Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-23
WORK OF WAR SECRETARY
Outline Of the responsibilities Placed Upon
the Shoulders Of One Officer.
VAST CONCERNS UNDER his SUPERVISION
Civil Duties Rival In Extent the Bur-
aens of Military Adu,inistrRtion
Expansion Trebled work
Of the Department..

of the Department..
WASHINGTON, July 22-(speciai. )--when
a man is appointed secretary OF war the
natural supposition is that he will admin
lister the affairs Of the army. II he should
devote all his time to that duty he would
be busy enough. for the management OF
this important branch Of the national de-
Tense requires all Of one mans time. But
as matters now fall out the army is a sec
ondary confederation OF the War depart
ment and other matters OF greater mo-
ment, for the time at least, engage the at
tention Of the secretary who holds the war
portfolio.
william H Taft, who has been solicitor
general in the Department OF Justice judge
Of the United States circuit court, governor
of the Philippines, and who is now secre-
! tary Of war. is the busiest man In the cabi-
net During the absence OF Secretary Hay
| he has supervision of matters pertaining to
the State department, and when the pres-
dent is away he is the virtual head Of the
| administration
The government Of the Philippine islands
devolves upon the secretary OF war, and
also the government of the Isthmian canal
zone, and primarily, the work Of construct
| ing the waterway between the Atlantic and
| FaClnC oceans. lneT0 Is enough IoI Out
man to do II he had only one of these
duties, but the secretary has some very
competent men working for him, who re-
lieve him to some extent Of the burdens Of
his office. At the same time he cannot
escape many details of the governments
and bureaus under his control. Many men
do not wish to act, even II they have the
authority, until they have submitted their
suggestions to the secretary. Besides, It is
necessary for the secretary to sign hun
dreds of documents, and subordinates do
not always care to have the secretary at
tach his signature TO papers until he Is in
formed of their purport, especially II
some disputed question is involved.
There is much business in the War de-
partment in which senators and represen-
tatives are interested, and the secretary
must always listen to what they have to
say. This takes up a great deal Of his time
and entails a large amount OF additional
work. Even in the selection of men of the
army for general officers there is congress
sional pressure, for the army knows the
value of political pull. The fact that the
secretary is the court OF last resort" In
everything pertaining to his department,
| brings upon him a multitude of duties and
great pressure from interested parties. For
instance, man wishes to secure his dis
charge from the army. He has failed in the
| regular military channels, but has inter-
ested a senator or representative, who ap-
| plies TO the subordinates, meets with a re-
fusal and finally appeals to the secretary
as the last chance. Senators and represen-
tatives also have a way of going to the
secretary for the most trivial things in the
department and having the subordinates
! brought in to report or explain the busi-
ness in which they are interested
Routine Details.
The secretary of war must approve or
disapprove expenditures for military posts,
| determining what money shall be spent
and for what purpose He decides what
kind OF boilD.s must be installed for heat
| ing the new buildings at West Point and
the character of all minor improvements
If there is dispute He passes upon the
height of bridges across navigable
streams; also whether bridges can be con-
structed over some streams, and, in this
connection, there are many questions
| pending that have caused a half dozen
hearings, and in which senator's and rep
| resentatives have often appeared. The
| disposition of abandoned military posts or
| grounds, often involving controversies
lasting for years. and the granting Of a
! right-of-way for a street car line across
| military reservation are among the
| questions that frequently occury the sec
| rotary for hours. The action of court
martial must receive his attention, and
sometimes when the dismissal OF man
| is concerned. the friends and relatives
bear down upon the secretary with all
the influence they can bring to reverse
the verdict The change of any piece of
| ordnance or mechanism of gun must
receive his approval and in connection
with the ordnance of the army, there is
| swarm of promoters and inventors who
| appeal to him after their projects have
| been refused by army boards The award
of contracts in the Philippines, the plans
| for building railways in the islands to
cost more than $90,OOO,OOO and the settle
| ment OF tire purchase and sale of the
| friar lands are among the great ques-
lions which come to him from the oriental
| possessions, while there are the smaller
! questions, such as whose vignette shall
| appear on the latest bonds, or the choice
of fiscal agent to act as depository for
the funds, and the still smaller questions
as to what promotions shall be made in
the Philippine scouts. or the return of
| government clerk from the islands, are
brought to him for decision. a
| superviaiOn of Canal Work.
| The construction OF the isthmian canal
| and the government of the canal zone
| involve questions of great moment, from
| the selections of commissioners and oft-
| GERS, down to the methods OF procedure
| in the matter of clerical help. The vast
project must have oficial machinery for
its management, and this becomes prob
lem for the secretary to determine. While
looking forward to the great undertaking
| upon which the government has entered
the secretary has been surrounded by
small army Of Office seekers, men with
schemes, promoters and others. all intent
upon getting a share of the millions that
/ are to be spent on the canal.
The secretary Of war must see the old
| army oficer, with his tale OF woe and
story of ill-treatment. He must give re-
| spectful attention to the claims OF men
who say they have been wronged by the
War department or the army. He must
read or at least know the purport OF let
tiers from well meaning but misguided men
1 who undertake TO tell him how to manage
the opium traffic in the Philippines, OF TO
| improve the moral conditions OF the sol
diers at home and abroad. Any troubles
into which cadets plunge themselves at
West Point must finally lodge with the
| secretary OF war and he must listen 10
the pleadings OF their friends
In the midst Of all his duties summons