The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-22
ROOT TO SUCCEED ALGER.
THE PRESIDENT TELEGRAFHS AN or
FER or TIE WAR PORTFOLIO.

There Was n General Agreement by the
Cabinet That MIR. Root Was the Man Best
Fitted for the Place - Secretary AlEer
Decides to Remain in once Until Aug. I.
WASHINGTON. July 21.-Prssident Mckinley
and the members OF the ca olnet at their meet
ing to-day talked over the selection OF sue
cessor to Secretary Alger, and there was
general agreement that Nj. Elihu Root CT New
York was the man best fitted for the place.
Tonight the post was offered to Mr. Root.
The President. 1t is said. wants to talk over the
matter with Mr.. Root before the latter renders
his decision, and 1t is believed that Mr.. Root
will be here within the next few days. The
names of nearly all the men who have been
mentioned for the war portfolio were brought
up at the Cabinet meeting and their aualiflca-
lions for the office discussed. Those men
toned were Gen. James H. Wilson Of Della
ware. Gen. Horace Por.er OF New York. Gen.
Francis V. Greene Of New York. Attorney-Gen-
eral Griggs and Postmaster r General Smith.
Mr.. GrgRs and Mr.. Smith were present at the
meeting and quickly disposed Of the sugess-
lions OF some Of their colleagues that either
one OF them would make n good Secretary Of
War. Each of them said that he preferred to
stay where he was.
The President told the Cabinet that he
wanted q man OF broad views. wide knowledge
and known executive ability. but he was Of the
opinon. also. that the new Secretary Of War
should be an experienced LAWYER. CAPABLE Of
handling the many dim ,ult legal question:
when will come before the War Department
in connection with the Philippines. Cuba and
Porto Rico while they remain under military
rule. 1t Is understood that tho President said
that he did not want n military man. This
raI ho n
! while the President did not say so, It was evil
dent from his remarks. after the Cabinet Off
cers had made known to him tina they pro-
ferred Mr.. Root to any other man. that tho dis
tinguished New York LAWYER his 1rst
choice
President Mckinley sent n telegram tonight
to Mr. Elihu Root asking him to accent the
Secretary ship OF War. The message was sent
after conference between the President and
Senator Platt. who came over to Washington
from New York this evening at the request
OF Mr.. Mckinley. Senator Plat told the
| President that he was confident that
| Mr. Root would accept. and gave. as
agreeable to the New, York Republican or
Sr It place. sa Sa
| ment cannot be made on definite knowledge
that is true il appears Er9bqbo fT2m what
hfinm" that he Would take the War rtiolio
IRE fres !E 1t was was said at the White House
and by Senator Platt tonight that the an
Of the Of GS
row. in all probability This indicates that
the PRESIDENT dent GxpsctS pr@mr1
| the White House soon after his arrival in town.
He VII return to New York to.mrorro ", He
| tcryiew With the President except that thov
had talked over the appointment OF suecessnr
Roots appointment would be acceptable to
"fn answer that by saying" said the sena;
be very acceptable to me-
Secretary Alger was present at the Cabinet
went. early He brought with him some papers
| relating to War Department matters. and also
newspaper correspondents at Manila. After
some discussion, it was decided by the Cab.
reesived by the President and his Cabinet asso,
SeaTs %4ae The
Cabinet had been to see him at his residence
( or his office and had EXPRESSED regret that
There was nothing in Secretary Ayers man
ner or conversation while at the Cabinet table
sever his connection with tho Administration
n susR.d and ne as ES M
leagues. One OF the Ca oinet officers presented
| a petition. which he sail he had received from
/ some people whom he did not know. but whose
signatures Indicated that they were.as he put It,
| very respectable.
! Il am afraid you wouldn't think Secretary
| Long very respectable If you Judged him by
his signature, said Secretary Alger. and this
| brought q laugh. because the head Of she Navy
b Department as the President and every mem.
Der OF the Cabinet knew writes his name VI
| hill in n peculiar and. to the uninitiated. al.
most INTERCHANGEABLE hand. There was no dis.
cussion Of the succession to the war portfolio
y until after Secretary Alger left the Cabinet
| room.
Secretary Alger has changed his mind about
| leaving Washington next week and 1t Is his
| present intention to remain here until Aug,
the day, on which his resignation will take ef'
A feet. He may not issue the statement con.
i corning his retirement until several DAYS aftei
! his official connection with the Var Depart.
| ment ceases. and perhaps not until he returns
| to Detroit. Friends OF Secretary Alger said TO-
| day that the statement would not contain
| defence of his conduct Of the War DEPARTMENT
I but would be merely recital Of the circuin
| stances through which his resignation wal
\ brought about. including an account OF hi
| visits to Long Branch and his conversation
| with Vice. President Hobart.