Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-16
aaliseellansons Reading.
THE NEW CABINET.
Men Who Will Aid President Taft In
Performing His Duties.

Philander Chase Knox, who is Mr..
Taft's secretary Of state, re-enters the
cabinet after five years in the United
States senate, to which he was ap-
pointed in June, 1904 to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of Matthew M.
Quay. Like most Of his colleagues In
the new cabinet, Mr.. Knox is lawyer
and first came into national prominence
as attorney general in Mr.. McKinley's
first cabinet, when he successfully
prosecuted the Northern Securities
case. Mr. Knox is Sc years old. hav-
ing been born in Brownsville. Pa, May
6. 1853. After graduating from Mount
Union college at Alliance, O., he began
the study Of law in Pittsburg and three
wears later was admitted to the bar
in that city.
When Mr.. Knox was only "a years
of age he was appointed assistant
United States district attorney for the
western district Of Pennsylvania. Al
ter a short term in this office, how
ever, he resigned and entered private
practice with James H. Reed, under
the firm name Of Knox & Reed. Tne
firm became counsel for many large In
terests and IL is said that Mr.. Knox
has received some Of the largest fees
ever paid in this country. During the
Homestead riots in 1892 he was coun- |
sci for the Carnegie Steel company and
directed the legal end Of that famous
labor disturbance When in 1901 Mr..
Mckinley appointed him attorney gen.
eral, Mr.. Knox's participation IN the
Homestead affair caused some opposi- |
ton on the part Of labor organizations
to his confirmation.
AS attorney general, Mr.. Knox not
only prosecuted to q successful issue
the governments suit against the
Northern Securities company, but con-
Quoted the case against the so-calied
beef trust. with the result that that
combination was dissolved by the final
decree of the United States supreme
court. Mr.. Knox has been credited
also with having prepared and carried
through the Panama canal purchase In
1903. It was shortly after the conclu-
sion of the Panama purchase that Mr..
Knox was appointed to the United
States senate by Gov. Pennypacker to
fill the vacancy caused by the death
of Senator Quay, and afterwards he
was elected by the legislature for the
full term expiring in March, 1911.
It was at Mount Union college that
Mai. Mckinley first became acquainted
with young Knox. Mr.. Mckinley was
at that time prosecuting attorney OF
Stark county, and the acquaintance be-
gun when they were both young finally
ripened into the friendship Of later
years, and eliminated in the Pennsyl-
vanian's entry into the second McKin-
ley cabinet. 1t has always been under
stood that President Mckinley sought
to induce Mr.. Knox to accept the at
torney generalship in his first cabinet,
but the offer was declined on the plea |
of private interests. Mr.. Knox Is en-
titled to twice write the degree OF
LID. after his name, both the Uni |
versity of Pennsylvania and Yale uni
versity having conferred that honor
upon him.
Richard A. BaIIinser.
Four states may claim proprietary
interest in Richard A. Ballinger, the
new secretary of the interior. He is
native Of Iowa, having been born In
Boonsboro in 1859; after practicing law
in Illinois for a while he removed to
Alabama, and in 1889 he became a
resident Of Port Townsend in Wash
1ngton state. The next year he was
appointed United States commissioner
at Port Townsend and later was elected
Judge of the superior court Of Jeffer-
son county. Five years ago Mr.. Bal
linger was elected mayor Of Seattle,
and when his term as mayor expired
President Roosevelt appointed him
commissioner Of the general land office.
AS a practitioner at the bar Mr..
Balllnger made a speciality Of the ad-
miralty and maritime law, and the po-
sition as commissioner Of the general
land office gave him a wide knowledge
Of the land laws and other important
problems which will fall under his
Jurisdiction as secretary Of the inte-
rior.
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 the "Ballinger's
Annotated Codes and Statute Of Wash
ington" Mr. Ballinger is a Republi-
can state committeeman for the state
of Washington, and was a member ct
the advisory committee during the last
campaign.
Jacob M. Dickinson.
Jacob McGavock Dickinson, the new
secretary Of war, is the southern MEM
ber Of President Taft's cabinet. A
Mississippian by birth, he is citizen
Of Tennessee and as Cleveland Demo-
crat supported Mr.. Taft for the pres
dency. Probably his most notable pub
lie service was as counsel for the Unit
ed States in the Alaskan boundary |
case before the arbitration tribunal In
London in 1903. He was an assistant
attorney general Of the United States
during Cleveland's administration, and
has been general counsel for the Illi-
nois Central Railroad company for
some years, spending most Of his time
in Chicago, where the general offices
of that company are located. Mr..
Dickinson is So years old, having been
born in Columbus, Miss, in 1851. Hel
is graduate of the University Of
Nashville, from which school he has
degree as master Of arts, and he stud
led law at Columbia university, at the
University Of Leipzig, and in Paris.
He is president Of the American Bar