The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-07-28
ROOT TO THE FRONT.
AS a Presidential Possibility
in 1908.
.STATIsTICIAN HYDE RESIGNS
Secretary Of Agriculture a Poor
Judge Of Men.
WEEKLY LETTER FROM WASHINGTON

WEEKLY LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
The fag end OF the worst hot spell
that Washington has suffered in years
finds the Capital very dead on the
surface though the wheels OF govern
ment continue to grind regularly IN
the Departments. The President has
fed away to his summer home at
Oyster Bay and much Of the govern
ment business is being conducted by
wire. The President has a private
telephone line to the White House
and any Cabinet officer who wishes
can talk to him direct without dan
ger of leaks or interruption. Mr..
Root came to Washington for one
day this week and took the oath Of
Office as Secretary Of State, but he
only stayed over night and went back
10 New York which will be his head
quarters till September. He will
make one OF the most popular Secre-
tarie's Of State in this country that
we have ever had. What the effect
Of his Office holding will be on his
attitude toward the Presidency in
/ 1903 is problem. 1t is violating no
confidence to say that he expressed
himself before leaving the War De-
| partment as entirely averse to the
nomination. Whether his views
have changed since then is question.
He is a warm friend Of President
Roosevelt and it was at considerable
sacrifice that he reentered the Cabi-
let as Secretary Of State.
Mr. Roots inclinations were all for
New York where he had his friends
! and where the practice OF law was
! congenial to him; but he is by no
means poor man and while the
personal sacrifice in leaving New
York for Washington was undoubted-
ly great, it is mistake TO think that
the pecuniary side had the most to
do with 1t.
| How Mr.. Roots incumbency will
be regarded abroad is much more
uncertain quantity and more interest
ing to contemplate than his reception
at home. Secretary Hay had served
and was personally known and liked
in London, Paris and Madrid. L
was to the foreign Offices in thos'
capitals almost like transacting bust
ness with au old friend. Now Mr.
Root is a strong, able and patriotic
man. But he has never been in tn
.. diplomatic service abroad and th
only place abroad where he is person
ally known is ia London. 1t wa
there as the head of the American
Commissioners on The Alaskan Boun
Diary case that he put q thorn int
the English flesh that is going I
rankle for "a long time. Thus th
new Secretary Of State has recor
that he will have to work against /
= dealing with England.
f The resignation of Mr.. John Hyd
c as Statistician of the Agriculture
Il Department came at time when
# was entirely welcome to the govern
Is ment and it was accepted withot
n hesitation by the Secretary of Agr
" culture, though that gentleman ha
to be informed beforehand that
" was not to hesitate about taking
q. the letter whenever there was knot
at his door. Secretary Wilson h
proved very good Secretary of Agr
culture. He has attended TO u
recommendation of the skilled hea
s, of his scientific division and has do
I'd great deal of practical good for I
lie farmers. But he has proved durll
en- the present crisis in the DeDartme
of that he is extremely lenient in
as Judgment of men and in that mn
ny he has been a disappointment. ST
d. the talk Of his resignation bel
as called for by the President was q
ch tirely outside the mark.
III MT. Hyde put his resignation
e'' the ground OF failing health. Tt
Iu- was probably in large measure II
'u' excuse. lie took eight moths of
ice Europe for tho same reason less th
.wo wears ago. The work Of his