The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-27
A DESCENDANT CABINET.


From the beginning the cabinet or Of
fetal family. Of President Mckinley has
been a source OF humiliation rather than
Of pride TO every patriotic American oii-
zen. The rendering OF the portfolio OF
state to Senator sherman. statesman
who had been long tho survivor OF his
usefulness. was unmiNakably stroke OF
party policy. II not of party Intrigue, and
the frequent subsequent Earring OF the
discordant elements Immediately surround
ing the president s not only matter Of
the utmost regret. bat Is also fraught with
possible danger to the government In It's
present complications with Spain.
Notwithstanding the Spanish government
Is very inferior power in comparison
with tho United States. there Is none the
less need for speedy and harmonious nc
ton ON the part OF this government. and
such disgracefu affairs as the present
quarrel between Secretary OF War Alger
and General Merritt is conducive neither
to haaty termination Of the war nor an
honorable discharge Of the duties which
the cabinet Ia called upon 10 perform
II Is supremacy absurd that an ancient
cnmity between two men should he dragged
into the councils of great Nation at
time when perfect harmony should prevail
that the additionally grave responsibilities
which war always imposes upon those who
are chosen TO serve a people may be the
more effectively discharged, That there
should be envy friction at all between such
men as Secretary Alger and General Miles
is particularly unfortunate at this time,
and it is serious reflection upon the
present administration. For Secretary Al
ger to announce that Cuba will he invad-
ed before the end of the week" only to be
contrndicted by General Miles. who assures
tho country in authorized interviews that
IL would be impossible to enter the island
before the LIST of June" presents a spec
tacie OF discordant council that Is dis
graceful In an extreme degree.
AS TO the quarrel between Secretary
hlgcr and General Merritt 1t seems to date
from the civil war during which Ayers
dismissal from the service was IN a meas.
pre brought about by the then Drigadior
Merritt. In the present war against Spain
Aeer sought an opportunity TO avenge
himself upon Merritt by recommending
him to tho Philippines mission In order,
according to the statements of his friends,
to isolate him.
AS a result of the personal differences
OF various members OF the cabinet, presi-
promising attitude and the work of tho
cabinet has heen obstructed somewhat BY
the spirit OF dissatisfaction that such a
state OF affairs must always inspire. Sec
re,aries Alger and Long are soon to retire
from the cabinet, which, with the pre-
yious removal of Secretary Sherman, very
nearly marks the Mckinley administra-
tion as a failure in as much as he has
not surrounded himself with harmonious
and able counsellors.
It ia earnestly to be hoped that sue.
qecdinS administrations Will he more for.
tunate in this respect The disgraceful
conduct OF tho present would not be no.
ticed 40 much In a South American re-
public but among a people like those OF
the United States the conduct of their
legislative and advisory bodies should
ever be the synonyms Of gravity and
dignity. They should be the standards of
excellence, and not less the objects of the
pride than the admiration OF every loyal
American rttiyon