The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-02-20
Is MR.. KNOX ELIGIBLE ]?
Taft Will Have to Choose New
Cabinet Premier.
UNLESS OBSTACLE IS REMOVED,
Racon's Proposed Successor Denies
Himself to All Callers Except
Legal Lights Whose Con-
.sss clusions ar.n Arunit<<s I'd ~ sssAs
clusi0ns are Awaited

~ ~ esWAhnln&IOn senator kH0x ell
igtbie for appointment as secresry oi
state in the incoming administfatio
or is the president-elect confronted
with the pressing question OF select
'is a lev premier Tor his cabinet.
This is question that has con
fronted ali official Washington for
several days and consequently there
has been much connine of constitu-
tlons, statute books, supreme court
decisions, opinions of comptrollers of
the treasury and other usual sources
of such information.
The facts of the case are perfectly
plain and not disputed. Senator Knox
was last elected in 1905 for six
year trem, which will not expire un-
til March 9, 1911.
The constitution prohibits the ap-
pointment of senator to an office
created, or the salary of which has
been increased, during the term for
which he was elected The salaries
of the president, vice-president and
cabinet officers were raised at the
present session of congress.
So the question is, whether under
this uncontrovertible state of affairs
Senator Knox can lawfully succeed
Robert Bacon March 4.
It is quite evident that the senator
himself is great deal perturbed by
the springing of this question at this
moment.
He has denied himself to all call
ers, but is advising with his personal
friends; especially those OF a legal
turn of mind.
The Washington Post has dis
covered a new precedent bearing on
the Knox case, which is as follows:
"The case of Senator L. M. Morrill,
of Maine seems to furnish a prece-
dent for the proposed action of con-.
2ress ia restoring tha Eure
ana thereby Grabbing Senator Phil-
ander G. Knox to assume that Office.
Senator Morrill, was elected to the |
senate in 1871 for the term ending
March 8, 1877 During his term
March 8, 1879 congress enacted
the notorious salary grab" raising
the salaries of the president, the JUS
tices of the supreme court, the' vice
president, the cabinet. the speaker
and members of congress. The salary
of the secretary of the treasury was
raised from 5000 to 10000. On
Jan. 20, 1874, an act was passed
restoring all the salaries to their old
figures, with the exception of those
of the president and members of the
supreme court. Senator Morrill, re-
signed from the senate July Z, 1876,
becoming secretary of the treasury
under Gen. Grant and serving until
March 8, 1877.
mo question was raised, apparent
ly, against Senator Morrill's accept
ance of the treasury portfolio. The
of the Office had been
increased during the time for which
he was elected senator, and If the
salary had not been reduced he
would have been ineligible for APP
pointment But with the restoration
of the salary to its old figure the con-
stitutional inhibition did not seem to
apply to his case. At any rate the
point was not made against him"
The Post, after reciting the facts
that the people of the coan
try are not interested in technicali-
ties if they can be assured that the
spirit of the constitution is being OBJ
served, which it insists will be the
fact in this case If the salary is. re-
duced to where it was prior to Mr.
Knox's advent In the senate.