The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-14
ROOTS FIRM GRASP.
The New Secretary's Influence Felt in
Every Department.

inc New Secretarys influence Felt in
Every department..
Washington, Aug. 13.-Secretary Root
is beginning to get a firm grasp on the
administration of the war department.
He has been at the head of affairs only
10 days, yet there has been sufficient
to show his methods and the influence
which has vigorous personality eXertS
AT the outset, Mr.. Root set about ia
miliarizing himself with the more i'm
portant details of the department,
much as lawyer first prepares his
statement Of facts as basis for his
legal analysis. From Adjutant General
COrbin he secured data showing at a
glance n broad outline of the army in
the field. From the quartermaster
general he learned the number of
transports. Of the commissary gen.
eral he asked just how many rations
were in actual stock at Manila. The
same information has been drawn as
to ordnance. medical and hospital sup
plies engineering and signal equip
ment Each bureau officer submitted a
tabulated statement, and this was sup
plemented by a personal talk with the
secretary. In this way Mr.. Root has
speedily brought himself into touch
with every branch of the military serv-
ice and has gathered a most complete
and analysed resume of military af-
fairs.
While getting in hand this admins
trative machinery, Mr.. Root has at the
same time made a careful inquiry into
the military situation in the field. Prob
ably the most important military in
quiry he is pursuing is as to the exact
fluctuations of the insurrection in the
Philippines since the day it began. For
that purpose a 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
| eral Otis campaign, the position and
movement on different occasions. 1t will
| be a birdseye view of the theater of
| military operations throughout the in
Surrection. Data will be written to
| show the position of the army as the
| campaign 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
preparation of this map has been put in
charge of Major Simpson, chief of the
| bureau of military information, who has
| been giving his undivided attention to
| making 1t complete and comprehensv2.
While going over the military phases
| of the work, the secretary has con-
| ferred with the commanding general,
| General Miles. and with General Mer-
| rift. who Is second in command, on the
| military problems presented, and be-
| sides the military results of the coun-
! ellis it has established cooperation be-
| tween the executive head of the wal
| department and the ranking officers OF
| the army.
| Meanwhile the secretary has an
nounced no far-reaching policies. He
| proceeds slowly, while the facts on
which policies rest are being assem-
| bled If there has been some loose an
rather careless statements as to the
proposed policy, they have probably
been as much a surprise to him as 10
| the public. So, too, the reports, set
af1oat before he entered office that he
would confine his attention TO Cuhan
| affairs leaving the Philippines to tn
military authorities have not been
borne out, but the military eXigencies
in the Philippines have been the sub
| iect of his most earnest solicltude
| 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 IN
reconstruction and future of these Isl
ands and with the substitution OF or
DERBY civil government for the military
regime now in force.