Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-08-27
ROOT WILL RETIRE,
TAFT SUCCEEDS HIM.
President Roosevelt Makes
Positive Announcement
OF the Changes.
HE LETTERS EXCHANGED
President Authorizes the Publication Of
the Correspondence Between Him.
self and tho War Secretary
on Resignation.

Oyster Bay, Aug. 27-Secretary Of
MARRIOTT under date of August 19pre-
ented his resignation formally to the
resident. The resignation was ac-
:cpted by the president with the UNI
ierstanding that Mr.. Root continue as
secretary of war at least until Janu
Try 1.
Governor General William H. Taft
IF the Philippines will succeed Mr..
Root.
The president authorized the follow
ng statement:
The president some months ago
.endered the secretaryship of war to
fudge Taft, and at that time 1t was
arranged that he would succeed Sec
.etary Root. Mr.. Root will go out of
Taft will assume the duties OF the office
shortly afterwards"
The president also authorized the
publication of the correspondence be-
ween himself and Secretary Root con-
.erntng the latter's resignation.
The full correspondence follows:
Dear Mr. President: You have been so
good as to assent to the sufficiency of rea-
sons tor which have wished to retire to
)TlNalG NE us SOOIl DIS pHdCllCaOl6 amer
he establishment of the general staff
army and the completion of my full four
ears service as secretary of war.
While it is understood you probably will
before the end of the year. and that l
I'M to remain in office in the meantime,
is probable you will be ready to send
he name to the senate In November or
December, and before you do so my res
gnation should be in your hands. find
myself, on the eve OF sailing for England
% attend the sessions OF the Alaska
low many months shall be kept away
rom tsis country, and therefore now
.ender my resignation OF the office of Sec
'etary of war to take effect upon appoint
nent and qualification of my successor.
shall carry with me unabated loyalty
o your administration, confidence In the
iound conservatism and patriotic unset
ishncss, OF your policy, and enduring
ion with which your friendship has hon
>red me. ! shall not cease to appreciate
he sympathy and loyalty to President
Mckinley with which you took up and
.arred OH his work, and 1 shall always
% happy to have been part of the adj
ninistration directed by your sincere and
'ugged adherence to right and devotion
am, with great respect and esteem, al.
ways, faithfully yours, Elihu Root.
The Presidents Reply.
To the foregoing the President replied.
Oyster Bay, L. l., Aug. M.-Hon. Elihu
Root. Secretary Of War. Washington, d.
My Dear Mr.. Root: 1t is hard indeed
10 SO not only with keen personal regret,
tut with Il lively understanding of the gap
our withdrawal will create In public life.
My sense of personal loss is very great.
md yet my sense of the loss to the nation
is Il whole Is even greater. You have
been over four years secretary of war. I
wonder II you yourself realize how much
\
If you will turn to your first report and
cad therein the recommendations you
made In order that the army might be put
IN an effective basis, YOU cannot but be
nendations have now been adopted by
congress as we'll as by the administration
md become enacted into law or crystal
zed into custom. We never had a public
harder than you have worked during these
our years and half, and this not merely
IL point of time but above all in point
.qual to your labor. The only reward
;ou have had, or can have, is the knowl-
edge of successful achievement of per-
public duty, the doing of which was Of
,ital Importance to the nations welfare.
Your duties have included more than
merely the administration of the DEPART
nent and reorganization of the army on
IN effective basis. You also have been
he head of the department which dealt
With the vast and delicate problems In
,ol1ed in our possession of the Philip
oine islands, and your success in dealing
With this part OF your work has been as
,ignal as your success in dealing with
purely military problems. To very few
statesmen, indeed, in any country, Is 1t
given at once and the same time to
lcheve signal and striking triumphs in
he administration and reform of the
military branch of government and in
.he administration of what was in effect
he department. Of insular dependencies,
where the problems We're new to our pep
Die and were IN themselves of great DIFF
iculty.
Moreover, aside from your work in
.hese two divisions of the government
;ervice. 1 appreciate most keenly the IN
-aluable advice and assistance you have
'endcred me in innumerable matters of
weight not coming directly in your de-
,artmental province, but in which
sought your aid with certainty Of not be-
ng disappointed. Your position on the
Alaskan boundary commission at the
present moment Is an illustration Of these
services.
May all good fortune attend you wher-
,ou we'll and appreciate to the full the
lebt due you for all that you have done
IN their behalf Fraternally yours,
Theodore Roosevelt.