The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-19

sibly of natural bent and perhaps some
what by reason of the protection TO his
lumber from Canada competition. He
was sent as a delegate to the National
Convention at Chicago in 1884, and he is
said to have liked the experience i'm
mensely. So when he got back home he
accepted the Republican nomination for
Governor and was elected by 1858 votes.
He served only one term, but the Presl-
Dental bee took permanent Judgment in
his bonnet. 1t was put there by willy ad-
venturers such as Kellogg of Louisiana
and Clayton of Arkansas. These Repubh-
cans in the South need man with a
barrel They cannot keep their negro
supporters together without money.
So Alger got the Presidential bee in his
bonnet, and he has been a more or less
ridiculous figure ever since, deSpotled by
the political Adventures and laughed at
by the politicians who were really in con-
troll At the convention of 1888 he went
there with the support of his State and
was supposed to have a really substantial
boom On the sixth ballot he had 143
votes, having secured votes from the
dusky delegates of the South.
| This was a serious disarrangement of
John Shermans plans. Indeed, Sherman,
in his book, had this to say of it:
Buying Sherman's Votes.
az believe and had, as 1 thought con-
elusive proof that the friends of General
AIger substantially purchased the votes
of many of the delegates from the
Southern States who had been instructed
by their conventions to vote for me-
There were eight ballots taken in the
convention. in all of which I had a large
plurality of votes until the last one
Qarrison was not considered party to
any deal)
1.-THE only feeling of resentment 1 en-
tertained was in regard to the action or
the friends of General Alger in tempting
with money poor negroes to violate the
instructions of their constituents.
Some others took Ayers interference
more gayly For instance, this colloquy
was reported as having taken place be-
tween Butterworth of Ohio and Palmer of
Michigan just after the convention:
Butterworth-It was a mean thing,
Palmer, to buy our niggers away from us.
Palmer-Well, we bought EN- first.
When General Harrison was elected AL
ger sought to go into his Cabinet, but
Harrison made him no offer. 1t was
freely limited when Mckinley was seeking
the nomination that Ayers experience in
getting delegates in the South was used
by Hanna; and when Alger was invited
to q place in the Cabinet there was sus-
picion that Alger helped with something
more substantial than experience. The
experiences of the last year lead many to
believe that the obligations to Alger are
very heavy else he would not be re-
tanned.
In the War Office.
Tt is quite impossible to believe that
Mckinley would have selected Alger for
War Secretary had be expected that we
should have war. He was united Tor
the duty in every way He has really
had little administrative experience. HIS
fortune was accumulated by speculation,
and not in ordinary business. His snort
term as Governor of Michigan was really
about all the administrative experience
he ever had. Then he was old-not old
In years. but actually old, for time had
used him hardly-and he was out OF
health. He was quite unfit for the larger
duties to which he was called.
In his manner of conducting business
he has two methods. One is to be agree
able. When he has this fit he is apollo
getic rather than genial. The other is
when ne means to be commanding. Then
he is merely rudely truculent. At either
time he impresses you with the fact that
he is a weak man who would be con-
sidered strong, and that he is least OF
all a gentleman.
Such was the man who was placed at
the head of an army the officers of which
despised him. With the prejudice against
him. with his lack of experience, with
his weak vanity and with his broken
health, he fell an easy victim to War De-
partment politics, and thereafter, except
when he surprised himself with a silly
squeak, such as his Roosevelt letter, he
never knew that his name was his own.