The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-03-18
ALGER'S ACTIVE WORK
Water Approaches to Washington
Thoroughly Mined.
OUR BIG CITIES IN no DANGER.

|
Spain Is Inevitable, Has Made Prope,
Protection in the Rivers and Harbors OF
| the Atlantic Coast Every Michigan Man
Proud of the Secretary of War and His
Attention to Duty.
Washington, March 15.-General AL
ger will make a great secretary of war
He has realized the situation from the
first, and has made preparations for
the conflict. During his protracted ILL
ness he kept in constant communica-
ton with his department. Ever since
the battleship Maine was accidental
ly' destroyed in the harbor of Havana,
where semi barbarous race maintains
civilized government, General Alger
has known that the war was inevitable.
He has managed the disposition of our
coast Notifications with consummate
skill, and with patriotic determination
to give warm welcome to foreign foes.
One of the old officials of the war de-
partment has said to the writer: I'VE
have only one monitor at Norfolk and
our coast defenses at Hampton Roads
look incomplete. Any fleet which might
pass that point could destroy Norfolk
Baltimore, and Washington; at least,
they think so. But, under General AL
gers direction, the approaches to those
cities have been so thoroughly mined
and torpedoed that no fleet could pass
there in safety. We could touch but
tons on shore and blow them all up
before they knew what was happening
to them. Their great guns would be
useless.
Potomac River Mined.
"But, If one single vessel should pass
the submarine mines and come steam
ing up the Potomac to destroy WASH
ington she would be destroyed. General
Alger has had the Potomac river mined
so that no vessel could come up the
channel and get within forty miles of
the national capital. In New York and
other harbors General Alger has caused
protection to be made in a systematic
and scientific manner"
General Alger conferred honor upon
his state as we'll as upon his country
during the civil war, and he is now
making every Michigan man proud of
him by his splendid attention to the
duties of great national Importance
which have been intrusted to his care
by President Mckinley. He will make
a great secretary of war, and every day
brings US closer to the time when his
services will be most demanded and
most appreciated.
Was a High Honor.
William Alden Smith of Grand Rap
ids is one of the youngest members of
the house of representatives, and it
was a high honor which was conferred
upon him when he was signaled out for
n n IN on On
to Cuba, with three distinguished Unit
ed States senators, and with the famous
journalist Amos j. Cum
mings. But Mr.. Smith has attended
to his duties as a member Of the COM
mittee on foreign affairs, and hence
he has attracted national attention.
Both of our senator's and all of our
representatives have recently been re-
ceiving big patches of resolutions and
petitions in favor Of the passage of the
anti-scalpers bill. These come from
the order of railroad conductors and
their friends. Recently the mails were
burdened with petitions from hundreds
of good men opposing the passage of
this bill. So, either way our public men
vote they are bound to make enemies
on this bill.
Sleighing must have been good re-
Gently in the vicinity Of Muskegon and
Bear Lake, and the folks must have
been having a nice, neighborly time of
It, With the thermometer slanting to-
wards zero one would think that soul
saving was work enough, but some of
my good preacher friends have mani
testify left off soul saving for a season
and gone to running the federal gov
erpment between bliZzards
utilized the Meetings.
It is evident from the petitions re-
Gently received by Congressman Bishop
that the church, Sunday school, and
prayer meetings have been utilized for
signing petitions. Revs. George Crook,
f. w. Hast, M. J. w. Jones, J. p. Con-
nell, H. ]. Leighton, Carrie Lathwell,
Laura v. Sanders, Jennie Norconk,
Jennie Severson, Charles Oils, and J.
Burger have Illuminated petitions
against cigarette laws, against use of
liquor in government buildings, against
adultery In the District of Columbia,
and against lots of other things in the
District Of Columbia; things which are
done at Bear Lake and Muskegon the
year around. Mr.. Bishop has filed all
of these with the proper committee,
and now the reverend gentlemen may
feel that they have done their duty by
the District of Columbia, and they may
go to saving souls, IL they can, in Man.
istee and Muskegon counties. Mean
time, the federal government will run
along somehow. People who petition
congressman to look after the morals
of the District of Columbia might as
well petition them to make the Klon-
dixie warm ar sheol cold
Hamilton Strikes Snag.
Congressman Hamilton has struck
snag and he realizes 1t, too. His bill
providing for an additional pension raid
on the treasury has been pigeon-holed
This is not good year for bills which
dip into the treasury. The writer has
been somewhat of a pension crank him
self, but fifteen years of experience
here have revealed so much that Is
wrong as to cause distrust of every
pension bill Thousands of deserving
men are not on the pension roll, and
tens of thousands of undeserving men
are on the roll. For example, men who
act as government clerks in Washing
ton, drawing upwards of 500 per month
for writing ought not also be drawing