The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-02-24
v. H. TAFT ENTERS CABINET
Installed Secretary Of War as Sue
cessor to EIihu Root.
IMMEDIATELY ASSUMES CHARGE

New Head of War Department Sworn
and Presented to the General Staff -
Extraordinary Military Honors Shown
Retiring Secretary - Done at Presi-
dents Direction.
Washington, D. Civilian Fl. Taft
took the oath of Office as Secretary OF
War. and at once assumed his new
duties. The ceremony took place in
the large reception room attached to
the Secretary's Office in the War De-
partment, and the transfer of author
ity from Elihu Root, the retiring Sec
retary, to Mr.. Taft, while simple. was
more impressive than any similar at-
fair in many years. Before the ap-
pointed hour, Mr.. Taft went to the
department from his hotel with a little
party. of personal friends and some
members of his family. These includ-
ed Charles P. Taft and Miss Wilby. OF
Cincinnati, and H. w. Taft, of New
York; L. +. Whitley, Attorney General
for the Philippines, and J. D. Schmld-
lapp, of Cincinnati. personal friend
They went to Secretary Roots office.
where the retiring Secretary. in few
we'll chosen words and with a good
deal of feeling, surrendered his port
folio to Mr.. Taft. The party then pro-
ceeded to the reception room, where
General Chaffee, Chief of Staff, in full
uniform, took charge. The room was
cleared of all except those who took
part in the ceremony, the party of MIR.
Taft's friends, and the members Of the
General Staff. Mr.. Taft and Secretary
Root took their places at the long
table. where John Randolph. a notary,
administered the oath of Office to the
incoming Secretary. Then congratula-
tions were showered on Secretary Taft
and farewells were said to former Sec
retary Root. Every army officer on
duty in Washington was aligned at the
doorway, and the brilliantly uniformed
column passed before the retiring and
incoming secretaries. Secretary Taft
was in the best Of spirits, and he had a
smile and good word for every one.
while Mr.. Root showed the relief he
felt in laying down the cares Of his
great Office. After the military men
had passed through the room the heads
of bureaus and most Of the employees
Of the department were admitted, and
each Of them received pleasant greet
ing. After the reception Secretary
Taft, with his personal friends and
% ,,o;Ix, r,,nrf m 1nnnho0n
President Roosevelt walked from the
White House to the home Of Mr.. Root,
in Jackson Square, to say goodby per
sonally to the retiring Secretary and
Mrs. Root. AS the President came up
Executive avenue Troop F, of the Fif-
teenth Cavalry, was lined up in front
Of Mr.. Roots house, ready to escort
him to the station. The President
went a. once to the former SecretaryS
study, where he was soon followed by
General Chaffee and his assistants,
Major Generals Gillespie and Bliss.
Secretary Taft came few minutes
later. After ten minutes spent in con-
Versation the party left the house.
The extraordinary military honors
shown the retiring Secretary were
done at the direction of the President.
Hanging in his Office as the new
Secretary was inducted into the duties
IF his post was the picture of his
father, Alphonso Taft, who was Presi-
dent Grants Secretary of War in 1876.
Thus father and son have held the
same portfolio, this being the second
instance in the history of the War
Department, the first being presented
In the incumbency Of Simon Cameron
under Lincoln and James D. Cameron.
his son, under Grant. There is 4 single
other case of the kind in Government
hiseory. where Gideon Granger was
Postmaster General under Jefferson
and Madison. and Francis Granger, his
son, under Harrison and Tyler.