The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-04
MIR. Roots Craftsmanship.

Among the traditions of the Federal Senate
which will survive and with which many of those
who in the future share in public life are sure to
be familiar will be the career and the service OF
Elihu Root who today retires not to leisure but
10 private vocation. Mr.. Root, as Senator, was
able to maintain some OF the high ideals OF pub
lie service in that chamber OF Congress which
characterized some OF his great predecessors.
He did not meet with many who were his
intellectual peers and whose names and services
as Senators were familiar to the public. as did
some OF those who in earlier days able to
make tho United States Senate the ablcst, i'll
MANY respects the wisest, OF all legislative bodies
1t was fortunate for the Senate that in these later
years it numbered among its members some who
like Elihu Root were able with distinguished
ability to maintain the prestige OF the American
Senate.
Very likely when tho history OF the era which
began with the first inauguration OF President Nc
Kncy is written TO the year 1915, MIR. Roots pres
tigc and service as a public servant OF high degree
will be more frequently referred to in association
with his achievements while Secretary Of State
under President Roosevelt and President Taft. He
will, however, be likcned to other great minds and
personalities of New York State who achieved
greatly both Secretaries OF State and as men,
bcrS of the Senate.
n
allv of all that is associated with State De-
partmcnt but who is not of the party affiliations
with which Senator Root has been associated since
he first began active career, reported by init
mate friends to have said last year: 1T would pay
tho United States government well to fix any
salary which Elihu Root might demand if thereby
he could be persuaded to return to the State De-
partment." No enconum of that kind had ever
before been pronounced tribute to a man
capable OF performing with utmost skill, highest
sincerity, the difficult responsibilities which wide
direction OF the State Department entails.
Mr. Root owes 40 small part OF his successes
to capacity ior intense but wisely directed in
du>try. He possesses the intellectual gifts which
made industry OF that kind OF avail. His a
remarkable power of economic labor. He seemed
to know just how TO labor and not at any time
did he waste his energies upon industry which
was OF no avail. Probably man of his genera
ton was able better to discriminate between the
labor which is pure drudgery, because valueless,
and work which would count. For that reason
no labor drudgery for him.
Those of the future generation the younger
men OF the present who study Mr.. Roots career
with a view OF learning what the secret OF his
success was will be more likely to find that
in dilligent analysis OF his addresses. To Mr..
Root possibly more than to any other of his
generation we owe a change from the old wordy
cmncntly rhetorical and actor-like preparation
and delivery OF addresses. We simplicity OF
style We owe the fine example set by him OF
nassng facts making argument go all tours,
relying upon accumulation OF pertinent facts and
then the establishment of the law either in politics
or in law which is based upon facts. His argu-
mcns, therefore, irresistible. They appealed to
tho understanding. They set forth with such
simple dignity that no orc had difficulty in under
standing his meaning. Oratory OF the dcmagoGic
nature or OF the kind which is called "argumcntum
ad hominum can be found in OF his ad
dresses. The note OF sincerity rings true in all
OF his speeches. Therefore, lie able to per-
>uade men permanently for he never dazzcd them
with brilliant outbreaks OF insinccrc rhetoric,
thereby creating only momcntary impression
Herein is contained lesson OF Mr.. Roots
career which will avail much Tor any OF the young
men OF this future day who make care
iul study OF this lesson Sincerity. plain and car
nest speech. the assembling OF facts and the
oi them to speak, that al last
they build up the logical and irrciutablc state
rucnt These are among tho gifts OF Mr. Root
which supplemented his unusual intellectual pow
cr> and made him mastery influence in his
day.