The Saint Paul globe., 1899-08-03


Gov. Pingree and Couples the
Name of President Mckinley With
His Own in Taking Credit for
What Was Accomplished in the
War With Spain.
DETROIT, Aug. 2.-Whatever may have
been the personal feelings of the late
secretary of war, Gen. Russell A AIger,
concerning recent incidents of his official
career, all sentiments save those of
genuine happiness were evidently ban
ished this afternoon and evening by the
welcome rendered him by the people of
his own city and state. From o'clock,
when the welcoming committee crowded
into his private car upon it's arrival at
Toledo, until o'clock, when the general
ceased grasping outstretched hands, the
scene was constant and spontaneous
ovation. Smiles and tears repeatedly
struggled for the mastery over the secre-
tary's countenance as he gazed into the
faces of the multitudes who loudly in
sisted that "Alger's all right" and no
dissOnant voice was heard. Darkness fell
during the speeches from the reviewing
stand in front of the city hall, giving
opportunity for throwing a searchlight
upon the features of Gen. Alger, drawn
in crayon on a canvas sixteen feet square,
hung from the city hall front and sur
rounded by patriotic decorations. A
crush at the indoor reception was the
>firal feature.
The special train which met Gen. AL
ger and party at Toledo consisted of six
coaches. It carried 400 members of the
reception committee. When the Pennsyl-
vania train arrived the generals car was
besieged by his old friends. Gen. Alger
was escorted through the reception train
and greeted by all.
Headed by about 300 bicyclists, over
LOCO marchers escorted the general from
the Michigan Central station by a cir
Cuitous course leading past the generals
home to the reviewing stand. Militia
and veterans of the Civil war, including
Fairbanks Post G. A. r., of which the
general is a member, a company of Span
ish war veterans and scores of marchers
in secret society uniforms filed past. Fair
banks post carried two great banners,
stretching half across the street which
declared There is only one AIger.'
MAYORS WELCOME.
When Gen. Alger appeared upon the
reviewing stand there was a roar of
applause from the dense crowd which
blocked all traffic acros the Campus Mar
thus The ex-secretary reviewed the
parade and returned the salutations of
many marchers, especially those of vet
eran G. A R. comrades. Mayor May
bury, after calling to order, said:
Gen. Alger, 1 should despair sir, of be-
ing able to voice the heartiness of this
welcome were it not already shown in this
vast cOncOurse through which you have
passed. 1t will go forth to the world, sir
that where you are best known there are
you best loved and appreciated. 1t will
go forth to the world sir, a due notice
that the stand of high character built by
patience and perseverance, honesty and
uprightness, cannot be thrown by slander
4 welcome you home, sir, to a people
who love Justice and fair DIav. This Wei
come is by your neighbors. They come
from all parts of this glorious state, only
for the purpose of saving God bless you
and Welcome home. You have come
home to walk these streets as before. You
will command and carry with you the
same confidence, affection and esteem
that have been with you all your life.
Men will say that with upright char
acter so well established there is no
power on earth that can detract from the
fame of good neighbor and citizen and
honest man..
Gov. Pingree, in his speech, read in be-
half of the state, made some pointed ref
erences to incidents leading to Ayers
homecoming and fired some characteris-
tbs shots at the newspapers, which he as
serted were largely responsible. The gov
ernor said that Alger's best service for
his country was in his efficient manage
ment of the war department. Said he:
without your energy, business ability
and experience no one knows how long 1T
might have lasted. You were handicapped
by machinery in your department which
was ancient and obsolete. 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.
PROD FOR PRESIDENT.
''The facts which led you to submit
your resignation to the president are we'll
known. The treatment which you have
received has justly aroused the resent
ment of fair-minded Americans. The peO-
pie of Michigan look upon the manner in
which your withdrawal from the cabinet
was forced as an insult to the state. They
are here today TO rebuke the cupidity of
politicians, high and low: They are here
to show their contempt for the cowardly
attacks of a venal press.
"A mean-Splrited and unScrupulOuS
press has carried on a campaign of delib-
crate misrepresentation and lies concern
ing your business management of the
war department. The people of Michigan
know that these attacks are absolutely
without justification. In spite of the OBJ
sOlete customs and system of your depart
ment you contributed more than any one
to bring the war with Spain to quick
end. You were also hindered by others
unfit to handle business or military af-
fairs.
The people of Michigan will remember
the indignity to which the state has been
subjected. In time they will come to
know who is responsible for it. I think
L already see that politics makes towards |
of some men in both high and low posi-
ton. They will in time despise the Of
fetal, no matter how exalted his. position,
who gave himself, truckled to the news
fiuence in any form. They will turn away
from every official representative of
Michigan at Washington who has stood
by without protest and permitted a citi-
zen of the state to be as grossly abused
and misrepreSented as you have been. /
They will not forget the coWardly con-
duct of some of the newspapers and pub
lie men of the state, who have, by their
silence, practically joined in the attack
upon you. The sense of Justice and fair
play of our people will not support such
the people of our state express them
selves at the polls.
II know that some people think it un-
wise upon an occasion like this to give
voice to such sentiments as I have been
expressing. l say to them that this is
never out of place. I also say that there
is no better way of showing our appre-
citation of your worth as citizen of
Michigan than by exposing the methods