Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-01

with a little party of personal friends and
some of his immediate family. There were
Mr. Charles P. Taft and Miss Wilby of en-
cinnati and Mr.. II. W. Taft of New York,
L. r. Wilfiey, attorney general from the
Philippines, and J. d. Schmidlapp of Gin
cinnau, personal friend of the governor.
They were ushered into Secretary Root 8
Office where Secretary Root. in a few we'll
chosen words, surrendered his portfolio to
Mr.. Taft.
The Oath Of Office.
The party then proceeded TO the reception
room. General Chaffee chief of staff, in
uniform had taken charge Of the cere-
monies The room was cleared of all eX-
cept the participants in the induction save
the party of friends and the members OF
the general staff Mr.. Taft and Secretary
Root took their places at the long table
where stood John Randolph, notary, VINO
administered the oath of OH e to the IN
coming Secretary. Then congratulations
were shoWered upon Secretary Taft and
good-byes were said to Mr.. Root. Livery
army officer duty in Washington was
present in full uniform, and the brilliantly
uniformed column passing before the two
Secretaries formed a pretty spectacle. In
the line were Gen. George Harries and staff
of the District of Columbia National Guald
Secretary Taft was in the best of spirits,
and he had a smile and good word for
every one while Mr.. Roots countenance
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
finally, most of the employees of the War
Department were admitted, and to each and
all of these pleasant greeting was gwen
At the close of the reception Secretary
Taft, with his personal friends and family,
went to luncheon.
Ex-Secretary Root expects to leave Wash
ington this afternoon for New York.
In His Fathers Steps.
Hanging In his Office as the new Secretary
was inducted into the arduous duties of his
post was the picture of his distinguished
father, Alphonso Taft who was President
Grants Secretary Of War in 1876 Thus
father and son have held the same portfolio,
this being the second instance in the case
of the War Department, the first being pre-
sented in the incumbency of Simon Cameron
under Lincoln and James d. Cameron, his
son, under Grant. There is single other
case of the kind in government history
where Gideon Granger was Postmaster
General under Jefferson and Madison and
Francis Granger, his son, under Harrison
and Tyler.
It was only fitting that the picture of
Judge Taft show upon this scene, for seldom
has a son profited so largely by the exam
pie of an illustriOus sire and followed so
closely in his footsteps. The elder Taft was
graduate of Yale, brilliant lawyer in
Cincinnati, an ardent republican. being one
of the founders of the party, judge and a
diplomat
The son. William H. Taft. also graduated
from Yale and likewise praeticed law in
Cincinnati. For brief period he a
newspaper man; next public prosecutor,
collector of internal revenue. a state judge;
general of the United States tat the
age of thirty-three).' a United Safes circuit
judge, member of the faculty, as had been
his father, of the University of Cincinnati,
and finally civil governor of the Philippines
and Secretary of War.
Secretary Roots Last Official Act.
Just before his retirement from office Sec
retary Root addressed the following cable
gram to Governor Luke Wright:
WASHINGTON, January 80, 1904.
Wright, Manila:
Hearty congratulations and good wishes
upon your assuming the Office of civil gov
ernor. There can be no better wish than for
the same fidelity, ability and success which
have always characterized your public SER
vice in the Philippine Islands.
ROOT Secretary of War"