The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-23
EuHU ROOTS WAYS
Ralph Faxon Writes Charac-
ter Sketch of Him.
HAS CREDITABLE RECORD
Relations to Roosevelt Have
Been Very Close.

The career OF Elihu Root, who last
week sent TO the president his resigna-
ton as secretary Of war, is an interest
ing one. Perhaps he is the greatest war
secretary that the nation ever had. Ger
tainly there never have been in the cab
met but three who were as great. These
were Edwin Stanton, John Calhoun ana
Jefferson Davis. Stanton was Lincoln s
great secretary. during the war of this
rebellion, and until Root, led all the list
of secretaries. Calhoun was seer etary
under President Monroe, beginning in
1917 Under the Monroe administration
occurred the troubles with the Seminole
Indians in Florida and Andrew jack
son showed SO much skill in his manage
ment of that campaign. Calhoun did very
much to place the army Of the then
young nation on a firm basis Davis had
the war portfolio under President Pierce,
1853 to 1857. His administration of the
office was able, and he inaugurated many
reforms, such as coast-defenses.
Elihu Root was famous lawyer OF
New York City. He was born in Oneida,
county, New York, in 1915. He was gradu-
ated from Hamilton college. and in 1867
began the practice OF law in Now York
City. For two years, under President Ar
thur, he was United States district-attor-
ney for the southern district OF New
York, and made a record in the Office.
He was delesate-at-large to the New
York constitutional convention of 1894;
was chairman of the judiciary committee.
and had more than any other one man
to do with the formation of the constitu-
ton. He was frequently in state conven-
lions, and was prominent in Republican
state and city politics. On August l,
1899, President Mckinley appointed him
to be secretary of war, to succeed Rus
sell A. Alger, resigned. He was just
the man to take hold Of the war depart
ment after its Acknowledgement, and fol-
lowing the war with Spain, and his mar
velous ability has made the department
second only to the department Of state.
Root wished to leave the cabinet in 1901.
but remained with the new president,
whose friend he was, until he had sue
cessfully placed on a firm footing the re-
forms in his Office.
These are the anecdotes of the great
secretary who has Just resigned. He
came into the Office just at a time when
things we're in deplorabe condition.
General Alger, who had been governor
of Michigan, and a candidate years ago
for a presidential nomination. who was a
in h. Of
rebellion, and is now a member of the
United States senate by appointment, had
shown very little capacity in the two
years he was secretary OF war under
Mckinley. During the war with Spain.
and Immediately after it, occurred the
trouble with General Miles; the beef scan
dal and other things which showed the
small ability Alger possessed. A new sec
rotary was needed, and Alger resigned.
President Mckinley knew Elihu Root and
invited him into the cabinet. Root came
A wonderfully able man, with marvellous
executive ability; a cool head and
keen perception; a natural organizer and
a master Of men; trained az few men
are in the law, Root soon became the
head man of the cabinet. John Hay ex-
cepted, and many consider him fully the
equal of Hay. He cleaned up the beef
scandal; put Miles where he belonged.
and could do the least harm; passed the
army reorganization bill through congress
in spite of tremendous opposition; took
charge of the vast insular affairs of the
government. which were placed under
his department; and in the last congress
led the fight for the general-staff bill
which was passed by congress. These
things accomplished he has done in four
years what few men could have done in
ten, and he considers his work at an end.
Thus he retires, in spite of the most urg-
ent desire OF the president and party
leaders that he remain.
AS to the kind of man he is:: 1t has been
said that the aristocracy Of this coun-
try-the real aristocracy-is the aristo-
crocy OF democracy. In other words,
when the republic was founded, the class
distinction of monarchies was destroyed:
a democracy created. all men being placed
on equal footing; and then resulted the
only true electromagnetic OF democracy
1t was a case of survival of the nttest.
the race in the beginning being open
to all. OF such an aristocracy does Elihu
Root belong. He is called cold, and aus
tere but he Is not. He has been a stu
dent. scholar, leader, all his life; he
has had immense things TO accomplish
which have made him concentrate all his
efforts. and have given him an air of pre-
occupation, which has falsely passed for
GOODNESS. lie has been a cabinet AMI
state leader. and the great deeds he has
done have made him a high position. He
is q fine appearing man. rather above
medium height. Just a trife slender as to
build; his eye clear and penetrating; his
hair and mustache gray. He hiss a dis
tinguished look and a graceful air. He
has been affable and genial with pubic
men and those he came in contact with
but not familiar with but few. His way
OF dealing with callers. great and small.
was in contrsdistinction 10 that OF WI
son and Shaw and other cabinet officials
who were ever ready TO loaf, tell stories
and kill time Root got at what his
caller desired in a marvelousIy short
time. and anticipated much that was