Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-08-14
A FIRM GRASP
0f War Department Methods
Already Secured by Sec. Root.
Thoroughly Acquaintng Himself With
Situation in the Philippines,
As Well As Looking Aiier the Welfare Of Cuba
and Porto Rico.

administration Of the war department.
tie has been at the head Of affairs only
~ days. yet this has been sufficient to
show his methods ana the influence
| which his vigorous personality exerts
| throughout the military establishment.
| At the outset Mr.. Root set about fa-
miliarizing himself with the more i'm
| portant details of the department
much as lawyer prepares his state
| ,nent of facts as a basis for his legal
| analysis.
| From Adiutant General Corbin he
| secured data showing al n glance a
! broad outline of the army in the field.
/ From the quartermastcr general he
! learned the number Of transports. the
capacity and readiness to carry troops
ana the exact status Of stores, clothing
ana equipment. particularly as to Gen
| Otis in front Of the enemy. From the
cOmmiSSary general ne asked just how
many ratiOns We're in actual stock at
Manila. how long this supply would
| last, how quickly it could be replenish-
ed and whether there was ample mar
gin for every emergency The same
! information has been drawn as to ord
nance medical and hospital supplies.
engineering and signal equipment.
Each bureau officer submitted q sue
cinct tabulatcd statement and this
was supplemented by a personal talk
with the secretary. Not only the Of
fcials here. but those at Manila ana
Havana have been consulted by cable,
whenever it had been necessary To add
To the completeness Of the information.
| IN this way Mr. Root has speedily
| brought himself into touch with every
! branch Of the military service and has
gathered a most complete and analyz-
ed resume Of the military affairs.
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.
Probably the most important military
inquiry he is pursuing is as to the eX-
not fluctuations Of the insurrection in
the Philippines since the day it began.
For that purpose a military map is
row being prepared by the adjutant
generals office for the private use Of
the secretary showing the advance of
our forces from day 10 day. through
out Gen. otis campaign. the position
and movements on different occasions,
the retreat Of the enemy and it's posi-
ton and force from time to time.
1t will be a bird s-eye view of the
theatre of Manila operations through
out the insurrection. Dates Will be
written in 10 show the position of the
army as the campaign proceeded and
as far as possible it will convey to to
eye an idea Of the scope Of the mill
tary operations in the Philippines up
TO date. The preparation Of this map
has been put in charge Of Major Simp-
son, chief of the bureau of military in
formation. who has been giving his
undivided attention to make it COM
plete and comprehensive.
While going over the military phases
of the work. the secretary has confer
red with the commanding general.
Cereal Miles. and with Gen. Merritt
who is second in command, on the mill
itary problems presented and beside
the military results of these counsels
he has established cooperation between
the executive head Of the war depart |
ment and the ranking officers Of the |
army.
Meanwhile the secretary has an
nounced no farreaching policies. He
proceeds slowly while the facts. on |
W NIlItli I1ClItItS I'Sl. ilC btliS dHStiii-
bled. II there have been some loose |
and rather careless statements as to
policy, they have probably |
been as much a surprise to- him as to
the public. So, too. reports set a4Oat |
before he entered office, that he would |
confine his attention to Cuban affairs, |
leaving the Philippines to ''the military |
have not been borne out, |
but on the contrary the military eX-
igencies in the Philippines have been
the object Of his most earnest solicit
tude. Concerning Cuba and Porto
the detailed administration of their af-
fairs 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
future OF the islands and with the sub
of orderly civil government
for the military regime now in force.
When former Premier Riverera ur-
ged, yesterday, that an order be speedi
ly 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
1esolation in Porto Rico made Oppor
tune a remission of duty on articles of
prime necessity the secretary said he
was already comforting with Gen.
Davis, governor general of the island,
10 that purpose.
Mr.. Root has little time for the crowd
IF callers with small requests. He is n
aborious and methodical worker.
When there was some surprise at his
at his desk until o'clock
Thursday evening-three hours after
he building was deserted-he explain
ID that it was his habit to concentrate |
lis attention on important work from 10
n the morning until II at night. He
laS been making his studies at home
luring most of the evenings since he
laS been here. The secretary is quite
'eserved tocallers. listening and inquir-
ng rather than talking. His cabinet
associates speak of his calm and de-
iberate manner and his ready percep-
ion of affairs. IL