Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-23

puted points finally come to the secretary
OF war; which means an addition to his
burdens
Department Duties TrebIed.
II the secretary OF war was just what
the name implies. the oficer who dealt
with the army alone. whose duties extended
no further than the armed land forcet OF
the United States and what pertains to
them his place I'm the cabinet would be
almost good as the navy portfolio, ana
no more irksome. But under present COM
ditions It has become the greatest depart
ment OF the government. The army in
itself Is important but in addition to this
branch Of the government service, the
management OF several other equally large
and important public matters trebles the
work OF the secretary, 1t is fortunate that
President Roosevelt has in Secretary Taft
a man Of the ability, constitution and tenn.
permanent to assume the duties laid upon
him.
No man disposes Of business more easily
than Secretary Taft Few men in his POI
sition give as much time to visitors Ar
irving at his office early in the morning
he will remain until nearly 2 o'clock and
during this time he Is giving audiences to
men who have business OF some sort with
the secretary In connection with one OF
the many departments under his jurlsdic-
ton II often happens that In order to
dispose of some important and complex
problem the secretary will spend the after
noon at his home where he can work with
out interruption. II he returns TO the war
department after luncheon he is again be-
sieged by the dozens of people who want
to transact business with him.
The waiting room in the War depart
NyIqf daIIx
the White House and the secretary feels
obliged to see nearly all who come because
they are there to discuss something upon
which he is called to act Being of a ju-
dicial frame Of mind Secretary Taft de-
sires to listen to all sides of every ques-
ton. II is true that a great deal of the
business OF the callers might well be trana-
acted with the subordinates in the depart
ment, but It is not human nature to do
business with a subordinate when a chief
can be reached.
Although Secretary Taft has a competent
force Of subordinates It is necessary for
him to have a thorough knowledge OF
everything that is going on. He must know
what the Isthmian Canal commission 10
doing; all important army matters must be
brought to his attention in order that he
can act when occasion arises. Secretary
Taft would naturally keep informed con-
corning the AFFAIRS in the PHILIPPINES even
II he was not obliged to do so in order to
determine important questions when they
arise. So It is necessary for the secretary
to work hard. He does n mans work in
securing information and another's in
reaching conclusions.
1t is very fortunate that at this tunctura
when the war secretary has so much busi-
ness on hand we are at peace The vast
palI a6 he ge IL,
itself for several months. II there was
war the secretary's duties would be trebled.
working Overtime.
For the past few months Secretary Taft
has been working overtime in order to have
every department under his control or
ganized so that II will run like the army.
He has been shaping an business of the de-
partment so that he could make the tour
OF inspection to the Philippines and observe
the conditions there and see what progress
has been made since he relinquished the
governorship OF the islands. He has the
Isthmian Canal commission in working
order, and the great project which is under
his immediate control is in the hands OF
subordinates in whom he has the utmost
confidence. In fact this machinery is now
organized so that II must go on. 1t cannot
stop even while the secretary is away.
which force themselves upon the secretary,
why. they will have to wait or will be de-
| cided by the heads of bureaus and the as
sistant secretary Of war, as they ought to
be decided in the first place, were II not for
| the desire Of every man to lay his case be-
fore the head of the department.
| It viii be observed that Secretary Taft
has enough to do without taking up politics,
and those who try to get him to discuss
| politics to any great extent find an unre-
| sponsive man. He is interested in politics
Just to that extent that politics bear upon
the welfare of the country and no more.
He is not bothering about the effect OF his
Official actions upon his own future. He is
not playing politics." but everything ha
does is based upon what he believes to be
public policy. And after all that may turn
out to be the best kind OF politics.
Criticism of his acts does not seem TO
| disturb Secretary Taft. Believing he
does in the widest publicity of every official
act, It is not natural that he should ex-
pect everybody to agree with him, and he is
naturally fair-minded enough to accord to
every man the right to differ with him. II
may be true that Secretary Taft has tho
same viewss on this subject as his predeces-
sor Elihu Root. One day Mr.. Root and an
official of the department were out riding
after particular hard day in the depart
ments and the conversation turned upon the
antagonistic view OF quite a large proper
ton of the public press upon some policy OF
the department The subordinate was quite
emphatic I'm his denunciation Of the press
for the course II was pursuing, supposina
that what he was saying would please the
secretary.
You are wrong In your conclusion" re-
marked Mr.. Root. THE best thing In this
government is the freedom OF the press and
the free manner IN which the press criti-
cises public men and their acts Nothing
keeps a public official so straight and right
as the fact that his every act is to be re-
viewed by an unspaTing critic. The pres
may be wrong, but It gives you oppor.
tunity TO see both sides OF a situation. II
is a great help TO the man In public place
to get the point of view OF those who OPP
pose him II the Official is right he can
afford TO have his act stand the test OF
time; II he is wrong the public criticism
affords him an opportunity to modify HIS
act or at least 20 avoid a like mistake In
the future. Intelligent comment and orid-
cism OF an oficial act upon him like a good
antagonist in a law suit II a man Is pres
pairing case in default he does not use the
care that he would II he is to meet a bright
IL ,,ybo yvoutd ne outolr ~ find dauta In