The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-09
Care OF Prisoners is One
of the Latest
HEALTH OF SEC. GER.
Has Greatly Improved Since the
Disaster to the Maine.
NEwSBOYs AND SOCIETY FOLK.

NEW YORK. July .. 9.--lSpccial. Tho
sudden confronting of the war department
with the problem of properly housing,
feeding and caring for hundreds or SPAN
ish prisoners brings to mind the fact thas
new questions have constantly been Aris-
ing for quick decision ever since tho be-
ginning of hostilities. Most of these ques-
tions were anticipated beyond n doubt, but
few of them have been adequately provid-
ed for I'm advance, for tho simple reason
that Uncle Sans fighting organization
was well nigh rusted out at the beginning
of the war by reason of its long disuse.
The problem of the prisoners, however,
like that of furnishing the soldiers In
Cuba with suitable uniforms, tAe expan-
sion and reorganization OF the subsistence
department or any one Of n dozen others
that have already been met, will be over
come with comparative ease, after all, ior
Uncle Sam has hustllng way with him
when 1t comes to meeting emergencies that
has helped him out of many u tangled snarl
I'm the past ana will carry him through
many difficult situation in the future.
Yet without the stimulus Of emergency
Uncle Sam is likely as any one else to drop
into inefficient ways.
1t is an open secret in Washington, nc
cording to talk which finds its way hero
from the national capital, that the war de-
partment was almost hopclessly swathed
I'm red tape at tho beginning OF the present
war. The condition at that time existing
can hardly with Justice bc charged against
Secretary A1ger or any oDeof his predeces-
surs, every one of whom has regretted the
ruts into which the department has man
aged to fall iIi the piping times OF peace,
and every ono of whom has made more or
less strenuous Efforts to bring about q
change.
In the circumstances IL Is something for
genuine surprise that the enormous buSi-
ness operations incident to the raising,
equipping, drilling and putting into the
field OF an army Of 100, 900 men and over
| have been carried on with the celebrity and
| degree of method that have obtained, since
the transactions have really been OF the
| yastest magnitude. At the same time there
| is reason for congratulation I'm the fact
| that every day the situation Is getting
| clearer, that the efficiency Of each branch
| of war department work is constantly in
creasing and that problems that would
| have ben deemed almost insurmountable
six weeks ago are today vanquished with
ease.
The Secretary Of War.
II
1 of the department man of much admin
istratiye ability, and that Secretary Algcr
| Is such mnn is becoming more and moro
apparent as the war continues. Moreover,
no is q man Of almost tireless cncrgy-a
| man capableo of enduring tho intcnse strain
of his important position at such time as
the present as few men could.
And yet, according to authority which
cannot well bc doubted, the secretary OF
| war was believed by many to be on the
verge Of physical collapse not many days
before the destruction of the Maine. so
serious was the state of his health ut that
time that his closest friends felt genuine
alarm, and there was some thought that
he might find IL necessary TO rciinquish his
post or at least to take long leave or alb
scncc I'm order 10 avoid breakdown.
But the boom of the explosion which
wrecked the Maine had hardly died away
before all symptoms of the secrctary's in
disposition vanished as they might have
faded away under tho skillful treatment OF
q first class physician. Almost in day he
became well; the dullncss of n sick mans
eye gave place TO the sparkle OF perfect
health, and the shoulders that had becr
stopped by illness were braccd once more
like those of q man who needs neither
drugs nor the doctors advice. In word
tho fact that war was imminent drove his
ailment from his mind, and the intense
excitement Of the situation proved to bc a
tonic far more powerful than the most
/ potent medicine. AT the present time Sec
I rotary Alger Is one OF tho most vigorous
of all the men I'm the war department, In
spite of tho fact that his daily labors arr
arduous to the last extreme, that no Is OF
ten prevented from securing. sufficient
sleep and his hours of duty frequently
much I'm excess of that which Is written.
An Approachablc Cabinet Onicer.
As cabinet officer Secretary Algcr Il
one of the most approachablc I'm Washing
ton. IL is true that ho can SEQ only small
proportion of those who wish to talk will
him every day, and that no Is Obliged 4
refer many who have legitimate business
with the department 10 subordinate oil
cinls. But any one who really needs n
meet him can do so and with only TIN
slightest formality.
To such persons he presents the appear
anco of n man who, though crowded To
time, IL never In undue hastc---a man wh'
has & task Of unusual magnitude TO per
form vet who Is master OF tho task nnt
not mastered by it; man who goes e
tho bottom of each problem as 10 comes
but has no time 20 waste on single un
necessary detail, and who does whatcvc
thcrc Is tn do at once and In the most Ill
rect manner IL was because OF the polio.
outlined above, no doubt, that Algcr wa
able after struggling along In tho lcga
profession for some years subsequent q
the close Of the civil war To enter the lum
her trado in Michigan and by the adoption
, OF n sort cf tactics not before employed {
win grcat financial rewards wherc som
others had failed.
Washington Is now beginning To under
stand him pretty well, though he Is bes
known of course In Detroit, whcrc he bt
gan as harlworking young innn an
climbed the ladder of s,wccss. There he
famous for many things, not tho least 9
which IL the annual r,ccption to the News
boys and bOotblack- of tho town given q
his own residence and t0 which every Do
who catfk brush or sclsa paper in a
DetIuit h invited Algcr takes great W
light in this reception, which T. n matte
~ such long standing that some OF th
boys " no attended the earlier oncs are no'
grDwn men