The herald., 1898-08-07
ONE OF THE PENALTIES

The record MADE Dy RusSell A. Anger
as war secretary is so full of blow holes
It is not easy to believe there is any real
Harveyized steel in his composition. He
has done so many things he ought not
70 have done, and left undone so many
things he ought to have done, it is diff |
cult to recognize any good in him.
We are always prone to look upon the
rich man as a national asset, but men
like Alger, who have employed their
wealth in the purchase of prominence
and place, are obviously a national La
bility. The nation is afflicted by the
dead weight of their cumbersome per-
sonality, unduly assertive and even pain
fully in evidence. 1t is no crime to be
rich, and we are not prepared to ques-
tion the methods by which Alger be-
came many times a millionaire. He has
local record for having dispensed some
of his means for charitable purposes,
but it is quite as notorious that he has
never failed to tag his benefices, that
he has seldom neglected to let his left
hand know what his right was doing,
he has ever been for Alger. Emerging
from the civil war with a record as pa
triot and soldier far from enviable, he
has since succeeded In effacing some of
the blots on the face of the scroll by
methods and through instrumentalities
not accessible to the poor man. How
he succeeded in forcing himself to the
head of the civil organization of national
veteran heroes, and how he employed
the prestige which that position gave
him to secure recognition as presiden
tial aspirant, are pretty familiar to the
more observant and analytical stu
dents of political history. His open traf-
ticking In the votes Of ignorant southern
delegates Is notorious, and warranted
the rebuke subsequently administered
by one of the greatest statesmen the
Republican party has ever produced.
The known facts regarding his treachery
to party leaders and his shameless resort
to corrupt methods to further his politi-
cal ambition, long before his elevation
to a cabinet position, stamped him as
dangerous, if not an assured, potent fac
tor in American politics. His selection
for so important a trust-in view Of his
smirched reputation as a man, soldier
and a politician-was not creditable to
Mr.. Mckinley, and constitutes one of
the anomalies of his administration. 1t
was so obviously a recognition of ques-
tionable services in furtherance of the
presidents ambition, and so palpably In
disregard of the considerations which
alone should have governed him In the
choice of advisers, as to provoke the
most scathing criticism of conscientious
party leaders and journals. Some of
these are now demanding his retirement
from the cabinet. Many realize that
his retention at the head of the war de-
partment will imperil the chances of
Republican success in the fall elections
Discredited throughout the country, ex-
ecrated by officers and men of the army,
unable longer to command the respect
of his own bureau chiefs who are clam
oring for their own vindication, the
president would seem to have abundant
cause to ask for his resignation. 1t is
finted that he Will soon take this step
But we have little faith that he will do it.
For, whatever may be said of Mr. Nc
Kinleys shortcomings, he is always and
ever a politician, faithful to political
pledges, and loyal to political obliga-
tions. No less obviously in discharge
of one of these was the appointment Of
Alger to the war portfolio than was the
selection of Sherman for the state sec
retaryship, that place might be made
in the senate for Hanna. We believe
he will keep his faith with Alger, as he
was not able to do with Sherman, and
that the country will have to reconcile
itself to the inevitable.