The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-22
OF ST. LANDRY, La. JULY %, 1899.
Washington, ID. e., News.
.1"
From op Regular Correspondent.


From OF, Regular 19rrespoudcnt.
:" Washington, July II, 1899.
T. AS though his announcemen n
q of his determination to remain il
the Cabinet Until after the first o
next January were not humilia
ton enough for Mr.. Mckinley
Secretary Alger has act
ually had the gall to deman.
of Mr.. Mckinley that he make
public statement denying that h
would like Alger's resignation
This is what the boys call Grub
ing it in on Mr.. Mckinley, bu
those who think that Mr.. McKin.
ley should have fired AIgsr wher
the scandals of the war with SPAR
first became public, instead Of as
sisting in having him whitewashed
are not inclined to sympathize
with his embarrassment at the de.
mand. And there are quite q
number who are glad the Ge-
mand has been made. Mr.. Nc
kinley has, through close person.
al friends, allowed the public to
suppose that he was anxious to
have Alger resign, but wished
him to d"so voluntarily. Now,
it is up to him, to say once for all
whether he wishes Alger to re-
main in his Cabinet.
The law very plainly says that
in the absence Of both the Secre-
tary and the Assistant Secretary
of War, the General command.
ing the army shall be Acting Sec
retary of War. Alger and his as
sistant have both been away since
Friday, and the result was the
absolute suspension of all public
business requiring the signature
oraction of the Secretary of War,
although Gen. Miles was in his
Office in the State, War and Navy
Department building, each day
prepared to perform the duties
of Secretary of War. Adjutant
Gen. Corbin said that Gen. Miles
was acting Secretary Of War, but
as matter of fact, from Friday
until to-day, Gen. Miles did not
sign single paper as Acting Sec
retary, although there must have
been hundreds relating to routine
matters, requiring the Secretary's
signature. 1t was another added
to many unnecessary Sights put
upon Gen. Miles by Secretary
Alger and the willing tools with
which he has surrounded himself
in the War Department. AL
though the law says that Gen.
Miles should have been acting
Secretary of War, during those
three days, Alger, assuming
himself greater than the law, said
that the law said there should be
no Secretary of War during that
period, and his word was obeyed,
regardless of cost or inconve-
nience, and all business held up to
await his return.
So many more or less promi-
nent Republicans have come to
Washington of late with substan-
TALLY the same story about Col.
Bryan's loss of popularity IN the
West, that it is practically cer-
tain that these men are work
ing in concert, trying to prevent
Col. Bryan being renominated for
President by the Democrats.
Whether they are doing this un-
der instructions from the Repub-
lican leaders. who are known to
fear Col. Bryan's candidacy, or
IN the interests of the handful of
Eastern Democrats, who, al
though they cannot pledge a sin
gle electoral vote, are also try
ing to prevent Col. Bryan's NOM
ination, is not entirely clear, but
that they are spreading the story
with a purpose is as clear as any
thing can be-as clear as the fall
sity of the story, for instance.
Ex-senator Dubois says that if
the Republican platform comes
out squarely for the single gold
standard, as now seems likely, it
will elect Bryan by Republican
votes; that he knows of thou
sands who voted the Republican
ticket in '96, solely because of
the promise to bring about a
wider use for silver, who will un-
der no circumstances vote gold
standard ticket. Mr.. Dubois says
he regards it as certain that the
platform will contain
as strong an antitrust plank as
the Democratic platform, but
thinks the individual voter should
have no doubt as to which party
will really combat the trusts. Mr..
Dubois also says that he is GER
tain the tickets will be headed
next year, by Bryan and Mckln-
ley, as in '96.
Gov. Roosevelt was reminded
by the turning down of several
men whom he recopmended per-
sonally to Mr.. Mckinley for APP
pointment to be officers in the vol
unteers, that there are other pol
;t;a,anc In Nom York who have