The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-08-05
.EL|HU ROOT IS SWORN IN
The New Secretary of War Takes
the Oath of Office.
WELCOME BY ALGER.
Gen. Miles was There In All tho
Glory of a Full-Dress
Uniform.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 1.-Elihu
of war at 1915 today. The ceremony
occurred in the large office Of the secre-
tary in the presence of Secretaries Gage
and Hitchcock, Assistant Secretary Mel
klejohn, a large number of army officers
IN uniform and other employees and Off
Gals. The oath was administered by
Judge Cole of the Supreme court of the
District of Columbia
Secretary Alger arrived at the war de-
partment at 1910, accompanied by Mr..
Root, for whom he had called in his car
rage. They went Immediately to the
secretary's private office. where were
Secretaries Gage and Hitchcock. and
were soon joined by Adjt-Gen. Corbin
and Mag. Hopkins, the latter being the
military secretary of Secretary Alger
A moment later Assistant Secretary Mel
klelohn and Judge Cole entered the room
and the judge was formally presented to
the new secretary. The commission
bearing date today was in possession of
Adit-Gen. Corbn.
By this time all of the army officers
on ;,l ,h duty in the department. had gathered
IN the main office and Mr.. Root and Sec
retary Alger and other members of the
party entered the room.
Greeted by A1ger.
1t was 1O:45 when Mr.. Root stood up
and took the oath of office Judge Cole
then addressed him as "Mr. Secrg9+LL;;S ~,
and shook hands and congr"+SS'ahteu ahad, mn hi.
GSn Ager then and said Ha with vfA ev s
dent ceiling;
with all my heart 1 congratulate you
and the administration. You will find
around you here men who will help i'll
the nrduuus duties of your position. May
God bless and give you strength
Secretary Gage then stepped forward
and congratulated Secretary Root. lie
was followed by Secretary Hitchcock,
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn, Gen.
Corbin and Chief Clerk Schoteld.
Gen. Alger picked up the commission,
signed by the President and atteSted by
the secretary of state, appointing Mr.
Root secretary Of war.
Here is your commission he sad
with a smile, handing it to Mr.. Root. lin
which you lose your identity and become
Mr.. Secretary. | go back to become a
sovereign citizen of the United States and
become Mr.. Alger.'
Il sincerely wish it was the other
way" said Mr.. Root rs he accepted the
parchment.
Then the officers were presented to Mr..
Root by Victor i. Mason, the conhden-
tial secretary of the secretary of war.
AS soon as they were introduced they
passed on and shook hands with Gen.
Alger. Nearly all stopped to express
their regret upon his retirement and wish
him success in the future. They also
thanked him for his consideration and
many acts of kindness and uniform cour-
teSy during the time they had been asso-
ciatcd with him.
Miles in His Rerimenta1s.
Gen. Miles appeared with his staff In
the full-dress uniform of the major com
manding the army He stopped to talk
with Secretary Root for some time,
longer than any Of The others.
Following the presentation Of tue Off
GERS. the civilian officials and clerks of
the department game III and shook hands
with Secretary Root and said farewell to
Gen. Alger. Secretary Gage, before leay-
ing the room, went up to Gen. Aiger,
shook him cordially by the hand. bidding
him goodby. Gen. Alger left at l2:45
o'clock today for his home in Detroit.
The last official act of Secretary Alger
was to sign n reQuiSition for the allOt-
mcnt of 100000 for transports. Secre-
tary Alger intended that his last act
should be signing the order directing Maj.
Charles Bird. assistant quartermastcr. to
accompany the transport Thomas to Ma
nila when she was ready. He signed
such an order, but the other business was
presented few minutes later. Secretary
Root did not perform any official busi-
ness today.
Gen. Alger is secretary and draws the
SALARY for today, but it was thought best
to avoid any legal complication by hay-
ing the business of the department per-
formed by Mr.. Meiklejohn as acting sec
retary.