Evening star., 1921-10-21
Editorial Digest
Knox's Place in History.


Risking what to the Christian Science
Monitor Boston. independently Is 'the
indistinct perspective In which the acts
Of the individual are SO often extrava-
gantly appraised or unfairly depre-
Gated" the American press pays its
tribute to Philander c. Knox by tracing
the influence Of his unusual public ca
reer on the history Of his time. Parti-
san bias is strikingiy lacking in the
the Evansville und:) Courier demo.
cratic) says, "has had an important
part In directing the policies Of the
United States and has left lasting I'M
press Of his character and splendid men,
tai attainments upon the history Of the
nation"
1T will be impossible" the st. Paul
Pioneer-Press independently believes,
''for the historian. dealing with Ameri-
can affairs during the past thirty years,
to ignore the large part that has been
played by Philander G. Knox" for. the
Kansas City Journal (republican) adds,
there are few statesmen who have fig-
ured SO extensively in national activi-
ties" The Pittsburgh Leader (progres-
sive republican, extends the historians
appraisal, declaring that Knox will be
written down as statesman who be-
lONEeU lN0 "OTius kOT lu0 AIIIIucHCo
Of his labors will be found in other
lands than our own"
AS Attorney General under President
Roosevelt Mr.. Knox was largely re-
sponsible for the policy Of trust
busting which characterized that ad-
va.) Mail (republican) informs us
that while Roosevelt was meditating
q campaign for the regulation Of great
combinations of capital and industry
he discovered. as he frankly admitted,
that Mr.. Knox had already thought
out and formulated a plan OF regula-
ton when he himself had only vague
and misty ideas on the subject" The
Sherman antitrust law. says the De-
troit Free Press independently, "had
been on the books for more than ten
years when Mr.. Knox became the law
had been largely honored In the
breach" And in spite of the popular
feeling that he represented big busi-
ness" the Attorney General evoked
the slumbering Sherman act ana un-
der it. according to the Denver Times
independently, wrote into the records
of the highest courts decisions limit
; ing the power and OverWeening amb1-
tions of great combinations OF wealth
and safeguarding the public against the
encroachmentS OF monopol1eS ana un-
fair practices"
While his antitrust activities, the
Altoona Mirror (democratic) thinks.
were probably his greatest service to
the country" In legal matters. in
diplomacy p:rhaIs his greatest ss. serv.
by the government Of the Panama
canal site" His personal investigation
Of tho title to the property held by the
Panama Canal Company, established
the fact that the canal could be con-
veyed. and that. says the Corning
IN. " Leader Independent demo-
cratic). enabled the United States to
proceed with the purchase"
AS Secretary Of State under Presi-
dent Taft, the Tulsa Tribune (demo-
lished an international reputation as
a diplomat of power. integrity and
shrewd insight" and during those
four years "he became the author Of
many state papers which are now re-
sarded and long viii % be b ,,,o eonsidernd sea;,
ed dollar diplomae5." the Rochester
Times Union independently calls ga
frank expression Of a foreign policy
designed to forward the commercial
interests Of the United States" How
ever. as the Milwaukee Sentinel (re-
publican) views this phase Of his
career. his comprehensive grasp Of
the international commercial prob
lems'' made possible the advance
ment OF the business interests of the
Oultcu SIdSSS Al 4OTclSH 0uU
while the expression dollar diplomacy
was derisive, Knox. with a keener
appreciation of the real value Of his
services in this regard. accepted It as
a compliment"
patch Independently fnds Senator
Knox's name 'indeIbly impressed
upon the history Of his time by his
leadership in the struggle over the
ratification of the Versailles treaty"
The separate peace treaty that
bears his name. the Norfolk Vtr.
ginian-Pilot Independent democratic)
points out. franks his among the
foremost Of the influences responsible
for the development Of the separatist
tendencies of our present foreign pol
ICY" and the Akron Beacon-Journal
(republican) credits to his "merciless
logic the telling blows" dealt the
league Of nations covenant through
which 1.-The country came to UNDER
stand what It meant"