The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-07-06
PINGREE DENIES IT.
In n Letter 10 Secretary Alger inc
Governor Says n Recent AiieSco
Interview Is Spurious.

Detroit, Mich. July 3.-Gov. Pingree
has dispatched letter to Secretary Al
ger, brought out by criticisms of the
secretary and the numerous comments
recently published concerning the
agreement made by the governor 10
support Secretary Alger in his cam
paign for the United States senator
ship. With reference to the recent al
legged interview. in which the governor
is quoted as criticising the administra-
ton the letter says:
1.-THE interview Is n pure fapflcai cIi'
There is not single sentence in II when
was spoken by me. 1t is the invention OF
reporter. who may or may not nave peth
acting upon instructions from MS chlei'
| have at different times expressed an
opinion of the necessity for the war IN the
Philippines. | have, in common Win 'hou
sands of others in the country dlsappros Gu
of IT, and have had no heSitauoh AZ ;, 90. sas
my views whenever | have been asked IoI
them. | voted for MIR. Mckinney, ana l
have had no cause whatever TO regret IL
If he Is a candidate again ! Will take pledS-
ure in giving him my support
Insofar as the alleged Alliance WIN
you is concerned, | can freely ana lfahhlS
say that none has been made. As you are
i
support in your candidacy for Unlted
States senator, and only wanted 10 kno"
whether YOU were in favor OF an amend
ment TO the constitution permitting the
election of United States senators by dlfect
vote of the people | was glad 10 be adVlseo
by you that you favored the restriction On
trusts but neither of these things was
made the condition of my support. IN com
mon with thousands of other Michigan peo-
pie ] merely offered to assist you. II any
thing, | have profted by II politically, pc
cause the American people Getest coWafdIy
methods of fighting,
1.-THE language which is attributed to me
in the false interview, in which am made
to criticise and abuse the administration,
should have condemned the interview as
fabrication at once But even more aD-
surd is the statement made by the press
that | am an avowed candidate for the re-
publican nomination for president at the
next national convention; that you nave
made an alliance with me, and that there
fore you have practically declared your op-
position to President Mckinley, and should
retire from his cabinet. OF course, such
statement is too silly to be entitled to Seri-
Gus attention. 1t Is sufficient 10 say to you
that | have not and never did entertain the
remotest intention of becoming a candidate
for the presidency. The story is only an
other invention of Michigan newspapers.
II think the time is not far distant when
public opinion will compel newspapers 10 be
fair and decent in their treatment of men
in public life. Until ii does, ! am convinced
that the only course to pursue is to ignore
their malicious attacks. Attempts TO cor
rect their reports only result in provoking
a more liberal outpouring of editorial ven
ON. After all. it Is well to remember that
newspaper represents the opinion of only
one man, and that that opinion is usually
influenced by every motive except a desire
to do full justice. The time is not far dis
tant when the people will awake to this
fact, and when they do. there will be a rad
ical change in the policy of conducting the
newspapers of the country, and especially
in their treatment of public men.
"Regretting if the unwarrantable lib
critics taken with my name have caused you
any embarrassment. | am, yours very sim
cerely, HAZEN S, PINGREE."