The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-04
R00TFOR SECRETARYOFSTATE
GROVING BELIEF THAT HE WILL
RE INDUCED TO ACCEPT.
~te President Has Invited MIR. Root TO
Accompany Him to Cleveland to Attend
the Hay Funeral. and VIII Ask Him
:, IN Represent tho state Department.

Accompany Him 10 S1eNeIanu 70 AVenO
the HAY Funeral. and VIII Ask Hin
y 10 Represent tho state Department.
WASHINGTON, July Sin a Washin gton
desnatch printed In The Sun yesterday it
was said that President Roosevelt would
,o,her 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 10 enter public life at this time. Since
,hen the suspicion has been growing in
,uarters 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
understood unwillingness 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 Mr..
Roots name was mentioned is regarded
Of great significance in connection with the
selection OF Mr.. Hays successor. Mr..
Roosevelt told Acting Secretary Perce,
seemingly in explanation of his expression
of the wish that Mr.. Peiroe remain in Wash
ncton 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 go Mr.. Roose-
velt would ask him to represent the State
Department,
To ask man having no connection with
the State Department and who Is not even
now in public office to occupy the premier
place Of official honor next the President
al the funeral Of member of the Cabinet
is about the highest personal compliment
that the President could pay to any Aneri-
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.
Immeda tely after the death Of Mr.. Hay
il 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 indica led
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 well 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 unquestionable. has said that
if vacancy should occur in the State
Department he would rather have Elihu
Root fill 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
las very deep Significance, and the belief
IL growing here that IL Mr.. Root consents
to 20, the tender of the Cabinet vacancy
will be made to him by Mr.. Roosevelt on
he journey homeward from Cleveland
,iter 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 exigences personal to Mr.. Root,
and not upon differences with the President
which could not be 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
iolo 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
here is good reason to believe that Mr..
Root was particularly attracted to the duties
Of Secretary of State in his brief expert.
snce as the diplomatic adviser Of President
Mckinley in the summer of 1900. The
Boxer war was then in progress the foreign
legations at Pekin were being beseged by
'noDs composed OF Chinese troops and re-
lgious fanatics and all international mill
tary expedition was fighting it's way to
the Chinese capital.
Mr.. Hay was not very we'll at that time
and was obliged to go to his summer home
in New Hampshire. Mr.. Mckinley then
aced the control OF the diplomatic affairs
d that critical period in the hands of Mr..
Root, who in addition conducted from
Washington the American end OF the cam
laign against Pekn. Mr.. Root liked his
diplomatic duties exceedingly and the
knowledge of this leads to hopeful feel
ing that lie may be induced to accept the
leadership of the Cabinet, the only public
Place, by the way, that he would for a mo-
nent consider.
From present appearances in Washing
ton not forgetting that the affairs of the
Government are being directed from Oyster
Ray, Mr.. Root is the Presidents first choice
for Secretary OF State, with Mr.. Taft a
dose second But the Hon. Joseph H.
'hoate should not be forgotten. 1t is
worthy Of note that had the existing va
cancy in the State Department occurred
some months ago and MIR. Root had de-
'Ined 10 I'LL it Senator Orville II. Platt Of
onnecticut would probably have received
On oher of the place. Senator Plat died
II April.