Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-22
unprrrL CALCULATION.

HOPEFUL ELuCIDtTION.
Mingled with the paeans Of cxultation
oyer Mr.. McKinley's virtual dismissal Of
| Alger. there has been q questioning note
| as 10 the inspiration of his action. when
was well calculated 10 diminish In mark
ed degree the credit the public would
otherwise have been disposed TO give the
President. The burden of this note was
| that the President broke with Alger, not
| because OF his incompetency. not because
| of the scandals with which his name was
| associated. but because Alger. in the nope
q securing "vindication" by election 10
The United States Senate formed com
blnatlon with Potato Pingree, an avoweu
opponent Of Mr. MoKnley's. In short
over and above the outburst OF rejoicing
has rune the charge that the President
| in firing" Alger was moved entirely Dy
| considerations for his own political fu-
turc and not by any recognition OF duty
and his obligation to the American peo-
pie.
This change not only the acknowledged
presidential organs. but other papers
friendly TO Mr. Mckinley. essayed 10 dis
credit by explaining that the unloading
OF Alger at this particular juncture gust
happened So" But this explanation was
far from satisfactory; for on their face
appearances were decidedly against IT.
Indeed. the logic of the whole situation
tended TO sustain the charge.
Now. however, the philadelphia Eve
ming Telegraph Repubhcam advances an
elucidation of the ascendency OF AIser-
ism. which, in addition 20 putting the
President in a better light than he has
ever before appeared in respect of the
charge In question. strengthens the hope
that he viii persevere In the work OF
casting out the corruptionists and the in
compotents.
The Alxer scandal, the Telegraph points
out. did not commence with the Secre-
tary's unbushing exhibition of favortism
in making military appointments
nor with the awarding OF en-
balmed-beef contracts. 1t dates oacK'
says our contemporary, to his Sc
lection as Secretary Of War and the in
ton. After noting that Alger was not an
unknown man when he was taken into
the Mckinley Cabinet, as were so many
of the men he met around the council
board in the White House; that he had
for years been a practical politician of
prominence; had been Governor of Michi-
gan, and had even aspred TO the presi-
dency when, by the way, he bought
Shermans niggers') and that when MS
name was first mentioned IN connection
with a portfolio under Mckinley there
was an indignant protest from the best
and ablest Republican leaders of his own
state. the Telegraph asserts that it was
Mark Hanna's influence which practical
". although indirectly, effected the great
ncompetents appointment. And these
are. in brief, the facts our contemporary
presents in support of its assertion Han
ma could have had any place within the
gift Of the President that he might aspire
to. but he aspired TO "A place over when
the President had no direct control. Han
ma wanted to be a senator. and Vacan-
CIV had to be made for him. Senator Fora
ker, Ayers friend and Governor Bush
nell were as heartily opposed TO Hanna
then as they are now, and Governor
Bushnell had the appointment of sue
cessor to John Sherman, In case the lat
ter should be induced to resign from the
Senate for the empty honors as they
proved, OF the Secretaryship of State.
Foraker was willing to insist upon Han
mas appointment to the Senate by Bush
nell. in case Hanna in turn would insist
upon having Alger called into the Cati-
net.
That the President should have been
party to this outrageous intrigue IS, of
course, not TO his credit. But that aside.
For the nonce. let bygones be bygones.
The main point IS. as we have minated.
that the Telegraph expose lends TO re-
Heve the President of most Injurious
suspicion, in that it suggests the posi-
bility that MIR. Mckinley might have un-
loaded Alger long ago, but for the evil
genius that until few weeks back stuck
TO him closer than a brother. And now
that our Philadelphia contemporary has
justified giving the President the benefit
Of the doubt, the public will await with
interest TO see whether we will prove him
self entitled to it by making hay in the
reform bayfield, while Hanna is still
abroad.