The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-07-20
ALGER RESIGNS
The General VIII Quit the War
Department as Once.


seccors but It is entirely speculativefornotl
the rerorts that Mr.. Alser,
would net Ions continue at the heai Of
.he war department. his actual resig
astIon came suddenly and unexpectedly,
That Il would come by the end Of the
year was generally believed, but so little
was It expected at this time that some
Of the cabinet officers when the news
became public. were inclined to regard he
as premature, the an
that II was actually In hand
coming 10 them I'm the nature Of a surprise
Formal Rcceptace of the resignation had
not been made By the president up to a.
Ie.. hour tonight, but will be In a let'er
to =. vti.len within the next ha5 - two
No ofhdal statement as to the cause Oi
he resignation was procurable either from
the president Of from Secretary Alger'
neither OF whom would talk on thesubject.
Nor was the letter Of resignation obtain
able at this time. For the present nothing
will be made known officially concerning
the severance The official relations be
tween the president and his war minis
ter but later on official correspondence
disclosing the latters career as chief OF
en- to the press.
The belief had prevailed In washington
FOR some time that Secretary Alger would
resign from the cabinet, but the date gem
orally set cor II was toward the close or
the year. after he had submitted his an
nual report. in which he intended to sum
up what had been accomplished during
his brief but eventful direction OF the
war department. Its tender then had been
regarded as almost a foregone conclusion
in view of Mr. Algers announcement ABOUT
a month ago that he had concluded TO en-
ter into competition for the vacancy In
the United states senate to be caused by
the expiration OF the term Of Senator Nc
MILAN, n strong supporter Of the admin
istiation and that he had enlisted In his
active support Governor Pingree TO
whom had been attributed free criticism
OF the policy that was supposed to be
cherished by the president toward the
Fllipinos. There have been many explana-
tions and denials Of the fects In that case,
but in the end the impression was con-
veyel that the result Of the Michig an
visit OF the secretary had been TO change
the relations between the president ana
himself 10 such a degree as to make
restoration OF their former status i'm
possible and TO render the connection OF
the two as part OF the same official fam
uy undesirable. At one time since then
there was ground for the belief that
rup1ure might be avoided. but this belief
ceased to be held when the news spre I'D
that Vice President Hobart and Secre-
tary Alger were In conference at Norman
hurst II was largely at least as a result
OF this conference that Secretary Alger
decided to leave the cabinet at this time
At this conference there were present be
sides Secretary Alger his military aide
and close personal and political friend
and adviser. Major Hopkins. and perhaps
some other persons or person who also fslt
a deep interest in the futre of the secre-
tary There has been no disclosure Of
what passed by the seaside but it is sig
nifcant that the return Of the secretary
to washington was followed by promp.
action. He arrived In Washington last
night, too late 70 make any official calls.
Almost before the executive departments
were opened for business this morning, he
called at the White house, and, visiting
the president In his office, announced that
he had concluded 10 resign his office.
What passed on that point between him
self and the president Is only a matter II
surmise. for neither have anything TO
say on this point.
WOULD GIVE NO NEWS.
Secretary Alger wrote out his formal let
ter OF reslgation and personally carried
It over to the White house. His call on
st.a 81, nh hn
turned to the war department he closed
the door OF his office to most Of the many
callers who were In waiting and hal
long conference with Adiutant General
Corbin
To the newspaper men who sought TO
secure .ome txnvesslon from him, The
secretary was courteous but hrm. on
The cne side General Corbin, and on the
other Mr.. Victor Mason, his private sec
retary, by hi9 authority. as they said.
made the announcement that Secretary
Alger had submitted his resignation TO the
president TO take effect az the pleasure Of
the president
AT his residence in the evening. the sec
retary was equally as uncommunicatiye
and positively declined TO assign any iea-
son for the action he had taken. He had
called during the afternoon upon seere-
tary Hay at the state department and
with him at home were Major Hopkins
and Manson. but beyond many newspaper
men. few OF whom secured access to him,
the secretary saw no one
His plans for the future have already
been defined Mr.. Meikleiohn the assis.
tant secretary OF war f. al nrasant ann.
posed to be In Wisconsin. whittier he went
two weeks ago 20 make personal in
specton Of the Fix river improvements.
a scheme which has given the engineering
bureau endless trouble and which now re-
quires some positive recommendation at
the hands Of the secretary for congress at
the next session He has been notified
OF what has happened and is expected TO
return 20 Washington 10 assume charge
OF the war department until such time
az the president shall name a permanent
secretary. Probably that viii be by the
end of the present month. and by the first
Of August Secretary AlgeI w.ll be at lib
erty 70 lay down his task He IS much
wearied by the weight of responsibilities
he has borne for nearly two years and
half; he has aged many years IN the opln-
lon OF his personal friends and Is In need
OF rest. lie proposes 20 depart for the
northwest and spend some time In the
lumber camps belonging to him ana then
10 pay visits to his children. These will
occupy his time until well along into next
fan. About political matters the seere-
iary does not speak now. but It may be
fairly surmised that he then viii be ready