Page:Men of Mark in America vol 1.djvu/111

Rh Personal considerations of friendship and favor may be allowed to enter into the private judgment of a business man, if he is willing to bear the consequence of choosing poor instruments of service. But in national affairs the only question to be asked is : “What is best for the nation, for the people at large?” This question Mr. Root has seemed to consider carefully and to answer fearlessly; and if men were set aside, it was not from personal animosity or from prejudice; it was the result of the deliberate judgment that better results would follow. Events seem to have proved his wisdom in most of these cases.

Brigadier-General Carter says: “Mr. Root entered the War Department without special knowledge of military affairs. Perhaps it was best for the country that this condition existed, for it induced him to apply his great mind to the study, not only of the details, but of all the higher questions of mihtary administration. He realized that it was necessary to make a study of the entire system, since in this way only could he qualify himself to differentiate the good from the evil. Early in his career he was obliged to bring into service in the distant Philippines, a body of 35,000 volunteers. He accomplished this in the most efficient manner.”

Secretary Root was fully assured in his own mind that the United States could not do otherwise than continue to be responsible for the well-being of the Philippine Islands, which had in so unexpected a manner come into our possession. The organization of so many volunteer regiments for such unprecedented expeditions across the seas required not only prompt action, but picked men, with well-trained and expert commanders. Secretary Root himself supervised the selection of officers capable of organizing the army and leading it in battle. The peaceful conclusion of the Boxer troubles in China, too, was largely brought about by his discretion and foresight. Porto Rico and Cuba both had need of military as well as of political management in the settlement of a government suited to the conditions of the people, after the war, and here again was shown the “practised mind and guiding hand of the secretary of war.” The organization of the army (one might almost say the regeneration of our army), was the vital problem which came before the department as soon as thought could be given to the question. Mr. Root soon perceived that certain changes were absolutely needed if our army was to be efficient in the new conditions of our