be opposed to the measure. The bill was not offered to commit tee when the House met today, and In 1 exuanation, 1t leaked out that the | Committee on the Election Of President and Vice President intended 10 report
 a bill covering the same supJec.' 4nts t would make 1t possible 10 supstisuts inc House measure for the of the Sen
 ate, and no reference to eonHlt'e~
 would be necessary. The bill before the CommiI.ee on ans
 Election of President and Vice Presi- dant usas Introduced just as the House e61ourned yesterday, by Representative Gafra of west Virginia. It was
 et onca referred to the committee. of which he iS chairman.
 A meeting of that committee was caiIed for this afternoon. The tele- cram from Taft to Senator Hale urs
 ,rs IarialatIon to make Senator hho1
 aIigible has worked great cnanse n
 Ina sentiment in the House. nxsu
 nemhers of the Judiciary Comnnteee.
 ..Sn had believed the bill inenective ln
 ramoving the ineligibillty, expresssu
 thaIr intention to vote for the s senats
 sa,, .,ncs the President elect so desireo