The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-07-05

Gov. Pingree Denies Having Criti-
cised the President-sayr He Has
No Alliance with Alger.

Detroit, July 3.-Gov. Pingree has
dispatched letter to Secretary Alger,
brought out by criticisms of the secre-
tnry and the numerous comments re-
Gently published concerning the agree
ment made by the governor to support
Secretary Alger in his campaign for the
United States senatorship. With refer
ence to the recent alleged interview, in
which the governor is quoted as criti-
cising the administration, the letter
says:
THE interview IL a pure fabrication.
There is not a single sentence in II which
was spoken by me. IL is the invention OF a
reporter who may or may not have been
acting under instructions from his chief.
l have at different times expressed an
opinion of the necessity for the war in the
Philippines. / have. in common with thou
sands of others in the country. disapproved
of IL, and have had no hesitation in giving
my views whenever i have been asked for
them. l voted for Mr. Mckinley. and ]
have had no cause whatever TO regret II.
If he is a candidate again l will take pleas
ure in giving him my support.
'In so far as the alleged alliance with
you is concerned, / can freely and frankly
say that none has been made. AS you are
already aware. l simply proffered you my
support in your candidacy for United
States senator, and only wanted to know
whether you were in favor of an amend
ment TO the constitution permitting the
election of United States senators by direct
vote Of the people. l was glad 10 be advised
by you that you favored the restriction of
trusts but neither of these things was
made the condition Of my support. In COM
mon with thousands of other Michigan peo-
pie. l merely offered TO assist you If any,
thing, / have profited by IL politically, be-
cause the American people detest cowardly
methods of fighting.
THE language which is attributed TO me
in the false interview, in which am made
TO criticise and abuse the administration,
should have condemned the interview as a
fabrication at once. But even more abb
surd is the statement made by the press
that l am an avowed candidate for the re-
publican nomination for president at the
next national conventions that you have
made an alliance with me, and that there
fore you have practically declared your OPP
position to President Mckinley, and should
retire from his cabinet. OF course, such a
statement is too silly TO be entitled to seri-
Gus attention. 1t is sufficient to say to you
that have not and never did entertain the
remotest intention Of becoming a candidate
for the presidency. The story is only an
other invention of Michigan newspapers.
81 think the time is not far distant when
public opinion will compel newspapers to be
fair and decent in their treatment of men
in public life. Until it does, am convinced
that the only course TO pursue is to ignore
their malicious attacks. Attempts 10 cor
rect their reports only result in provoking
a more liberal outpouring of editorial ven
ON. After all, IL is well TO remember that 9
newspaper repre- ents the opinion of only
one man, and II 1t that opinion is usually
influenced by ey Try motive except a desire
20 do full justice The time is not far dis
tant when the people will awake to this
fact, and when they do there will be a rad
zeal change in the policy of conducting the
newspapers of the country, and especially
i'm their treatment Of public men.
"Regrettng if the unwarrantable lib
critics taken with my name have caused
you any embarrassment | am, yours very
sincerely, HAZIEN S PINGREE."