The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-02-18
FOMP AND STARVATION.

When the military academy bill va
before the Senate. the other day. oh
lection was made to an amendment tC
pay the transportation and subsistence
of the West Point military cadets dur
ing their visit to the capital on tho
Mckinley. Mr.. Gray, of Delaware
opposed the amendment, and in til:
debate which followed, Senator 4 lien
Of Nebraska. and Stewart, of Nevada
agant prepara tions being made for in
ducting Mr.. Mckinley into Office Will
great pomp and display.
The cost of the Inauguration pirad,
and festivities will run into millions
The ceremony of taking the oath OF
office will make Mr.. Mckinley tht
President of the United States, and this
could be done without any gorgeous
pomp. or the expenditure Of millions
Moreover. such a ceremony would be
more in keeping with the simplicity
of Il republic. whereas the preparations
now under way smack more of the
furorc made over the coronation of the
Car than they do of the customs of
the freeSt country on the face of ti.
earth.
From every large city in the land
and from thousands of small towns and
villages. comes the cry for relief. Thou
sands are perishing from the lack of
food and fuel. The homeless are driv-
Ell into crime hy the pangs of hunger.
VIII Il gorgeous pageant ut Washing
ton, on March T. benefit any one of
these unfOrtunates? Those who sup
port the pOmp and ceremony. which
will attend the coming Inaugural ton,
will claim that most of the money will
come out of the pockets of the mill
tary and political organizations which
would be in the grand parade. rlue.
but this does not excuse Il frivolous
waste of millions, when every where
over this broad land comes the cry of
suffering. If the clubs and other or
ganizatiOnS arranging to visit Wash
ingtOn on March i would abandon the
trip and devote One-tenth of tie pro-
posed expenditure to the cause of Drac-
teal charity. the keen misery of many
thousands would be lcsscned. ana the
finger of the entire earth would n1
longer point to starvation in Il land
which prides itself upon its plenty. and
glories in its charities.
The waste of money in inaEgura ton
furOre and pomp in times like these
is Il crime. Every dollar paid ont for
a needless and lavish display means
just SO much money turned away from
the direction of charity. Millions 70,
Il useless pageant. while all around IL
thousands are starving, is un-Amcri
can, unchristian and unnatural. The
voice of the pulpit has been raised
against many lesser evils: let it now
thunder forth in the interest of Ameri
can humanity ty-Philadelphia Item.
Aigcr ls Attacked.
1t is whispered about Washington
that there may be serious opposition TO
the confirmation of General Alger as
Secretary of War in President McKin-
ley's cabinet. 1t has been known among
the leading Republicans that General
Alger's war record has been alluded to
frequently as one which would put him
come the subject of consideration in
executive session. General Algers
friends are now privately circulating 4
reply to the charges made against him
in the New York Sun in 1892 The
Suns editorial. printed Feb II. 1892,
is as follows:
What is this about General Russell
A. Alger. of Michigan. rs Il Republican
form of patriotism and pensions: The
various biographies OF General .Alger
dwell more i'll detail upon the begin
ming of his military service than on the
end. He was major of the Second
Regiment. cavalry, General Slcridan's
old regiment. On Oct Is. 1862. he was
promoted to be lieutenant colonel Of
the Sixth Michigan cavalry. Subse-
1uently he WAS transferred 10 the Fifth
cavalry and became its col
onel
In September. 1864. Colonel Alger
and his regiment were in the Shcnan-
dcah valley taking part in Sheridan's
great campaign against Jubal Early.
Abont the first of that month Colonel
Algcr applied for ten days leave of
absence. The application was disap-
proved and returned by his division
General Wesley Merritt.
because of the active operations then
in progress. Upon the return of his ap-
,lication diSapproved Colonel Alger left
his regiment and Went To Washington
leave There he procured a
detail on court-nlartial duty in that
city.
This fact WAS reported to General
Merritt, who reported in turn to Gen
rral Sheridan. who brought the matter
10 the attention of the war department,
that Colonel Alger he
discharged from the army
for being absent without leave. In
of that recommended ton
from Philip II. Sheridan Colonel Rus
sell \. Algcr WAS discharged from the
service on Sept. 80. 1861
'The record does not read that he
was 'diShOnorably discharged. The
punishment recommended by General
Sheridan was sOftencd and he was
merely discharged. The incident ter
his military career After the
war was ever he procured in some way
the brevet of brigadier general and ma
jOr general of volunteers
These facts are not stated in the
current biographical sketches relating
to General Russell Absent Alger."
According to General Ayers friends
he was not aware of this record nor
the recommendation for his dismissal
until twenty-fOur years later. 1t is also
asserted that General Alger was the
victim of Clusters jealousy because of
The formers rapid advancement i'll
rank.
IL