The Irish standard., 1905-07-15
1t Was Because He Was Great LAWYER
That He Was Suddenly Injected Into
National Affairs.
AS Cabinet Officer He Gave the Same
Devotion to the Government Which
He Accorded His Clients.

When Elihu Root was graduated /
from Hamilton college at the head of
his class, he had choice between fol-
lowing his father as a teacher of
mathematics and going to New York
to break into the law. He chose the
law, somewhat to the disappointment
of his father, who was professor of
mathematics in the college and was
known to all Hamiltonians as "Cube"
Root. For young Elihu Root had been
a wonder in mathematics; he could
see further into mathematical abstrac.
tions than even his father, they said
at Hamilton, says the New York Sun.
Every. WE'LL" said Prof. Root, when
the young man made his choice. "I'll
give you letters of introduction to
some people in New York who will
help you."
II don't want them," replied young
Root. "I'm starting out to do this
thing myself. Pm going to make my
own friends without any family pull
l want to find out whether I'm a man
or mouse"
So he drifted into the disturbed
Ne,y York of that day. found corner
in law office and went to work.
The year or two of privation that
followed has usually been omitted in
the biographies of Mr.. Root. The fact
is that for long time he lived on so
cents a day, and when even this re-
source was gone he scraped along by
tutoring in mathematics, for which
he had the family talent.
From the time he struck New York
until he was making a living out Of
his law practice, Young" Root-they
called him young" even after he
was well past middle age-supported
himself. He did this voluntarily; it
was part of his process of finding out
The close of the civil war was a
time of opportunity. From the very
first Mr.. Roots marvellous analytical
faculty, his application, his will,
showed him toward large affairs.
He had good practice and was
finding his friends for himself before
he was Is. By the time he was 80 he
had good corporation practice and
was leader of the New York bar.
1t was a great many years before
he was recognized outside of his own
profession. In 1t he was known as
one of the strongest, most farseeing,
keenest lawyers alive. Yet the coun-
try at large heard little of him until
he stepped into the shoes of Secretary
Alger to make over disorganized
War Department. His period Of quiet
preparation covered the whole period
of national growth between the civil
war and the Spanish war.
It was because he was great law
yer that he was suddenly injected into
national affairs.
II shall put the best lawyer I can
find at the head of the War Depart
ment," said President Mckinley, in
discussing a successor for Secretary
Alger.
It was as lawyer that Mr.. Root
was chosen; his political record had
not been startling. Like his prede-
.cessor, Secretary Hay, he was made
for the direction of large affairs, not
for the seeking of small offices.
AS a lawyer he gave the Govern
,ment the most efficient administration
of the War Department since the
civil war.
"How did you get the army reorgan-
-ization bill through" they asked him,
after his work in the Department was
done, for the passage of that bill was
the most difficult feat of his admins
-tration. Secretary after Secretary
had tried to reorganize the army and
had been beaten by the powerful
static forces which always lined up
against reform.
II took the army for my client" he
said. That's ALL"
Because he will probably carry that
principle into his administration Of