The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-04
Men Who Will Act in the Ca
pacity of Advisers
OF the Administration Inaugu-
rated at Washington Today.
ONE is A DEMOCRAT.
But Voted the Republican Ticket
Last Year.
The Mysterious Stranger Se-
cures a Place at Table.

RPhilander Chase Knox. who will be
Mr.. 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, to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of Mat
thew NJ. Quay. Like most of his coll
leagues in the new cabinet Mr.. Knox is
a lawyer, and first came into national
prominence as attorney-general in Mr..
Mckinley's first cabinet when he sue
cessfully prosecuted the Northern Sc
curft1es case. Mr.. Knox is fifty-six
years old. having been born in
brownsville, Pa, May 6, 1853. After
graduating from Mount Union College
at Alliance, Ohio, he began the study
or law in Pittsburg and three years
Later was admitted to the bar in that
city When Mr.. Knox was only twen-
ty-Iour years of age he was appoint
ed assistant United States district at
torney for the western district of
pennsylvania. After short term in
this office, however he resigned and
entered private practice with James
II. Reed, under the firm name of Knox
& Reed. The firm became counsel for
many large interests and it 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 counsel for the Carnegie Steel
Co, and directed the legal end of
that famous labor disturbance. When
in 1901 Mr.. Mckinley appointed him
attorney-general Mr.. Knox's participa-
ton in the Homestead affair caused
some opposition on the part of labor
organizations to his confirmation. AS
attorney-general Mr.. Knox not only
prosecuted to a successful issue the
governments suit against the North
ern Securities Company, but conduct
ed the case against the so-called beef
trust with the result that that combi-
nationwas dissolved by the final de-
cree of the United States supreme
court Mr.. Knox has been credited
also with having prepared and carried
through the Panama Canal purchase
in 1908. 1t was shortly after the con-
clusion of the Panama purchase that
Mr.. Knox was appointed to the United
States senate by Governor Pennypack-
er to fill the vacancy caused by the
death of Senator Quay, and afterward
he was elected by the legislature for
the full term expiring March, 1911.
1t was at Mount Union College that
Major Mckinley first became acquaint-
ed with young Knox. Mr.. Mckinley
was at that time prosecuting attorney
of Stark county, and the acquaintance
begun when they were both young fin
ally ripened into the friendship of
later years and eliminated in the
Pennsylvanian's entry into the second
Mckinley cabinet. 1t has always been
understood that President Mckinley
sought to induce Mr.. Knox to accept
the attorney-generalship in his first
cabinet, but the offer was declined
on the plea of private interests. Mr..
Knox is entitled to twice write the de-
gree of LII. D. after his name, both
the University of Pennsylvania, and
Yale University having conferred that
honor upon him.
Richard A. BalIinger.
10 Zoe ria ofT7o n iofo nv
interest in Richard A. Ballinger, the
new secretary of the interior. He is
a native of Iowa, having been born in
Boonsooro in 1859; after practising
ed to Alabama, and in 1889 he became
resident of Port Townsend in Wash
ington state. The next year he was
appointed United States commissioner
at Port Townsend and later was elect
ed Judge of the superior court of JEFF
ferson county. Five years ago Mr.. Bal
Iinger was elected mayor of Seattle,
and when his term as mayor expired
President Roosevelt appointed him
commissioner of the general land
office.
BaIlinger made a speciality of the ad-
miralty and maritime law, and his 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 jur-
1S01CClOn as secretary OIL the interior.
Mr.. Ballinger's father studied law
| in the office of Abraham Lincoln, and
his ancestors on both sides participant
| ed 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 "a. He is the author of 'BalIinger
on Community Property and of BAL
| linger's Annotated Codes and Statute
of Washington Mr.. Ballinger is a
Republican state committeeman for
the state OF Washington and was
member of the advisory committee
during the last campaign.
Jacob NJ. Dickinson.
Jacob McGavock Dickinson, the new
secretary of war, is the southern mem
Der of President Taft's cabinet. A
Mississippian by birth, he is a citizen
of Tennessee and as a Cleveland Demo-
crat supported Mr.. Taft for the presi-
dency. Probably his most notable pub
lie service was counsel for the
United States in the Alaskan boundary
before the arbitration tribunal in Lon
No human hand touches