The Washington herald., 1909-01-31

Company had TO right 10 dispose Of its
( concession. He said the concession vas
not worth anything. even II It could be
obtained Furthermore. he declared thaS
I II this government should take over the
4 concession. II would have TO take with
il debts CT the company aggregating
$50. .0o0O00.
The Attorney General was besieged
with offers from legal firms desiring 10
undertake the examination OF the titles
and attend to the legal forTualities. The
? knowledge that he had S10.0o000o al his
disposal made the employment specially
attractive to the legal talent OF the coun-
try While dining al Ito White House
one evening. Mr.. Knox was asked by the
President Il ne had decided what legal
firm he would employ for this work
Yes; have already decided that qUes-
ton replied Mr.. Knox This IS the
first big legal sob that has come along
since have been in the Cabinet, 50
think I viii attend 10 II myself 7 have
plenty OF assistants 10 look after the de-
tails, and I am not unused 10 handling
big jobs"
7 an mighty glad TO hear you say
that" replied the President. And It was
50 arranged
Searches French statutes.
Charles ". Russell. one Of Mr.. Knox's
regular assistants. was sent TO Paris. and
spent TWO months in searching the French
statutes. examining the concession. and
investigating questions Of French consti-
tutiOnal law Then he cabled for Attorney
General Knox Afr. Knox arrived in
Paris on q Monday evening and left the
T..
he went over al the data prepared Dy
Mr.. Russell, satisfied himself on every
doubtful point. and was prepared 20 sub
nit his opinion. During the return vOy-
age he occupied himself in debating his
opinion, and when he arrived IN Wash
ington L was practically ready 10 submit
to the President The conclusion he
reached vas that '.the United States
would receive q good. valid, and unen-
numbered title.
When the Attorney General put in his
expense account for this work, John Hay
Secretary OF State. called him on the tele-
phone and told Mr.. Knox that evidently
there was a mistake in the account
What's wrong with it?T asked Mr..
Knox.
why, the clerk must have dropped a
cipher or two" said Mr.. Hay. 1T is only
thirty-nine hundred and some dollars.
We'll. that is correct, replied Mr.
Knox.
Attitude to Corporations.
To present a comprehensive review Of
the work Of Mr.. Knox as Attorney Gen
eraI would be to rehearss' practically all
that has been accomplished by the RoOse-
velt administration toward the control OF
the corporations. All Of the pioneer
work along these lines was done by M
Knox. Beginning with his address before
the chamber Of commerce in Pittsburg
on The commerce clause OF the Consti-
tuition and the trusts" when he pointed
out the way by which the antitrust and
interstate cOnllG5-se laws could be made
effective without 4 Constitutional amend
ment. down to the final decree OF the
Supreme Court in the Northern SecUri-
ties case, which vindicated the position
taken By the Attorney General Mr. Knox
was the moving spirit in al those things
which made what are now known as the
Roosevelt policies.
Perhaps the most important accomplish
ment OF Mr. KnOx's administration OF TIE
Department Of Justice was his victory in
the Northern Securities case. The North
eTn Securities Company was a corporation
with an authorized capital Of S4l9.Vseeeo'
organized for the purpose Of taking over
the capital stock Of the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern railroads. two COM
peting lines, and in effect merging them. /
The promoters believed that by means OF
this holding company they could accom- !
plish what the Jaw forbids, 3 combination /
Of two competing Interstate railroads IN /
restraint Of trade
!
to be filed against the Northern Securities