Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-07-07
A Pure Fabrication.

Gov. PIngree Says Statements Credited
to Him Were FaIse--sRys He Is Friend-
ly 10 neutrality-suspicious. for His
Critics.
Gov. Pingree of Michigan made public
Sunday letter which he had addressed to
Secretary of War Alger. He says that
the widely-circulated interview in which
he was quoted as attacking the administre-
ton was pure fabrication, containing not
a single sentence spoken by him. The
governor saws: 81 have at different times
expressed my opinion of the necessity for
the war in the Philippines. | have, in
common with thousands of others in the
country, disapproved of it, and have had
no hesitation in giving my views whenever
have been asked for them. | voted for
Mr.. Mckinley, and | have had no cause
whatever to regret it. If he is a candidate
again l will take pleasure in giving him
my support"
Pingree is of the opinion that the criti-
cism of the management of the war de-
partment by the New York papers has
amounted to a condemnation of the Presi-
dent and the entire cabinet, and that the
attack was plot to create vacancy to be
filed by new politician. He says that it
is not surprising that Senator Mcmillan
and his me too, Senator Burrows, joined
the contemplate scheme to discredit and
defame the war department.
Pingree says there is no alliance between
himself and Alger, adding GAS you are
already aware l simply proffer 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 of the United
States permitting the election of United
States senators by direct vote of the peo-
pie. | was glad to be advised by you that
you favored the restriction of trusts, but
neither of these things was made the con-
dition of my support. In common with
thousands of other Michigan people mere
ly offered to assist you. If anything
have profited by it politically, because the
American people dislike cowardly methods
of fighting"
In closing his statement Pingree says
But even more absurd is the statement
that | am an avowed candidate for the Re
publican nomination for President at the
next national convention, that you have
made an alliance with me and that hereto
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 was sufficient to say to
you that have not and never did enter
tain the remotest intention of becoming a
candidate for the presidency. The story is
only another invention of Michigan news
papers.
II 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 con-
WINGED that the only course to pursue is to
ignore their malicious attacks. Attempts
to correct their reports only result in pro
voking more liberal outpouring of edito-
rial venom. After all, it is well to remem-
Der that newspaper reports the opinion
of only one man and that opinion is usually
influenced by every motive except desire
to do,full justice The time is not far dis
tant when people will awake to this fact,
and when they do there will be radical
change in the policy of conducting the
newspapers of the country and especially
in their treatment of public men.