The herald., 1897-11-27
| ALGER'S ADS
DisbeIieved at First and
Still Mistrusted
NO DOUBT M'kINLEY DID 1T
HE HEARS THE COMMAND OF
HIS OLD COMMANDER
NO DOUBT M'kINLEY DID IT
Administration's Honor Imperilcd by
Trivial Tricks-0pinions From
Both Parties Agree

| Se%@ = - SAOS &48ASO
The announcement received by specia
wire and published exclusively by TIL
Herald yesterday morning that Secre
tary Of War Alger had concluded to ad
vertise for bids for work on San Pedr,
harbor and would pay for the adver
tisements out of his own pocket wa
the chief topic of conversation in thl
city yesterday.
A feeling of distrust as to the sincerit.
of Secretary Alger's motive was general
and some even doubted the correctness
OF the news, but others who have noted
the reliability of The Heralds specia
dispatches acted on 1t at once, as in thu
case OF p. M. Daniel, president Of til,
board of trade, who held back dispatcl
to President Mckinley urging action II
the harbor matter. Confirmation Of The
Herald's special later in the day by tho
Associated Press dispatches removed
the last chance of dispute as to its cor.
rectness.
Secretary Alger's motive for his sud.
universal conjecture and the consensus
OF opinion seemed to be that President
Mckinley had taken the matter in hand
and ordered immediate action by the
war department.
That this was due to influential pres
sure from friends of San Pedro harbor
goes without saying, and in this con-
ncction the following affecting and
effective telegram from the hand Of his
old commander direct to the heart of
William Mckinley has a peculiar. a
pathetic and a thrilling interest. It is
republished from the Los Angeles Even
ing Express of yesterday:
Los Angeles, CAL, Nov. 26, 1897.
TO the President, White House, WASH
ington, d. C.-Just recovering from crit
ical illness. cannot say much, but must
urge you to compel the secretary Of war
to execute the law by beginning work
on San Pedro harbor improvement. His
fallacious reasonings and disgraceful
delays are fast imperiling the honor of
your administration. AS one who helped
to preserve the institutions and laws of
our great country. your old commander
begs you to uphold the law and put a
stop to this scandalous juggling with an
act Of congress.
tSigneD w. s. ROSECRANs.
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED
Senator White, though very busy
man yesterday, was seen by a Herald
reporter at the courthouse while hurry
ing from one law case on trial in de-
partment two to another in department
four. Asked for his opinion of Secretary
Alger's sudden change of base he seemed
to be very much in doubt Of everything
connected with 1t except that there was
a large colored gentleman in the wood
pile somewhere.
Il sincerely hope the condition Of the
matter Is as true and sweet and pure as
reported. but 1t will require a great deal
OF evidence to satisfy my mind that It
is or that Secretary Alger's sudden alac-
rity and generosity in favor of San Pc
dro is at all sincere in any degree"
Mayor Snyder-"1f the reported deci-
sion Of the secretary of war is true, and
l see that The Herald's report has been
confirmed, 1t is glorious news for Los
Angeles and for all Southern California.
= 1T Is possible. however, that the bene-
fetal effect may be minimized by the
advertisement. The advertising may be
couched in such words as to all but de-
stroy the effect desired. Wait until we
see 1t in the papers and then we will be
able to determine just what its effect
will be-"
Charles Forman, president of the
chamber of commerce, was In cheer
fully optimistic mood yesterday after
noon and said that he was disposed to
be charitable to Mr.. Alger and believe
that the secretary of war will go right
ahead with the harbor work-now that
Mckinley is after him. His tactics"
said the general, evidently were to
daily till congress met, in hopes
that something would then be done to
knock out San Pedro. His animosity to
San Pedro is due to his friendship for
Huntington. When here three or four
years ago, Mr.. Alger came out flat
footed for Santa Monica.
His application to the Judge advocate
general for a legal opinion shows either
desire for delay, bad faith, or lamenta-
BILE ignorance. That official is not his
legal adviser; Judge McKenna is, and
Secretary Alger had his opinion long
ago. The Judge advocate general re.
views courts martial and army cases
and is a purely military official.
"Mr. Alger must now go ahead. He
can't back down."
Hon. T. e. Gibbons mood seemed O
close second to that of Senator White. as
If personal contact and active contest
with the secretary of war in the matter
had left the same ineffaceable feeling of
distrust. with any ordinary man."
said he, I'VE might rely upon 1t that II
he went to the length Of putting into the
mail the advertisements for bids he
would not back down. but with Alger
we can't tell what he will do. His sud-
den change of front may be due to the
presence in Washington during the last
three days Of people who are strongly in
favor of San Pedro harbor and very in
fiuential with the administration"
p. M. Daniel, president of the board of
trade: Il knew the dispatch was true as
soon as saw 1t, but doubted Algers
sincerity then and doubt 1t now. He
has been guilty Of so many petty, trivial
tricks that think this must be a subter-
'uge to secure additional delay.
"The last meeting of the Harbor
league, through its president, called ON
The board of trade. the chamber of COM
merce and the Merchants and Manufac-
turers' association for strong dispatches
TO Washington. received the one to
be sent for the board Of trade today. but
after reading The Herald article held 1t