The Portland daily press., 1899-07-20
The Michigan Senatorial Fight Said
to Have Been the Cause.
Recent Conference With Vice President
Hobart Brought Matters TO Head.

/ for the Northwest and spend some time
In the lumber camps belonging to him
and then to pay visits to his children.
These will occupy his time until well
along into next fall About political mat
ters the secretary does not speak now but
It may lie fairly surmised that he then
will be ready, In view Of his already an
nounced decision to take such part in the
Michigan Senatorial contest as conditions
at the time will warrant.
The closest inquiry fails to elliott any
information ns to the intentions of the
President respecting tie appointment OF
a SUCCESSOR 10 Mr.. Alger. Names are
mentioned, but they are only those which
have already been suggested in the press
without securing either confirmation or
denial from any we'll informed person
The mem hers Of the cabinet were all dis
inclined to talk about the succession,
though ono did remark that the President
had made no mention OF a name to him.
and he believed that M decision had yet
been reached He conveyed the impress.
sion that no appnintment would be mnde
immediately bnt that Mr., Msiklejohn
would lie allowed to direct affairs for
some time 20 come. Among those meu-
toned Toln tiIns to time l. this oonEso-
tion hare'been General Horace Porter OF
IT
Gov. Ro0reyeit of New York; General
Harrison Gray Otis and Assistant Secre.
tary Meikleiohn. General Corbiu has
been mentioned in connection with an
an interim appointment. Ihe opinion
has been expressed in some well posted
quarters that the selection would be made
from the West. All this, however, is
mere speculation. As to the report tina {
General Corbin would be Secretary ad in
terim. an officer close to the General said
there was no basis for the report. The
news Of the resignation caused
BUZZ OF COMMENT
this evening in all pub lie places, but at
the White House, there was no evidence
that any unusual event lad occurred.
At about nine o'closk Secretary Hay
accompanied by. Secretary Fairbanks Of
Indiana went to the White House for a
talk on the Alaskan boundary question.
Secretary Hitchcock ami Comptroller
Dawes called socially. There was no evil
dence of q cabinet conference. There was
nothing to give out for publication, 1t
was said. An even ing round of the cabi-
net officers still in town showed unwill-
ingness to talk of the resignation.
Adjutant General Corbin, this evening,
expressed his personal regret at the turn
of affairs. he said:
II feel great sympathy and great re-
spect for the Secretary. History will show
that II he has erred, it has been on the
side Of the soldier, on the side OF those
who were lighting the battles. No man in
that position has ever had II ore at heart,
the interests of the soldier, their comfort
anu their welfare. lime and again he has
saicfto us that everything must yield be-
fore the requirements of the men in the
field, ard II the funds were lacking he
would pay tor it himself. He will leave
the department. with the respect and es-
teem of everyone in it. -
from the cabinet will leave in it only
three Of those mem bers who entered it at
the beginning of the administration,
namely Messra. Gags, Long and Wilson.
Ihe number OF changes that have oc-
cnrred in the two and half years OF its
life has been very unusual. Six cabinet
officers IN all have resigned aither to re-
tire to private life or to accept other
positions at the hands OF tina President.
Ihe transfer of Attorney General IiIiggs
from the department of justice to the war
department has Eesn suggested by those
who are figuring on Secretary ,Alger's
successor tonight It is urged that the
executive officer of the department should
be man of legal attachments and ex-
perience In this same connection the
name OF Hon. Elihu Root, the we'll
known New York lawyer is mentioned
General James b. Wilson of Delaware,
now in the volunteer establishment and
governor OF the province Of Matanzas, is
also Of spoken nj.