Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-02
BECAME SECRETARY OF WAR IN
ALGER's STEAD YESTERDAY.
no BEGIN HIS DUTIES TO-DAY
MR. ALGER CORDIALLY. .GoNGRATy-
..s. LATEs HIS SUCCESSOR.
General Miles Was Present in Full
Dress Uniform with His staff
Mr.. Alser Left Yesterday
Afternoon for His De-
troit Home.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Mr. Elihu Root
took the oath of office as secretary of war
al lo:A5 to-day. The ceremony occurred in
the office of the secretary of war in the
presence of Secretaries Gage and Hitch-
cock. Assistant Secretary Meiklejonn. a
large number of army officers in uniform
and other employees and officials The oath
was administered by Judge Cole, of the
supreme court of the District of Columbia.
Secretary Alger arrived at the war de-
partment at 1870, accompanied by Mr..
Root, for whom he had called in his car
riaSe. They went Immediately to the sec
retarys private Office, where were Secreta>
ries Gage and Hitchcock and were soon
Joined by Adjutant General Corbin and Ma
Jor Hopkins. the latter being the, military
secretary of Secretary Alger. A moment
later Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn and
Judge Cole entered the room and the judge
was formally presented 10 the new secre-
1ary. The commission, bearing date of to-
day, Was an possession of Adjutant Cen
eral Corbin.
BY this time all OF the army officers on
duty in the department had gathered in the
main office, and Mr.. Root and Secretary
Alger and other members of the party en-
tered the room.
II was l0:45 when Mr.. Root stood UP and
TOOK the oath of Office. Judge Cole then
auui esseu MN as Mr. Secretary, and
shook hands and congratulated hinA Gen
eral Aiger then advanced and shook his
hand most cordially and said, with evialen,
! feeling:
With all my heart l congratulate Eou
and the administration. You will ifYd
around you here men who will help yAu
IN the arduous duties of your position Man
God bless you and give you strength"
Secretary Gage then stepped forward and
congratulated Secretary Root. lie was fol-
lowed by Secretary Hitchcock, Assistant
Secretary Meiklejohn, General Corbin and
Chief Clerk Schofield.
General Alger picked up the commission,
signed by the president and attested by the
secretary of state, appointing Mr.. Root Sec
retary Of war.
Here is your commission he said, with
a smiic, handing it TO Mr.. Root. lin which
You lose your identity and become Mr..
Secretary. go back to become a sovereign,
citizen of the United States and becomel
Mr.. Alger.' a
II sincerely wish that it were The oth9r
way" said Mr.. Root, as he accepted
the parchment.
Then the officers were presented to Sec
retary Root by MIR. Victor l.. Mason1 the
confidential secretary OF the secretary OF
war. As soon as they were introds uced
hhSy PoSStu Oil anu SHuph Win
General Alger. Nearly all stopped txb ex-
press their regrets upon his reur@ ement
and wished him success in the ftNlture
They also thanked him for his consiS Sdera-
tion and many acts of kindness andk uni
form courtesy during the time theYS had
been associated with him.
General Miles appeared with llsds staff, il
the full dress uniform of thee major gen
eral commanding the army. He stopped
10 talk with Secretary Root for some
time, longer than aahy of the others.
- Following the presentation of the officers
civEeas- and clerks of the department
came in and shook hands with Secretary
Root and said farewell to General Alger
Secretary Gage, before leaving the room
went up to eneral Alger, shook him cor
daily by the hand bidding him good-by,
eneral Alger left at 12:45 o'clock to-day fol-
his home IN Detroit.
The last official act of Secretary AlgeI
was TO sign a requistion for the allotment
of $4,000 for transports. Secretary Algel
intended that his last act should be signing
the order directing Major Charles Bird, as
sistant Quartermaster, TO accompany the
transport Thomas to Manila when she was
ready. He signed such order, but the
other business was presented d few mo.
.ments later
Secretary Root did not perform any Of
Iicial business to-day. As General AlgeI
IS secretary and draws the salary for to.
day, II was thought best to avoid any le-
gal complications by having the business
of the department performed by Mr.. Mel
klejohn as acting secretary.