Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-07-24
A WELCOME TO ALGER
Plans Made For the Reception
In Detroit.
ANINDIGNATION MEETING PLANNED
Pirgree Had His Way, and One Is
>cheduIed-Aiger Issued a Statement
Showing He Originated Plan to Return
Prisoners to Spain.

| DETROIT, July 24.-Plans for the re
ception of Secretary Alger upon his re-
turn to his home city, which were par.
| TALLY completed at a meeting held here
/ provide that General Alger will be met
| by the reception committee at some
point enroute from Washington. On
arrival he will be met by all the march.
ing organizations of the city winch care
to join i'll the demonstration. The gen.
eral will be escorted to the City hall.
where formal presentation to the
/ gathered crowds Will be made i'll front
| of the hall by the mayor and gov rnor.
! Then there will be a public reception
III the corridor of the City hall, followed
by meeting, probably i'll Light Guard
armory, where opportunity for the ex-
preston OF the sentiments of prominent
citizens will be had.
Governor Pingree, during the meet
ing, favored the idea OF holding a gen.
rine indignation" meeting following
the public reception. Mayor Maybury
raised the question whether such eX-
pressions would not embarrass and dis
please General Alger rather than other
wise, hut the governor massmeeting
idea prevailed.
WASHINGTON, July "A. - Secretary
Alger always felt pardonable pride in
the success with which the war depart
ment met the tremendous problem
thrust upon it by the necessity with
which it was suddenly confronted dur
ing the war with Spain of suddenly
liiSposing of the thousands of Spanish
PRISONERS captured i'll Santiago province.
The history of that time had not been
fully told, and 1t remained for Secre-
iitry Alger to supply the need by a bit
pf "Reminiscences.
He said that on the night of July 9,
1898, the president asked him what in
his Judgment should be done with the
Spanish prisoners, after their capture,
tins being before their capture occurred.
He suggested Galveston, and the presi-
dent concurred. When he awoke the
next morning the idea occurred to him
10 send them back to Spain. He further
said III part that he event to the White
House and laid the new plan before the
president, saying that 1t would be an
unprecedented procedure, and a most
gracious act; that to ship the prisoners
to Galveston would be half the distance;
that we should have to clothe, shelter,
guard and feed them there, and no
doubt have to ship them back to Spain
in the end. also stated that believed
that 1t would be great inducement to
the Spaniards to surrender, which Cen
eral Shafter afteward assured me was
the effect"
rhe president readily approved the
plan, and on the same day he cabled
General Shafter.
Then follows some of the official cor
respondence with General Shafter and
some OF his correspondence with the
Spanish general.
Then he told of the advertising and
acceptance OF the bids of Spanish COM
pany, which made lower rate than the
other companies, and 10 demurrage,
which the other companies wanted. He
further said:
1.-The rations for the prisoners were
inspected by a United States govern
ment official. and this government paid
paid for the transportation of all the
prisoners, $5l3,S60. TEe same number
carried by the other companies under
their bid would have cost the govern
ment $l,312,9I Here was 100000
saved to the United States, and proba-
bly, as much more in demurrage.
''Some days after this contract was
awarded the president said to me as l
entered the cabinet room: MIR. Secre-
tary, would you like to hear something
favorable to you printed i'll the New
York IimesE and Went on to read the
editorial comment complimentary to
the man whose mind originated the
plan of transporting the Spaniards back
TO Spain"