The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-19
"a PLAIN WORD TO M'kINLEY.o

Under the above caption the Philadelphia
Times, independent in politics with repub.
lican leanings of late, prints this editorial:
The war department does not belong to the
president. nor does 1T belong TO the secretary
OF war. nor to the Ayers, the Eagans. the
Carriers and others who welded It's power to
the Nations shame.
The war department belongs to the people.
1t is u great bulwark of safety or fruitful
fountain of sacrifice of life and treasure In
time of war. and war Is here.
| The country has been dishonored and Pres
ideut Mckinley belittled nv the political shut
fling that has thus far hindered the dismissal
| OF Secretary Algcr from the war department
The PRECEDENT must know that Alger is In
competent that the people Justly regard him
AS rearcnsble for the needless sacrifice of
life aud health of our soldiers in camp and
Held: that whether honest and patriotic or
otherwise, he can neither retrieve the fearful
errCr> Of the past nor avoid them In the fu-
tura rs the head of the war department.
the public press without distinction of
party, has demanded the removal OF Secretary
Alger hy such overwhelming expression as
TO conpince the most hestatlng Of tho SUI
preme necessity OF the administration rescu-
Ing itself from Algorism. II is not poltti-
cal QUARREL it is not n factional quarrel: 1t
Is not spectators quarrel; 1t is
the honest manly expression of the Amer
lean people. and the president can not dis
regard 1t without grave political peril to his
administration and to himself.
Let the president rise to the clear duty
that confronts him and recognize the war
department MS the ono feature of his adj
our so!diers who who have been in camp and
fleld, and those who are going to MI the
shattered ranks come from the homes OF
the people OF every section of the land. and
they can not be trined with. AS Il rule the
entire 900 soldiers who have volunteered
for the Spanish war have carried the same
reports to their homes of the wanton sacri-
fce of He bv incompetencv or dehauchery
in the management of the war department.
aud TINT conviction is so deeply rooted that
no president however strong on the great
questions pertaining TO the war. can disre-
Rari II with impupity.
The var depnrtment belongs TO the ,preopie
the PRECEDENT is their mere agent In filing It,
and they den ana In mperious tones that a
thoroughlv competent honest and fearloGs
man shnll take the place of Alger. Let the
pres!dout take heed In time
While The Post Is OF the opinion that
very great deal OF the criticism of Score
tary Alger in connection with the conduct
Of the war Is richly deserved, 1t fails en-
tirely TO see how newspapers like the
Times can figure out Alger so guilty and
Mckinley so innocent, The latter Is the
supreme head Of the government, with au-
thority over all departments virtually
without restraining limits. and II wrong
and outrages were committed by the war
department the president must have been
privy to them. when he permitted them.
and was Just as guilty as was the secre-
tary.
And In this connection 1t will be remem-
bered that few days ago the latter chal-
lenged his critics in a way that meant
much when read between the lines 1t
meant that II he is to be pulled down and
made scapegoat somebody else will
como down with him. The Philadelphia
Times, and others with so much to say
on this line, might with profit have
interpreted Mr.. Ayers remarks before
burdening their columns with plain
Words to Mckinley"
The Post can not be classed among the
admirers OF Secretary Alger, but 1t is a
stickler for fair play, and submits that
the secretary is not being fairly dealt with.