Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-03
AN OVATION 10 ALGER.
Ex-secresery OF War Given = Royal
welcome Home.

eager faces of the multitudeS who loud
ly and convincingly insisted Ayers all.
right" and no dissonant voice was
heard.
A special train which met Alger and
party at Toledo carried 400 members
of the reception committee.
Upon the arrival at Detroit 800 biz
cyclists and over 1000 marchers es-
corted Alger from the depot to the re-
viewing stand. The militia and vet
Grams of the civil war, a company of the
Spanish war veterans and scores of
marchers in secret society uniforms
filed past.
When Alger appeared upon the re-
viewing stand there was a roar of APP
plause from the dense crowd which
blocked all the traffic across the cam
pus. The former secretary reviewed the
parade and returned the salutations of
many of the marchers, especially the
veterans and G. A. r.. comrades.
Mayor Maybury, after calling the as
sembly to order, said:
General Alger, l should despair, sir.
of being able to voice the heartiness of
this welcome We're it not already shown
i'll this vast concourse, through whom
you have passed. 1t will go forth to
the world, sir, that where you are best
known, there YOU are best beloved. and
best appreciated. 1t will go forth to the
world. sir, due notice that the standard
of high character built up by patience
and perseverance, honesty and upright
ness can not be thrown down by SLAM
der.
Governor Pingree in his speech read
in behalf of the state, made some point
ed references of the incidents leading
to Alger's home coming, and fired some
characteristic shots at the newspapers,
which. he asserted We're largely re-
sponsible. The governor said that AL
gers best service for his country was in
his efficient management of the war de-
partment. Said he:
Without your energy, business abil-
ity and experience, no one knows how
long 1T might have lasted. You were
handicapped by the machinery of your
department. which was ancient and OBJ
solete In spite of it you contributed
more than any one else to bringing the
conflict TO an end. with a loss of life so
small as to astonish the world.
The facts which led you to submit
your resignation to the president are
Well known. The treatment which you
Ireceiyed justly aroused the resentment
| of fair minded Americans. The people
| of Michigan look upon the manner In
| which your withdrawal from the cab
met was forced as an insult to the state
They are here today to rebuke the Gu
pidity OF politicians, high and low. They
are here to show their contempt for the
l cowardly attacks of a venal press.
Il know some people think 1t Is un-
1 wise upon an ccasion like this to give
voice 20 such sentiments as / have been
4 expressing. ] say to them that the
truth is never out of place. / have
.Fcome to believe that the institutions
most dangerous to our form of govern
ment is the II ewspaper. Its boosted
liberty is rather u license. 1t has no
| scruple and no conscience. There are
|of course exceptions, but speak of the
1.-THE press as a whole. Because you, Gen
AIger, who would not bow to them. and
conduct the war department in the in
/ terests of the combines. army contrac-
4 tors and commercial interests which
Econtrol the newspapers, you became a
4 marked man. / voice the sentiment of
4 the people of Michigan when l say to
you that we have every faith that his
/ tory will rebuke the n ewspapers and
the politicians OF the h ighest and low
lest stations who used such vile methods
to accomplish their little purposes"
Alger responded and said:
Il can command no language to ex-
! press my gratitude for this royal well
! come to my home. / am glad from the
bottom of my heart to be released from
official cares and again enter the old
| home, and live among the people OF
Michigan.
Since I went away the country has
been through terrific struggle. The
J office which | headed taxed to the ut
: most every mans strength who occu-
pied any position in 1T. gave my best
thought nd honest effort, and die
everything | could to carry out my par'
lof that great work. What has beer
done is a matter of record, and / an
! lperfectly willing to rest the case witt
my countrymen. Every transaction ant
! Everything that was done in conduct
: ling that war is a matter OF record
: and the people have the right to hav,
!. that record searched.
And now, my fellow citizens. I COM
) home without a grievance. During tina
struggle and while that work was upol
me / can truthfully say had from tn
president all the support that he coul'
! give us. We went through that strug
gle and came out victorious"
The closing scene was q reception II
], the city hall corridor