The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-11

Mckinley knew that A1ger was the in
cubator of the infamous Diamond
Match trust, that for years made It's
little stealings out OF every household
in the land, all the more contemplate
for their littleness and all the greater
In the aggregate for their universally.
To be sure. the supreme court, with
its old-fashioned notions OF justice and
right, held the same opinion Of Mr..
Alger and his shady transactions that
the rest of the old-fashioned people of
the country do. 1t may have felt sorry
that it could not help poor old Richard
son, who brought suit against Alger
and his pal Bull, to make them divide
the stealings with him, as they had
agreed to do, but it bundled the whole
party out of court because all their
hands were unclean. So Alger was left
with Richardson's money, or rather the
money they had all ffecced from the
public that uses matches, to use in the
national convention of 1883 in buying
away from John Sherman those scala
Wag delegates from the South, for
which Uncle Billy" Sherman forgave
him because everyone does it," These
thIngs may not seem disqualifying TO
MI Mckinley, but public opinion re-
talns enough of the old way Of looking
aC Sucn transactions to have made it
lfnpfudent to eXalt them with cabinet
seats, as a matter Of mere policy. Pos
slbly Mr.. Mckinley, who is represented
as a good-hearted, credulous sort OF
man, did not know all these things
ABOUT Alger, but he is finding them out
fast enough now, and it is intimated
that he has some bad haIf-hou over
his selection.
Then there was that little transaction
OF the tour Of the ''old generals" and
the presentation by Alger Of g. little
expense bill of $4,000 to the national
committee. To be sure the Chica 90
tribune says it has it ION the best
authority" that there is nothing in the
story, but Curtis, of the Record. gets
his stories straight, and, on the whole.
we prefer Curtis to the Trihuna,e ro,,a
less pest authority" The story was
lolo month or more ago and went
the rounds of the news and editorial
Columns Of the press without O. denial
until this limping one Of the Trihuna
MI danna's denial would be much
more to the point and fully excuIpatory
But all these things are not worrvine
the president-to-be so much as that
war record Of Ayers. That stirs I'M
the soldiers, and Mckinley was one
OF them. 1t isn't quite the thing TO
put into the war gecretary's chair q
man Who was given to leaving his nost
Without leaVe-three times Merritt saws
and for whose last offense Custer and
Sheridan recommended mis- dishonorahle
discharge. A1ger says he was sick
ana his surgeon sent him to the hos
p1ta1 in September; out Sept. 15, 1854
Custer reported that he had heen az,,a,,
without leave since Aug. %. Anyway.
Alger says he was brevetteta brigadiar
and major general In 1865. Well the
question those days was, who wants 8
DreVet not one who deserves one They
were to be had for the asking, and
Alger is not a man to hesitate about
asking because OF such q trife as Phil
ehefidan's recommendation for his dis
honorable discharge. It really looks as
II MT Alger will be gently asked to
find some impeachment to his acceptance
of Lamont's place.