The Washington weekly post., 1899-07-25
War PORTFOLIO ACCEPTED
Elihu Root Wires Favorable Re-
spOEse to Presidents Tender.
Warmly Congratulated by the Retiring
secretary-Gen. Alger to BE Ten
dered Non-partisan Recep-
tion at Detroit.

Elihu Root, of New York, has accepted
the war portfolio in President Mckinley s
Cabinet The telegram Of acceptance was
received shortly after noon yesterday,
while Secretary Long was with the Presi-
dent Secretary AlgeT had just left. The
tender Of the war portfolio was made to
Mr.. Root Friday night, after the confer
ence at the White House. As the Presi-
dent will leave for the Adirondacks Wed
nesday or Thursday Of this week, it is
hardly probable that Mr.. Root will come
to Washington to confer with him before
that time 1t is regarded as more likely
that Mr. Root will meet the President at
Lake Champlain the latter part of the
week.
The announcement OF Mr.. Roots ap-
pontment was made at the War Depart
ment. 1t is not expected that the ac-
Ceptance will make any change Ia the
plans Of Secretary Alger, and he viii re-
main on duty here until the end Of the
present month, being assisted by Mr..
MeiklejOhn.
Secretary Alger had confidently expected
the appointment OF Mr.. Root, and was
very much pleased at the Presidents
choice This was evidenced in the follow
ing letter, which Secretary Alger address,
ed to his successor:
Washington D. c.. July q. 1870 a. n.
Ny Dear Mr.. Root: All know is what the news
papers say that you to succeed ne as Secretary
o. War Should it come TO you. / most earnestly
urge YOU 10 make the sacrifice and acceD, the posi-
tion- With your great knowledge Of law and your
excellent health. you the country in a way
given 10 few men Sincerely YOURS
Hon. ElihUe Root. New York.
Washington. ID. C.. July %.
Secretary Alger yesterday addressed the
telegram to Mr.. Root, at South
ampton, upon hearing of his acceptance
1f the War portfolio:
Accept my best congratulations and
thanks"
Secretary Alger called at the White
House yesterday, and was with the Pres
dent for a short time, discussing some
appointments to commissions in the vol
Inteer army. He drove from the White
House direct TO the station. where he
net his wife. Together they left for
Thcrndale, Pa, to spend Sunday with
their daughter.
Secretary Alger Is in recent of a
great number OF letters and telegrams
from persons in every station in life, all
upon his retirement from the
Cabinet. So numerous are the communi-
cations OF this subject that the Secretary
inds himself physically unable to make
proper separate responses to them all
Therefore, he has requested the press to
convey TO the writers and senders. an
of his deep appreciation
Of the sentiments expressed.
Assistant Secretary of War Meikleiohn
to the city from his outing in
Wisconsin yesterday. His return was
FASTENED by the resignation of Secretary
Alger.
Detroit, Mich, July 22-At largely at
tended non-partisan meeting OF leading
citizens, held in the Mayors Office this
afternoon, a reception was planned in
honor of Gen. Alger's return home, as a
token of the esteem in which the Secre-
iary of War is held by those who knew
him best.
Elihu Root was born on February 10,
1S45, at Clinton, Oneida County, ". Y,
the son of Prof Oren Root, of Hamilton
College. He was graduated from Hamil-
ton in the class of "a, and entered the
New York University law school. He
was admitted to the bar in 1867, since
which time he has been in the active
practice OF his profession in New York.
He was United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York from
March. 1883. to July, 1885. He was Vice
President of the Association of the Bar
of the City of New York for a number of
years; Vice President of the New York
Grant Monument Association, and at one
time President of the Republican Club.
and is the present President of the Union
League Club. He has been a trustee OF
Hamilton College since 1873, and has serv-
ed as President Of the New England So
ciety in the city of New York. He re-
ceived the degree of LII. D. in Hamilton
College in 1894
He was one of the most prominent
members of the State constitutional con-
vention, and served as chairman of The
judiciary committee The judiciary arti-
Gle was one of the most important Iii
visions of the constitution, and he was
one of the leading factors in the framing
of It
Mr.. Root is reckoned one OF the abIAst
lawyers and most astute of the younger
older politics with those of the rericd
In 1873 his father occupied the chair of
mathematics in Hamilton College. EIIbu
Root on leaving school, became a teach
er for a time, and IN that way managed
10 pay his way through Hamilton Col
lege.
on being admitted to the bar, Mr.. Root
soon maze a name for himself. When he
was thirty years old he was the counsel
FOR large number o, corporations, and
q year later found him identified with the
municipal reform movement. In 1873 he
was a candidate on the Republican ticket
for the judgeship in the old Court of
Common Pleas. He polled d large vote,
but was defeated.
President Arthur appointed him United
States District Attorney for the Southern
District OF New York. He held the of.
fee from 1888 TO 1855. In 1886 Mr.. Root
was elected chairman OF the Republican
County Committee, and for nuTaber o.
years he was the executive member from
the Twenty-frst Assembly District.
In the a. T. Stewart will case EIihu
Root was the counsel for former Juega
Hilton. He was also connected with the
Eoyt will case, ana in the proceedings be-
fore Mayor Grant 10 remove Dock Com
missioners Post and Matthews: In The
Broadway surface railroad contest the
sugar trust litigation, and the case Of the
law firm OF Snlpman, Barlow, Larocque
q Choste, growing cut OF The Beaell for
geries
Mr.. Root was a member Of the consti-
tutional convention o! New York in lsgi.
and in lsts he was a candidate for the
post OF Ambassador to the court OF St
James, which sfterwar6 fell TO tho lot
of b 4 N
OF the New York Bar Association, and Is
nov a member OF the Metropolitan. Vsude-
Vile, City, Unien League, University. Re
puohcan, century, CoInmonMealtii. Pay
ers', Down Town, and Riding Clubs, Of
the Sigma Phi, the Metropolitan Museum
Of Ari, and the New England Society.
Mr. Roots family Is likely 10 be a yalu-
able acquisition TO the social life OF the
administration. Mrs. Root Is prominen.
ana popular in New York society. and in
acJitlsH 10 having 4 pleasant home on
East Sixty-hinth street. Is one OF ne
leaders OF the smart summer colony Al