The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-08-14
Mr. ROOTS METHODS.
Careful Inquiry Into the Military
Situation in the Field.
CONFBRs WITH GENERAL MILES.

Concerning Himself with the Recon
structlon and Future of Cuba and
Porto Rico and the Substitution OF
Orderly civil Government.
Washington, Aug. IA. - Secretary
Root Is beginning to get firm grasp
on the administration of the war de-
partment 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 mill-
tary establishment. At the outset Mr.
Root set about familiarlzing 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.
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 Ha-
vana have been consulted by cable
whenever It has been necessary to add
to the completeness of the information
at hand here. In this way Mr.. Root
has speedily brought himself into touch
with every branch of the military ser
vice and has gathered a most complete
and analysed resume OF military af-
fairs.
While getting in hand this adminis-
trative 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
exact fluctuations of the insurrectlon
I'm the Philippines since the day 1t be-
gan. For that purpose a military map
is now being prepared by the adjutant
generals office for the private use of
the secretary, showing the advance of
our forces from day to day through
out General Otis campaign, the posi-
tion and movements on different oc-
casions, the retreat of the enemy and
its position and force from time to
time. It will be birdseye view of the
theater of military operations through
out the insurrection. While going over
the military phases of the work the
secretary has conferred with the COM
manding general, General Miles, and
with General Merritt, who is second
in command, on the military problems
presented.
Meanwhile the secretary has an
nounced no far reaching policies. He
proceeds slowly while the facts on
which the policies rest are being as
sembled. If there has been some
loose and rather careless statements as
to the proposed policy they have prob
ably 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 Gu
ban affairs, leaving the Philippines to
"the military authorities" have not
been borne out, but on the contrary.
the military exigencies in the Philip
pines have been the subject of his most
earnest solicitude.
Concerning Cuba and Porto Rico.
the detailed administration of their af-
fairs, with its multitude of minor is
sues, is being left largely with his as
sistants and chiefs, and he is concern
ing himself with the larger questions
of the reconstruction and future of
these islands, and with the substitu-
tion of orderly civil government for
the military regime now In force.
When former Premier Rivera urged
Saturday that an order be speedily
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 conditions of the island would
permit When 1t was suggested that
the desolation in Porto Rico made op-
perfume a remission of the duties on
articles of prime necessity, the secre-
tary said he was already conferring
with General Davis, governor general
of the island, as to that step.