The times., 1899-08-29
WAR OFFICE REFORMS.
Disturbing Rnmors Concerning Sec
retnry Roots Intentions.

retury Roots Intentions.
The report that General Merritt is soon
to replace General Otis in command of the
Philippine campaign has awakened consid-
cradle interest in military and political
circles, because it is thought to foreshadow
new departure by the Administration and
startling change in the Presidents poll
icy. 1t was believed that Mr. McKinley's
fulsome praise of General Otis soon after
the protest from newspaper war CORE
spondents at Hongkong expressed fully and
accurately the Presidents attitude toward
the Philippine situation, and that the poll
icy of procrastination and hesitation. IL
iustrated in General Otis plan OF cam
paign. would be sanctioned by the Admin
istration. Critics, hostile to such a poll
icy, made up their minds that the carnival
OF military incompetency, inaugurated and
promoted by Alger, Eagan. Corbin, and
others whom favoritism had placed and
kept in power would with the consent and
approval of the President, continue in
definitely. When MIR. Mckinley rushed
into print with laudation Of Otis and of
all that Otisism represents, cries of pro-
test went up all over the country and
that the voice OF this popular disapproval
has at length reached the ear OF the Pres
dent is due, ii is said, TO the fact that Mr.
Mckinley, while On his vacation, has con-
! tr1ved TO escape the influences OF his ad-
ulators, and has needed the voices of the
wiser, if less interested. counselors
TO whom belongs the credit for this happy
! change in the Presidents policy may not
be stated with certainty. but it is gen
orally believed that this unwontsd ag-
gressiveness has been urged upon Mr. Nc
kinney by the new Secretary of War. 1t
is known that Mr.. Root accepted the War
portfolio with the distinct understanding
that he should be given free opportunity TO
do things; that he should have wide lati-
tude in the Administration of the depart
ment. and in the prosecution of his plans
for conducting the war; that he should not
be restrained in his efforts to put an end
to the regime of Algerism. Mr.. Root rep
| resented to the President that the effort
to suppress the insurrection should not be
spasmodic or ostentatious, but constant and
actual
When Mr.. Root determined to send A 600
additional troops to the Philippines it was
predicted that he would insist that General
Otis be superseded by an officer who could
effectively conduct campaign of larger re-
sponsibiIities- II was popularity thought that
Mr.. Root had little. If any. sympathy with
| the Presidents liking for Otis, and ii was
reasonably supposed that the Secretary of
| War prevailed upon the President TO send
more active general to direct the military
operations In the East.
| This move of Mr.. Root is said to be only
one of many reforms the Secretary has in
view for the War Department. It is limited
| that Mr.. Roots temperament finds little
that Is congeniai or agreeable in the effete
methods that obtain in certain bureaus.
/ The Office of the Adjutant General. it is
| said. has excited his emphatic displeasure.
| He has, it is reported. made no effort to
| conceal the disappointment, ehagrin. and
| disapproval with which he regards the
manner in which the head of that bureau
| conducts the Office THE business-like
way of doing things of metropolitan law
| friends, recently could hardly be ex-
pected to harmonic with the methods Of
| General Corbin. There's bound to be a
| clash. It's like hitching up three-year-
old thoroughbred with twelve-year-old
mule. There's apt to be slight difference
in the way they're gated. l don't know
Corbin, but l do know Root; and l rather
| fancy there's going to be smash-up at
the War Department one OF these fine
mornings. It'll be quick and sharp and
over in a minute.
| The feeling that the new Secretary of
/ War is going to get after certain heads
/ of departments is not limited to the Ad-
| jutant Generals Office, though it is thought
| that Mr. Root will. in all probability. first
1 try to reform that bureau. There are
plentiful indications that the firm grip of
| a strong mind is fastening itself on the
| entire department.