The San Francisco call., 1904-02-02
TAFT BECOMES. !.
...:.WAR..SECRETARY
successor of Root Is. Indueted
!: Into:: ::::;=.offee :: With Simple s
:. but. impressive Ceremony
MILITARY. MEN PRESENT
General ohaffee Has Charge
). of .::-the; Installation: of New,
Head : of the Department


.::wAsHI>oN.:. Feb. William: q.
Taft of Ohio took: the. oath of office
as. Secretary of War: at moon to-day
in the presence of Several mernbers; of
the Cabinet, the general: staff "a nd q
number ofs.persenal friehas. Secretary
Taft irnmediately entered Upon: his
duties. = !: -: -.
The ceremony took place in the. large
reception room at the department. Sec
retarys. Office in the ar:Department
and the transfer of authority. from
Elifu Root; the retiring Secretary, to
Governor Taft, while simply made,
was more impressive than any similar.
event in many years. &? -: -.
Before noon, the appointed hour,
Governer Taft went to the department.
from his ohotel With a little. party. OF
personal friends and some of. his i'm
mediate family. They were Glsherep
into Secretary RoOt,s.. office, where. the
retiring Secretary, in. a: few Welk.chosep
words and with a GOOD deal OF feeling,
surrendered his portfolio to GoVernoro
Taft The party then proceeded 80 the
reception poom,' where General. Chat
fee. chief of staff, in. Uniform, took
charge of the ceremonies. Q The. room
was cleared of all except: the partiGi-
pants in the Induction, save the party
staff Governor Taft and. Secretary
Root took their places at the longtable
where stood Iohno Randolph, a notary,
who administered the oath of office to
the incoming Secretary. Then congrat-
ulations were showered upon SecTetar5:
Taft ando good-byes were said to- Seq
retary Roots
Every army officer on duty in Wash:
ington was aligned at the doorway and
the brilliantly uniformed column pass
ing before the retiring and. incoming
Secretaries formed a pretty .spect tacle.
After the, military men had passed:
through the room the heads. of bureaus
and finally most of the. .employes of
the War Department. Were admitted
and each of .these:received a pleasant
: The President walked. from the
White House to the. residence of for
smer Secretary Root tn' Jackson Square
shortly before. train. time this 'after-
noon, .personally.to say. good:by.. to the
retiring; Secretary Of. Waic and MIS-
Root. AS the. President. came up
Executive avenue Troop e. of the Fif-. 1
teenth Cavalry was, lined up. in. front?
Of the Secretary's. house ready. to /
escort him, TO. the. station. TIE. ;Presf-
dent went at. once TO- the. .SecretarX's:4
study, where he was. soon followed by
Lieutefant! General .Chaffee;: chief. of
staff, and his assistants, Major: Cen
erals. Bliss and Gillespie, and Secretary
Taft. After ten minutes conversation \
the. partyoefnerged from the house; the
President walking with Mrs: Root; ]
whom che: assisted into. the carriage; 4
He then, with firm grip of%tfe hand; !;
bade the .Secretary:a a feeling .fareweIlI
After closing the carriage. door. 'hini-
self, othe President turned. and. bow.
ing toothe crowd Which had gathered;
walked rapidly away to. the. white
House.. =. %. =: =
oMr. and Mrs. Root drove to:the sstas::I
ton, preceded by fhe troop of cavalry
and followed by the new SECRETARY 1f
War, othe chjef of staff and, his: assist. :.
ants. MR. :and Mrs; Root left WASH
.ingt0p FOR New. York. where. Mr.; -Ro9t
will resume the prac{iee Of.IaE: -. .: ii
The extraordinary: military hoilors
shown the retiring Secretary were at
the direction of the President. - =.