The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-24
Merits OF The New
Secretary OF War



Nm r. ELIHU ROOT, who has been
IA\IN selected for Secretary of War,
IIVlI combines ability and experience
w u as a lawyer with energy and
efficiency as administrators. The post
demands both qualifications. The head
of the War department will have to
conduct and bring to a rapid close the
contest in Luzon, and on him rests
the harder task of practically organiz-
ing the colonial administration of the
United States, determining, in the first
Instance, the legal and constitutional
position of colonies in our system, Sc
curing the approval of congress for his
plans and passing on numberless per-
picking issues raised by personal and
corporate, individual and property
rights in our new possessions OF the
two, duties of war and colonial admin
istratiOn, the latter duty is by far the
more important. The war in LuZOn
must be fought and decided by the Off
GERS and soldiers sent to the task. The
secretary of war is responsible only for
the policy adopted and the general
outlines of military administration.
The immediate and decisive work must
be done by professional soldiers. But
a lawyer-and a lawyer of ability
can alone solve the colonial issues sud
denly thrown on the department Of
war.
Nor is it alone sufficient that the
man called to this work should be a
sound constitutional lawyer, both able
to reach decisions which command
public respect and judicial approval
and to justify these decisions by con-
vincing argument. The new secretary
of war must be a man of affairs. He
must have administrative efficiency.
He must understand what can not be
done as well as what can be done. He
must be familiar with the wide mesh
of corporate influences which are per-
petually seeking to profit by adminis-
trative ignorance. He must know the
public. He must understand the con-
hicting influences, political, financial
and corporate, which are perpetually
deadlocking a hopeful policy and
bringing it to naught, however wise it
may be. He must have knowledge of
Federal law and the framework of ad-
ministrative and fiscal practice to
which any practical organization OF
lawyer who was no administrator and
not practically familiar with the actual
structure of our government would fail
because his sound law would not con-
slider the working of the government
machine. An efficient administrator
would find all his efforts and plans
foiled by judicial refusal to accept his
action and policy as sound in law.
Mr.. Root enjoys both qualifications.
He knows law and he knows politics
and administration. He has been Fed
eral district attorney. He is familiar
with the larger corporate activities of
| our largest city. He is efficient as a
man and he is sound as a lawyer. His
| whole career has shown his ability in
! accomplishing results by adjusting
conflicting rights and claims. He has
! decision. No man and no organization
has ever found him subservient, and
with none has he ever needlessly quar-
relied. His horizon has been broad, his
experience ample, his ability has been
tested and the country stands ready
to give decisive support to an ener-
| getic conduct of affairs in a depart
| ment which has come to be, and for
a year to come must be, the most Inn
! portant in the government. The post
is difficult. Permanent staff appoint
ments render the efficient discharge OF
the duties harassing. In over a cen
tury. in which four wars have beer
fought, only one man has achieved in
the War department independent
reputation, Edwin NJ. Stanton, and he
entered guided by the light of another
mans failure. Mr.. Elihu Root brings
10 the supremely arduous post he take.
the deXterty, decision, ability. exper.
ience and legal knowledge and forcG
likely TO yield success.