Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-07-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Special Correspondence to the Herald
from the Nations Capital.

Rarely if ever has a man stepped
into a cabinet office amid the
plaudits of the American people, as
has done Elihu Root. No man ana
no newspaper has had the tementy
TO criticise the presidents selection
of a successor to John Hay, late
secretary of state. Some violently |
partisan papers have, it is true, |
criticised Mr.. Root becs use Of the
fact that he has acted as attorney |
for certain trusts and large corpor-
ate interests but even those who
have pointed with disapproval to
this phase Of the career of the new
secretary of state have felt con-
strained to acknowledge the pre-em-
inent fitness of Ellhu Root, the man
for the responsible duties which
will fall to him when the mantle
Of John Hay rests upon his shout
ders. 1t has been said that no man
leaves public office with his work
completed and the larger the man
the truer the saying. There are many
things which John Hay left unfin-
ished, left so because the fulness of
time had not ripened them and be-
cause was far too wise a diplomat
ever to act precipitately. But un-
finished they are and to Elihu Root !
will fall the completion of many of |
them, and the guidance of others
which even this generation will
not live to see completed. 1t is a
difficult task which confronts the
new secretary of state. He has en-
joyed the long diplomatic training |
which prepared his predecessor and
he must take up a great many
things which were the product of
Mr.. Hays long deliberation. But
no one expects other than the new
secretary will make a success of the /
responsible duties which will fall to
him and every patriotic American
irrespective of party affiliations
will wish him God-speed.
One of the most striking char
acteristics of the administration of
Theodore Roosevelt has been the
great unearthing of graft" IN the /
public service. To the unthinking it |
might almost seem that he has been
singularly unfortunate in having
during his administration so many
dishonest public employees. No
thoughtful person will, however, be
guilty of this error. The reason
that so much graft has been de-
tected and punished during Presi-
dent Roosevelt's administration is
that he is merciless in his dealing
with it, that he abhors dishonesty in
the public service and has given
every member of his cabinet SO to
understand, and that when case
is found instead of quietly dismiss
ing the culprit, or permitting him
to resign, the president insists on
his public prosecution in order that
his fate may prove an example to
evil doors, or to those who NAV be
tempted. 1t is chiefly difference
OF methods. The president argues
that public officials are public serv-
ants and that the people have
right to know what has been the
conduct of their servants and to
know that when they have been
guilty of dishonesty they are publ
cally disgraced and justly punished.
There is another feature of the
presidents policy, however, which
has contributed to the detection of
the grafte1s. They very fact that
he has dealt with absolute justice,
so far as in his power lay with
ever case of dishonesty brought to
his attention has emboldened those
who acquire information of improp-
er conduct on the part of public Off
Gals to make the facts known to
the president or to the proper Off
Gals, and for that reason the de-
tectiOns are more numerous and
grating" in the federal service is
more general than ever before.
Philadelphia has abandoned Qua
kerism enough to make vigorous
war on the grafters.