The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-04
ROOT FOR SECRETARYOFSTATE
GBOWING RELIEF THAT HE WILL
RE INDUCED TO ACCEPT,
The President Has Invited MIR. Root to
Accompany Him to Cleveland to Attend
the Hay Funeral. and VIII Ask Him
20 Represent the state Department.

the Hay Funeral, ana VIII ASK him
20 Represent the state Department.
WASHINGTON, July Sin a Washington
despatch printed in The Sun yesterday 1t
uas said that President Roosevelt would
rather have Elihu Root as his Secretary OF
State than any other man, but that 1t was
believed here that Mr., Root would not con-
sent to enter public life at this time. Since
then the suspicion has been growing in
quarters close to the President that Mr..
Roosevelt intends to make an effort to in
duce Mr. Root to become a member of his
Official family again, and despite Mr.. Roots
underst God unwillingnes to resume official
duties, there is a more hopeful feeling In
Washington that he will be induced to
accept
A telegram sent by the President to the
Acting Secretary Of State In which Mr..
Roots name was mentioned Is regarded
Of great significance in connection with the
selection OF Mr.. Hays successor. Mr..
Roosevelt told Acting Secretary PIERCE,
seemingly in explanation OF his expression
Of the wish that Mr.. Pierce remain in Wash
ineton to run the State Department, that
he had asked Mr.. Root to accompany him
TO Cleveland to attend the Hay funeral.
and if Mr. Root was able to 60 Mr.. Roose-
welt would ask him to represent the State
Department
To ask a man having no connection with
the State Department and who Ia not even
now in public office to occupy the premier
place Of official honor next the President
Al the funeral Of a member Of the Cabinet
is about the highest personal compliment
tina, the President could pay to any Ameri-
can citizen, but Mr.. Roosevelts action
derives additional significance from the
FAC, 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
1t became an open secret here that the
President had expressed on more than one
coca ssion his belief that Mr.. Root would
make an ideal Secretary OF State. Not
that Mr.. Roosevelt had ever even indicated
that he was preparing for the emergency
that has arisen on account of Mr.. Hays
death On the contrary he had consist
emily 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-
sarded 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 unquestionable, has said that
II a vacancy should occur in the State
Department he would rather have Elihu
n. a Il. H.. hos ,y,t ho
try. 1t is evident, Therefore, that the
Presidents action in asking Mr., Root TO
60 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 60, the tender Of the Cabinet vacancy
will be made to him by Mr.. Roosevelt on
the journey homeward from Cleveland
after the funeral.
Mr., Roots withdra wal 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 re 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
drawal it was believed by his former official
associates that he would not resume public
office 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
enoe as the diplomatic adviser Of President
Mckinley in the summer OF 1900. The
Boxer war was then in progress. the foreign
legations at Pekin we're being besieged by
mobs composed OF Chinese troops and re-
lgious fanatics and an international mill
tary expedition was fighting its way to
the Chinese capital.
Mr.. Hay was not very we'll at that time
and was obliged to go to his summe home
In New Hampshire. Mr.. Mckinley then
placed the control OF the diplomatic affairs
OF that critical period in the hands OF Mr..
Root, who in addition conducted from
Washington the American end Of the cam
paign against Pekin. Mr.. Root liked his
diplomatic duties exceedingly, and the
knowledge Of this leads to a hopeful feel
Ing that he may be induced to accept the
leadership OF the Cabinet, the only public
place, 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 is the President's first choice
Tor Secretary OF State, with Mr. Taft
close second. But the Hon. Joseph H.
Choate should not be forgotten. 1t is
worthy Of note that had the existing va
cancy In the State Department occurred
some months ago and Mr.. Root had de-
ciined to fill 1t Senator Orville H. Platt OF
Connecticut would probably have received
10 April.