Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-14
He Has Firm Grasp on the
War Department.
GETTING INFORMATION
He Has Gone to the Heads of all the
Departments and FamiliariZed
Himself With Their DutieS--LOOk-
ing After the New Colonies.

Washington, Aug. 13.-Secretary Root
is beginning to get a firm grasp on the ad-
miEistration of the war department.. He
has been at the head Of affairs only ten
deys, yet this has been sufficient to show
his methods and the influence which his
vigorous personality exerts throughout
the military establishment. At the outset
Mr.. Rooot sat about familiarizing himself
with the more important details of the
department, much as a lawyer first pre-
| pares his statement of facts as a basis
for his legal analysis. From Adjutant
General Corbin he secured data showing
at a glance a broad outline of the army in
the field. From the quartermas;er general
! he Learned the number of transports, etc.
OF the comm.ssary general he asked just
how many rations were in actual stock at
Manila. The same information has been
drawn as to ordnance, medical and hos
pital supplies, engineering the signal
equipment. Each bureau officer submit
ted a tabulated statement, and this was
supplemented a personal talk with the
secretary. 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 ana
lyzed resume Of military affairs.
While getting in hand this administra-
tive machinery Mr.. Root has at the same
time made a careful inquiry into the mill
tary situation in tine field. Probably the
most important military inquiry he is
pursuing is as to the exact %fuctuation Of
the insurrection of the Philippines since
the day began. For that purpose a mill
| tary map is now being prepared by the
adjutant generals Office for the private
use of the secretary, showing the ad-
| vance of our forces from day to day
| throughout General Otis campaign; the
position and movement on different Occa-
s:ons. 1t will be a bird's-eye view Of the
military operations throughout the insur-
r%ection. Data will be written to show
the position of the army as the campaign
proceeded, and, as far as possible, it will
convey to the eye an idea of the scope of
the military operations in the Philip
pines up to date. The preparation of this
map has been put in charge of Major
Simpson, chief of of the bureau Of mill
tary information, who has been giving his
undivided attention to making it complete
and comprehensive.
While going over the military phases of
the work, the secretary has Conferred
with the commanding general, General
ANl!ltS, dlo "Il oNllCA al 1 wiz 10
second in command, on the military prob
lens presented and beside the military re-
suits of these councils is has established
cooperation between the executive head
Of the war department. and the ranking
officers of the army. Meanwhile the sec
rotary has announced no far-reach.ng
policies. He proceeds slowly with the facts
on which policies are being assembled. II
there has been some loose and rather
careless statements as to proposed policy
they nave probably been as much a sur
prise to him as to the public. So, too, the
report set afoat before he entered office
that he would confine his attention tic
Cuban affairs, leaving the Philippines to
"the military authorities" have not beer
borne out, but the military eXigencies ir
the Philippines have been the subject Of
his most earnest sol.citude.
Concerning Cuba and Porto Rico, thu
detailed administration of their affairs
with It's multitude of minor issues, be.
ing left largely with his assistants anG
chiefs, and he is concerning himself with
the larger questions of the reconstruction
and future of these islands, and with tn,
substitution of orderly civil government
for the military regime now in force.