The record-union., 1899-07-20


given the engineering bureau endless
trouble and which now requires some
positive recommendation at the hands
Of the Secretary to Congress at the
next session. He has been notified of
what has happened, and is ordered to
return to Washington to assume charge
of the War Department until such time
as the President shall name a perma-
nent Secretary. Probably that will be
by the end of the present month. and
by the 1st of August Secretary Alger
will be at liberty to lay down his task.
responsibility he has borne for nearly
two years and half. He has aged
many years in the opinion of his i.e,-
sGnsl friends, and is in need of rest.
He proposes to depart for the North
west and spend some time in the lum-
ber camps belonging to him, and then
pay visits to his children. These will
occupy his time until we'll along in
the fall.
About political matters, the Secre-
tary does not speak now, but it may be
fairly surmised that he then will be
ready, in view of his already announced
decision, to take such part in the Mich
igan Senatorial contest as conditions at
the time will warrant
The closest inquiry fails to elicit any
information as to, the intentions of the
President respecting the appointment
of a successor to Mr.. Alger as Secre
tary of War. Names are mentioned,
but they are only those which have al
ready been suggested with more or less
of plausibility in the press without Sc
curing either confirmation or denial
from any we'll informed persons. The
members of the Cabinet were all dis
inclined to talk about the selection.
though one did say the President had
made no mention of a name to him and
he believed that no decision had yet
been reached. He also conveyed the
impression that no appointment would
be made Immediately, but. that Mr..
Meiklejohn would be allowed to direct
affairs for some time to come.
Among the names which have been
mentioned from time to time in this di-
rection, when talk Of Secretary Alger's
forthcoming resignation had been rife,
have been those of General Horace
Porter Of New York, now ambassador
to France; Governor Roosevelt of New
York, General Harrison Gray Otis and
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn. The
name of General Corbin has been men
toned in connection with an ad interim
appointment, pending the selection of a
permanent occupant of the office. This
gossip also included questions of To-
cality, and the opinion was expressed
in some well-posted quarters that the
selection would be made from the
iC
speculation and it seems probable
from the fact that the resignation was
submitted only to-day that the Presi-
dent has not yet had time to canvass
the situation and make a selection.
AS to the reports that General Corbn
would be Secretary ad interim, an Off
Ger close to the General said there was
no basis for the report; that the Presi-
dent had never contemplated naming
General Corbin ad interim, and that
if such an appointment were rendered
it would not be accepted. There wes
some talk also that General Corbin
might be given the portfolio perma-
nently, although this was regarded as
improbable even among General Cor
bins friends. There would be prece-
dent for such course, however, as
in the case of General Schofield's Cab
met service.
Adjutant General Corbin was seen
during the evening, and while not
wishing to discuss any facts connected
with the resignation, expressed his per-
sonal regret at the turn of affairs. He
said: 81 feel great sympathy and re-
spect for the Secretary. History will
show that if he has erred it has been
on the side of the soldier-on the side
of those who were fighting the bat
! ties. No man in that position has ever
had more at heart the interests of the
soldiers, their comfort and their well
fare. Time and again he has said
to us that everything must yield be-
fore the requirements of the men in
the field, and if the funds were lacking
he would pay for it himself. He will
leave the department with the respect
and esteem of every one in it,
Secretary Alger's departure from the
Cabinet will leave in it only three Of
those men who entered it at the be-
ginning of the administration, namely,
Messrs. Gage, Long and Wilson. The
number of changes that have occurred
in the two and half years of it's life
have been very unusual. Six Cabinet
officers in all have resigned their port
folios either to retire to private life
or to accept other positions of honor
and trust at the hands of the Presi-
dent.
The transfer of Attorney General
Griggs from the Department of JUS
tice to the War Department has been
suggested by those who are figuring
on Alger's successor tonight. It is
urged that the largely increased legal
questions which are constantly COM
ing before the War Department as
consequence of our new possessions
makes it desirable that the executive
officer should be a man of legal at
tainments and experience In this con-
nection the name of Elihu Root, the
well-known New York lawyer is men
toned James H. Wilson of Delaware,
now in the volunteer establishment and
Governor of the province of Matanzas,
Cuba, is also spoken Of
FORESTRY ASSOCIATION.
The National Convention in Session