The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-04
ROOT FOR SECRETARYOPSTATE
AWNING BELIEF THAT HE WILL
EE INDUCED TO ACCEPT.
Tho President Has Invited Nlr. Root to
accompany Him 10 Cleveland to Attend
the Hay Funeral. and VIII Ask Him
ia Rcpresent the State Department.

the Hay Funeral. and VIII Ask Him
10 represent the State Department.
N.suISGroN, July 3.-ln Washin gton
DESPATCH printed in THE Sun yesterday it
uo. said that President Roosevelt would
ether have Elihu Root az his Secretary Of
stale than any other man, but that it was
leueyed here that MIR. Root would not con-
.on, 10 enter public life at this time. Since
,nen the suspicion has been growing in
,'nar,srs close TO the President that Mr..
Roosevelt, intends to make an effort to in
duce Mr.. Root to become member of his
osic,I family again, and despite Mr.. Roots
understood unwilingness to resume official
duties there is a more hopeful feeling In
Washington that he will be induced TO
accept.
Telegram sent by the President to the
Acting Secretary Of State in which MIR.
Root. name was mentioned Is regarded
NJ great significance in connection with the
selection OF Mr. Hays successor. Mr..
Roosevelt told Acting Secretary PIERCE,
,eemngv in explanation of his expression
# he wish that Mr.. PIERCE remain in Wash
b,.,,on to run the State Department, that
H., had asked Mr.. Root to accompany him
10 cleveland to attend the Hay funeral,
and if Mr.. Root was able to go Mr.. Roose-
vel, would ask him to represent the State
Department
To ask a man having no connection with
the State Department and who Is not even
row in public Office to occupy the premier
,lace of official honor next the President
a, the funeral Of a member OF the Cabinet
is about the highest personal compliment
that the President could pay to any Ameri-
can citizen, but Mr.. Roosevelt's action
derives additional significance from the
fact Of Mr.. Roots prominence in connection
with filing the vacant Cabinet position.
Mr. Roosevelt, it is argued, would hardly
have singled out Mr.. Root without having
some purpose in view
Immediately after the death Of Mr.. Hay
it became an open secret here that the
President had expressed on more than one
occasion his belief that Mr.. Root would
make an ideal Secretary OF State. Not
that Mr.. Roosevelt had ever even indicated
tina he was preparing for the emergency
that has arisen on account Of Mr.. Hays
death. On the contrary, he had consist
entity held to the opinion that Mr.. Hay
would recover sufficiently to resume his
official duties and, as is we'll known to
everybody close to the President, he re-
garded Mr.. Hays abilities too highly to
think of letting him retire while he was
able to conduct the affairs of the State De-
partment
But the President, according to some
Of those who are close to him and whose
reliability is UNREASONABLE, has said that
il vacancy should occur in the State
Department he would rather have Elihu
Root all it than any other man in the coun-
try. 1t is evident, therefore. that the
Presidents action in asking Mr.. Root to
go with him to Mr.. Hays funeral as the
representative OF the State Department
has very deep significance, and the belief
is growing here that IL Mr.. Root consents
to co. the tender of the Cabinet vacancy
will be made to him by Mr.. Roosevelt on
the journey horneward from Cleveland
after the funeral.
Mr. Roots withdrawal from the Cabinet
Of Mr.. Roosevelt, in which as under Mr..
Mckinley, he made an enviable record
as Secretary of War. was based on sound
business exigencies personal to Mr.. Root,
and not upon differences with the President
which could not I've reconciled. In enter
ing Mr. McKinley's Cabinet Mr.. Root made
great sacrifices, and he emphasized these
wnen he consented to retain the war port
folio under Mr.. Roosevelt
In view of the circumstances OF his with
drawa it was believed by his former official
associates that he would not resume public
olicc in any subordinate capacity. But
there is good reason to believe that Mr..
Root was particularly attracted to the duties
Of Secretary OF State in his brief expert
ence as the diplomatic adviser Of President
Mckinley in the summer Of 1900. The
RoNer war was then in progress. the foreign
legations at Pekin were being besteged by
mons composed OF Chinese troops and re-
lgous fanatics and all international chilli
tary expedition was fighting its way to
The Chinese capital.
Mr. Hay was not very we'll at that time
and was obliged to 60 to his summer home
in New Hampshire. Mr.. Mckinley then
l.aced the control of the diplomatic affairs
Of that critical period in the hands of MIR.
Root, who in addition conduc from
Washington the American end of the cam
Ialgn against Pekin. Mr.. Root liked his
diplomatic duties exceedingly, and the
knowledge of this leads TO hopeful feel
."s mat ne may DE lhducea W accepl the
leadership of the Cabinet, the only public
Iaoe, by the way, that he would for mo-
ment consider.
From present appearances in Washing
ton. not forgetting that the affairs OF the
Government are being directed from Oyster
bay, Mr.. Root IL the Presidents first choice
Tor Secretary of State, with Mr.. Taft
close second. But the Hon. Joseph H.
'hoate should not be forgotten. 1t is
worthy Of note that had the existing va
'ancy in the State Department occurred
Some months ago and MIR. Root had de-
cilned to fill it Senator Orville II. Platt of
connecticut would probably have received
In April.