Iron County register., 1899-08-17
THE NEW SECRETARY OF WAR.
How Mr.. Root is Preparing Himself
for the Important Duties of
His OfRce.

Root is beginning to get a firm grasp
on the administration of the war de
partment. He has been at the head
of affairs only ten days and yet this
has been sufficient to show his methods
and the influence which his vigorous
personality exerts throughout the nil.
itary establishment.
Going for Bottom Facts.
At the outset Mr.. Root set about
familiarizing himself with the more
important details of the department,
much as a lawyer first prepares his
statement of facts as basis for his
legal analysis. From Acknowledgement
Corbin he secured data showing at
glance broad outline of the army in
the field. From the quartermaster gen.
eral he learned the number of trans
pcrts,the capacity and readiness to car
ry troops and the exact status ofstores,
clothing and equipment, particularly
as to Gen. Otis forces in front of
the enemy. OF the commissary general
he asked just how many rations were
in actual stock at Manila, how long
this supply would last; how quickly it
could be replenished and whether
there was an ample margin for every
emergency.
In Touch with Every Branch.
The same information has been
drawn as to ordnance, medical and
hospital supplies, engineering and sig
nal equipment. Each bureau officer
submitted a succinct tabular state
ment and this was supplemented by a
personal talk with the secretary. Not
only the officials here, but those at
Manila have been consulted by cable
whenever it has been necessary to aid
to the completeness of the information
at hand here. In this way Mr.. Root
has brought himself in touch with ev-
cry branch of the military service and
has gathered a most complete and
analyzed resume of military affairs.
Studying Gen. Otis Campaign.
While gettingin hand this administra-
tive machinery, Mr.. Root has at tie
same time made a careful inquiry ir 70
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 be
gan. For that purpose military map
, is 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 different occasions, the
retreat of the enemy and its position
and force from time to time.
Bird's-Eye View.
1t will be a bird 's-eye view of the
theater of military operations through
out the insurrection. Data will be
written in to show the position of the
army as the campaign proceeded and
as far as possible it will convey to tie
eye an idea of the scope of the military
operations in the Philippines up to
date.
The preparation of this map has
been put in charge of Maj. Simpson,
chief of the bureau of military infor-
nation, who has been giving his un.
divided attention to making it COM
| plete and comprehensive.
Conferred with the Generals.
While going over the military phases
. of the work, the secretary has con-
ferred with the commanding general,
, Gen. Miles, and with Gen. Merritt, who
is second in command, on the military
problems presented, and beside the
military results of these counsels it has
established cooperation between the
executive head of the war depart
ment and the ranking officers of. The
! army.
No FGr-Reaching Policies.
nounced no far-reaching policies. Fe
proceeds slowly while the facts on
which policies rest are being assem-
bled. If there has been some loose
and rather careless statements as 70
proposed policy, they have probably
been as much a surprise to him as to
the public. So, too, the reports set
afloat before 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 exigencies in the Philippines
have been the subject of his most earn
est solicitude.
Concerning Cuba and Porto Rico.
Concerning Cuba and Porto Rico, the
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
reconstruction ana future of these ISL
ands with the substitution of
orderly civil government for
the military regime now in
force. When former Premier Rivera
urged Saturday that an order be speed
lily issued for municipal elections in
Porto Rico the secretary replied that
he hoped these elections would occur
as soon as the present unhappy and
storm-swept condition of the island
would permit. When it was suggested
that the desolation in Porto Rico made
opportune a remission of duties on ar
ticles of prime necessity, the secre-
tary said he was already conferring
with Gen. Davis, governor general of
the island. as tn that step.
A LabOrfous and MethodfcaI Worker.
Mr. Root has little time for the
crowd of callers with small requests.
He is a laborIous and methodical
worker. When there was some sur
prise at his remaining at his desk until
seven o'clock Thursday evening-three
hours after the building was deserted
--he explained that it was his habit
to concentrate his attention upon i'm
portant work from ten in the morning
until II o'clock at night, usually with
out the distraction of meals. He mas
been making his studies at home most
of the evening since he has been here.