The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-06-19

ALGER AND SHERMAN.



fhs Ohio Senator's Bitter Attack on
Michigan's Trust nlanipulstsr.
It's little bit remarkable that no
michigan newspaper has yet taken up
the cudgels in General Ayers behalf
against the attack of Senator Sherman.
The attack was sharp and shrewd.
Lolnlng, as 1t did. from party. leader.
and rival Of General Alyer in the
race for the Presidential nomination, it
has attracted great deal of attention.
The newspapers Of other States have
taken 1t up and made much Of it. But
here, In his own State, where 1T might
be supposed General Alger would have
warm and earnest friends and defend
ers, II anywhere, not one even OF his
party organs has come to his defense.
H. Why is this2 They must know that
the attack, shrewdly as It was made,
was essentially unjust. Active as
General Alger was in the organization
Of the trust for his connection with
which Sherman lambasted him, he had
no such controlling |or preponderatfng
interest or influence in the mat
ter as Sherman assigned him
or artfully implied that the Supreme
Court had assigned him. What he did
In the matter was practically the work
Of an attorney--or perhaps it would be
more nearly accurate to say that he
was working only Indirectly for
his own interest, which was col
lateral one. His main object, If not his
only one, was to protect himself and
his associate concerning whom, by the
way, Sherman had no word to say--as
indorsers of the real party in interest
Whens the Endorsements were taken
care OF and the General and his associ-
ate remunerated for the risk they had
taken his interest in the great trust
ceased. And while the Supreme Court
did paint, in colors by no means fatter-
ing, his connection. with tho trust, it is
fair to remember that it did so to show
that he had full knowledgeFof its char
acter, rather than that he was respon-
sible for its formation. Such response
bi1ity was not necessary to the decision
of thecourt All it needed as logical
foundation for its decision was the fact
of General Ayers knowledge that the
trustvwas against public policy. It was
on the basis of that finding that the
court held the contract which was sued
on non-enforceable; and though Senator
Sherman does not seem to have been
aware Of the fact, the decision, severely
as it bore on General Alger, puta large
sumSof money in his pocket.
The newspapers Of General Ayers
party in Michigan knew all this, If Sher=
man did not. Why, then, have they not
defended him9 Is it because million
aire candidate for the Presidential nom
nation, like prophet, has no honor in
his, own country? Or is it, because
they know that, while Alger is inno-
cent in the trust matter-or less guilty
than Sherman implied-he is still very
vulnerable on the monopolistie side?
We are inclined to think the latter is
the true reason. 1t did not, perhaps,
occur to Sherman that his rivals con
nection with the great lumber trust,
created by the tariff, was better
ground for attack than his connection
with the Diamond match trust. Per-
hapS if it had occurred to him he would
have hesitated to make the attack on
that ground, through fear of bringing the
entire household of the protected about
his ears. But if the attempt were made
here in Michigan to defend Alger
against Sherman's attack the defense
would be very promptly met with a
reference to the lumber trust.
1t is scarcely to be wondered at, there
fore, that the organs do not attempt the
defense. It would avail General Alger
very little with the farmers to have it
shown that he has no real responsibility
for the match trust, which presses
rather lightly on them, il the showing
were the signal for the additional show
ing that he is very largely responsible
for the tariff tax on lumber, which does
weigh very heavily on them.
On the whole, the organs have adopted
the more prudent course. They can not
help General Alger out of the hole in
which Senator Sherman put him without
putting him in a worse one.-Detroit
Free Press, ~ AZ