The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-02


Our Greatest Secretary of War.
The Register declares that 1.-THE only
act Of wisdom in connection with Law
yer Roots opera boufIe appointment as
secretary Of war is the placing of GEN
eral Miles in command of the army
It may be admitted that this was on
act Of wisdom, so far as General Miles
is concerned, but why does the Register
say that 1t was the only one7 Secre-
tary Root only took charge of the war
office yesterday. and has not yet had
the opportunity to perform any import
ant official act What partisan spirit
moves the Register to prejudice the
abilities Of a public officer. whose dis
tingulshed career proves him discreet
and competent, and whose selection mas
been endorsed and eloquently COM
mended By the best men of the country
and the conservative press, and has
not been criticised in any manner by
the military officers.
The best evidence OF the wisdom of
the choice lies In the very fact that the
Register refers TO. and, also in the COM
tents Of dispatch in the Associated
Press report Of Monday evening, and
published In all the morning papers
yesterday. 1t stated: General Mics
does not expect anything but harmony,
nor does Mr. Root: the President In
sists upon It," The further statement
was made that General Miles is to be
consulted by the secretary in adminis-
terlng the affairs of the department"
What is there in Secretary Roots APP
pointment that could be termed Opera
bouRe," ana why specially refer to him
as Lawyer Root?" This is in keeping
with the Registers frequent references
10 ex-secretnry of State Day, who was
the head OF the American peace COM
mission, and to whom has been render
ed many tributes for the development.
OF wonderful diplomatic genius, as 1
country squire" Distinguished law
yers and civilians have made records
for themselves as secretaries Of war in
times of war.
Madison had two secretaries Of war
during the war Of 1872 with Great Bril-
tain, and but one OF them was a mill
tary hero. He was John Armstrong.
During the brief war with France un-
der John Adams administration in
1888 James McHenry was the secretary
of war; in the war with Mexico. 1s4s-4s,
during Folks administration, a Troy.
N. Y, lawyer, who had served in the
militia in minor capacity, William
Marcy, held the war portfolio.
In the greatest struggle occurring IN
any country during the century, our
four years Of civil strife, LIncoln's
secretaries Of war were Simon Cameron
and Edwin NJ. Stanton. General Cam
eron remained In office only the hrst
year of the war and was succeeded, in
January, 1862, by Mr.. Edwin NJ. Stanton,
who was lawyer. and never had any
military experience. Secretary Stanton
conducted the department throughout
the civil war. and was reappointed by
Lincoln for his second term. In view
of the Registers reference to Lawyer
Roots opera bouffe appointment as
secretary Of war" It should make note
that Lawyer Stanton acted in the capn-
city in this great war, from 1862 until
the end, and held over until 1868, up to
within year OF his death. Lawyer
Stanton was a native OF Steubenv!le.
Ohio, where he was admitted to the bar
ut an early age. and. afterward was
leader OF the profession at Pittsburgh.
Previous to his appointment as seere-
tary of war he was attorney general Of
the United States AS the head Of the
war department, he managed 1t with
singular ability. He had trouble with
President Johnson In 1865. resigned, and
President Grant, n year later, appoint
cd him a Judge OF the supreme court
He died four days later
This is the history in brief OF n pro-
fessional lawyer who was not soldier
but who was our greatest war secretary
in our greatest war. It may be well for
the Register to give Lawyer Root
chance, since so many millions OF the
people are not wasting any sleep over
the matter, and opposition papers, that
are not supporting the administration,
express their willingness to do so,
----sss---------r
Wood county Will celebrate It's one