The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-11
Mr.. LONG RETIRES
srcRETARY OF NAVY WILL GO OUT
MAY L.
THIRD CHANGE IN CABINET.
,,ooDY OF MASSACHUSETTS TO
SUCCEED HIM.

rba Thing Very Gracefully Done in
pleasant Exchange of Letters
D.+vxeen the Secretary and the
president-Latter Refers to the
r.ct That He Formerly Served I'm
,or the Secretary During Mckin-
,ov,. First Administratton-MO
s,,s Appointment "a Victory for
senator Lodge.
washington, March 10.-The third
change in the CatAlet of President
poosevelt occurred to-day when Sec
-.4orv Long submitted his resignation
- graceful letter, it being accepted
in one equally felicitous by the Presi-
dent. The change was made complete
NV the selection of Representative
william II. Moody of the Sixth con-
gressional district Of Massachusetts,,
a. Mr.. Longs successor in the Navy
nanartment. Mr.. Moody will assume
charge of the Navy Department May
!.
This change has been expected for
long time Mr.. Long had intended
n retire at the beginning of the late
President McKinley's second term,
but he consented to remain until GER
tain lines of policy in which he was
involved were more satisfactorily ar
ranged. Then when President Roose-
Welt succeeded, though anxious to re-
turn to private life-for Secretary
long will never again enter public
Ife-a strong feeling of loyalty to-
wards Mr.. Roosevelt induced the sec
retarv to defer his retirement until
if was convenient for the President to
make a change. Mr.. Long will re-
enter the practice Of law.
The correspondence exchanged to-
day is as follows:
Navy Department, washington,
March 10.-My Dear Mr.. President:
Will you kindly accept this as my res
ignation of the secretaryship of the
navy-to take effect on the first day
of May next, or sooner, of course, if
you shall at any time so wish? 1t has
been to me a delightful service. leave
the official circle of your cabinet. in
which my association with you and its
members has been so happy, with high
appreciation of your administration,
and with most cordial good wishes for
its success, and for you personally.
every truly yours,
John d. Long"
1.-THE President.
The Presidents Reply.
white House, Washington, March
1O.-My Dear Secretary: 1t is with
very sincere regret that I accept your
resignation. 1 shall always count il
a privilege, not only to have served
with you during the last six months,
but to have served under you at the
outset of President McKinley's admin
istration. l have seen you in both re-
lations, and it has never been my good
fortune to be associated with any pub
lie man more single-minded in his de-
votion to the public interest. Our re-
lations have been not merely official,
but also those of personal friendship.
May all the good. fortune you so
richly deserve attend you wherever you
60. Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt"
ITO the Hon. John D. Long, Secretary
Of the Navy"
Were Many Aspirants.
Mr.. Moodys selection for the post Of
Secretary of the Navy was the outcome
of an interesting contest. There were
no less than half a dozen aspirants, but
the struggle finally narrowed down to
the two representatives in Congress
Mr.. Foss of Illinois, chairman of the
Naval Committee of the House, who
had the energetic support of his West
ern colleagues, and Mr.. Moody, for
whom Senator Lodge made the winning
fight. 1t was for a time in doubt
whether Mr.. Moody would not be
placed in some important foreign mis-
sion rather than in the Navy Depart
ment, but he preferred to stay at home.