The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-03-11
What 1t Costs to Serve the Country

Wall Street Journal: Elihu Root, Of
whom President Roosevelt has said that
he was the ablest man in public life,
either in America or Europe, has resigned
as secretary of war in order to return to
the practice of law in the city of New
York.
The inquiry will naturally be made, why
should the ablest statesman in the world,
If We accept President Roosevelt's judg-
ment of Mr.. Root, voluntarily retire from
public life in order to engage in private
business? For Mr.. Roots retirement is
voluntary. He could nave continued in
the administration Of Mr.. Roosevelt to
the end Of the ~latter's term of office. No
revolution in politics, no differences Of
opinion as to the government policies,
have forced Mr.. Root out of office. His
retirement is entirely different from tina
Of Mr.. Chamberlain, who resigned from
the British cabinet because of his change
of views In regard to the fiscal policy Of
Great Britain, and in order that he might
conduct an agitation before the people
for the purpose of establishing that fiscal
policy as a law Of the empire.
Mr.. Root has retired evidently because
he could no longer afford to continue in
public life. He has probably argued that
after having given five years to govern
ment service, he is privileged now to re-
turn again to his practice of law, having
made all the sacrifice that he was in duty
bound to make for his country. This fact
illustrates wildly how much greater are
the attractions of a business or profess
sional career in this country than a po-
litical career. In q former generation, a
man like Mr.. Root, with his capacity for
administration, and with his great pow
ers for the formulation Of governmental
no1jciaS would hava 6ayOfpI nroctIru1l Vi
his whole life to a public career. Now
Mr.. Root, after having given up five
years of his mature years to public serv-
ice, considers that he has done enough
and goes back to his profession which
offers him so much greater e~moluments
at is a glorious thought" said ex-Attor.
ney General Griggs, speaking Of Mr.
Root, that we nave men in our civilian
life who can at the of the pres
ident leave their own livelihood to work
and strive and to suffer for their coun-
try" But there Is a limit. Of course, to
the sacrifice which they should be ex-
pected to make.
way as being secretary Of war Is known
only to himself. There Is no doubt, how.
ever, that expressed in dollars, the
amount is very large. A lawyer Of Mr.
Roots standing and connections would
very likely earn $50, 900 a year. Mr.. Roots
expenses at washington as q MEMBER OF
the abine may be estimated at $40, 0H
a year. His salary as secretary was
IS, 600 a year. He served for five years
What his service has cost hin as secre
tary may, therefore, be expressed in thu
following estimate:
Loss OF income from profession. -. $3.50. NJ
Living expenses. 10000
.S15O,JU
Salary 40,C0
'S4lo,pV
This Is at the rate Of $50, 900 a year
While this Is a mere estimate, 1t probabl.
approximates somewhere near the rea
facts. 1t is not strange, therefore, tina
Mr.. Root should desire to return to hi
business career. 1t Is nevertheless, un
fortunate that this should be the case
The public service in this country is no
so rich with brains and character that /
can afford to spare a man like Mr.. Root
a number Of students to keep out of pol
itics unless they were rich. Taking tina
advice and connecting 1t with the expert
cnce of Mr.. Root, and it caves the polite
Of this country substantially confined t
two classes: First, the very few men O
large inherited wealth, willing to devot
themselves to politics rather thar t
pleasure: and, second, the large class G
men who go into politics simply as
business and for what money there Is /
it. This. 1t is needless to say, explain
much of the corruption and commercial
ism which is degrading public life In tn!
country.