The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1899-07-26
AlGER LEAVES THE CABINET.
co1IoOuY BETWEEN SECRETARY
ANO PRESIDENT SPIRITED.
The Michigan Man Made to Bear the
Brunt of Sins which Belong oh
McKinley's Shoulders.

McKinley's Shoulders.
Secretary Alger has resigned from me
cabinet. and the president has accepted
his resignation to take effect at the emo
of the present month.
Secretary Alger returned to Washlng>
ton Wednesday morning after a three
DAYS visit to Vice President Hobart's
cottage at Long Branch. He was an early
caller at the White House the same morn
ing, and during his talk with the presl-
dent. the latter intimated quite strongly
that the administration of the war de-
partment was not entirely satisfactory.
Secretary Alger promptly replied that
he was ready to relieve the president
from any embarrassment by retiring I'M
mediately from the cabinet
The president endeavored to explain
why it might be advisable, from various
standpoints, to make change, but ex>
pressed his sincere regard for the valua-
BILE aid Secretary Alger had been to him
as membe of his official family.
soft words were not what Secretary
Aiger desired. He demanded to know
whether the president proposed tolisten
to the clamor of designing persons and
make sacrifice of him.
Was a Shert Talk.
1t is understood that the colloquy was
short but spirited, and Secretary Alger
hastily retired. He proceeded to the
war department and formally prepared
his resignation to take effect at the dis
erection of the president.
Although Secretary Alger's successor
has been selected, his name has not yet
been disclosed. 1t is said that the posi-
ton will be given to prominent New
Yorker, who is lawyer of national rep
utation.
II is said by the administration people
that the president had no fault to find
with Secretary Ayers administration of
the war department, and his retirement
from the cabinet is due entirely to the
latter's political combination with Gov
ernor Pingree of Michigan in opposition
to the administration. This is regarded
as a subtertuge.
Made "a ScapegOat.
The fact is that the republican leaders
have become alarmed at the couGtry's
criticism of the conduct of the war and
particularly of the war department
methods, and for some time they have
been urging upon the president the ne
cessity of a change The president has |
at last yielded and the result is the |
Michigan man has been made scape-
goat in the nope that with him out of
the cabinet the critics will be slenced.
Secretary Alger is made to bear the
brunt of sins which the president knows
belong on his own shoulders. Until this |
clamor grew to such great proportions J
President Mckinley was wont to defend |
General Alger by declaring that the
criticisms, if any, should be aimed at him
rather than the secretary. Now all the |
circles reflect on Ayers conduct of the |
war department and saddle on him all |
the shortcomings for which the president
himself used to assume responsibility.
AS a matter of fact, Secretary Alger
was not responsible for any of the bad
appointments of staff offic rs and o her
who we're mainly responsible for the
military shortcomings. The president
during the conduct of the war assumed |
all the sponsibilities of COMMANDMENTS
chief, and has not hesitated to take all |
the credit that was given; the shortcom-
ings are, however, put on the shoulders
of the man who has, as the result of
them, been asked to leave the cabinet.
1t places Secretary Alger in deeply |
Illuminating position. He has all along
been assured by the president that his I
conduct of the department. was in every |
way satisfactory, and on the strength OF
such assurances has been declaring that
he had no idea of resigning-at least not i
now
AS a matter of fact there is no partic- |
ular complaint about the present admin
istration of department of affairs. If
there were any validity for that reason it
should have been advanced at the time
when the president was assuring Alger
that he was perfectly satisfied with eY-
erythng, and that he himself was to
blame, if anybody.
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