The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-14
ROOTS FIRM HAND.
Already Felt In Manage
ment Of Affairs in War
Department.

washington, Aug. 13.-Secretary Root
is beginning to get firm grasp on the
administration of the war department.
He has been at the head of affairs only
ten days, yet this has been sufficient to
show his methods and the influence
which his vigorous personality exerts
throughout the military establishment
At the outset Mr.. Root set about famil-
iarizing himself with the more impor-
tant details of the department. much
as lawyer prepares his statement of
facts as basis for his legal analysis
From Adjutant General Corbin he Sc
cured data showing at a glance a
broad outline of the army in the field.
From the quartermaster general he
learned the names of transports. the ca
pacity and the readiness to carry
troops and the exact status of stores,
clothing and equipment, particularly
as to General Otis forces in front of
the enemy. From the commissary gen
eral he asked just how many rations
were in stock at Manila, how long this
supply would last how quickly it
could be replenished and whether
there was ample margin for every
emergency. The same information has
and hospital supplies, engineering and
signal equipment
Each bureau officer submitted a sue
cinct tabular statement and this was
supplemented by a personal talk with
the secretary, Not only the officials
here but those at Manila and Havana
nave been consulted by cable, when
ever it has been necessary to aid to
the completeness of the information at
In
speedily brought himself into touch
with every branch of the military SER
vice and has gathered a most complete
and analysted resume of the military
affairs
While getting in hand this admins
prative machinery Mr.. Root has at the |
same time made a careful inquiry into |
the military situation in the field |
Probably the most important military |
inquiry he is pursuing is as to the ex- |
act fluctuations of the insurrection in |
the Philippines since the day it began. |
For that purpose military map is now |
being prepared by the adjutant gen
erals office, for the private use of the |
secretary, showing the advance of our |
forces from day to day, throughout |
Gen. Otis campaign, the position and |
movements on the different occasions. |
the retreat from the enemy and its DO |
sition and force from time to time. 1t |
VIII be birdseye view of the theatre |
of military operations throughout the |
Dates will be written to |
show the position of the army as the |
proceeded, and as far as pos
sible it will convey to the eye an idea |
of the scope of the military operations |
in the Philippines up to date. The pre- |
paration of this map has been put in |
charge of Maj. Simpson, chief Of the !
bureau of military information, who |
has been giving his undivided attention |
to making 1t complete and compre-
hensive.
Meanwhile the secretary has an |
nounced no far-reaching policies. He |
proceeds slowly while the facts, on |
which policies rest, are being ASSEMBLE |
ed. If there have been some loose and |
rather careless statements as to pro- |
posed policy, they have probably been |
as much surprise to him as to the |
public. So, too, reports set afioat be- |
fore he entered Office, that he would |
confine his attention to Cuban affairs. |
leaving the Philippines to "the military |
authorities" have not been borne out. |
but on the contrary, the military ex- |
igencies in the Philippines have been |
the object of his most earnest solicit |
tude
Concerning Cuba and Porto Rico the !
detailed administration of their affairs |
with its multitude of minor issues is |
being left largely with his assistants |
and chiefs and he is concerning him |
self with the larger questions Of the re-
construction and future of the islands, |
and the substitution of orderly civil |
government for the military regime |
now in force. When former Premier |
Rivera urged yesterday that an order |
be speedily issued for municipal cleo |
tons in Porto Rico, the secretary re- |
piled that he hoped these elections |
would take place as soon as the present |
storm-swept condition of the |
island would permit When it was |
suggested that the desolation in Porto
Rico made opportune a remission Of /
duty on articles of prime necessity.
the secretary said he was already con- |
rerring with Gen. Davis, governor
general Of the island, to that purpose.
MIR. Root has little time for the
crowd of callers with small requests.
He is a laborious and methodicai work.
er. When there was some surprise at
his remaining at his desk until
D clock Thursday evening-three hours |
after the building was deserted-he ex-
planned that it was his habit to con-
centrate his attention to work from &
a. m. until II p. m. He has been maxi
Ing studies at home during most of the
evenings since he has been here. The |
secretary Is quite reserved to callers.
and inquiring rather than |
talking His cabinet associates sneak
of his calm and deliberate manner and |
his ready perception Of affairs,