The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-03
is A PURE FABRICATION
Governor Pingree Repudiates the
Interview.
NOT A SINGLE SENTENCE
Was Spoken by Him-Deplores the War
in the Philippines, but Has the Warm
est Praise for Mckinley and
the War Department.

Detroit, July 2.-Governor Pingree to.
night dispatched a letter TO Secretary
Alger, brought out by criticisms of the
secretary and numerous comments re-
Gently published concerning the agree
ment made by the governor to support
the secretary in his campaign for the
United States senatorship. The letter
is as follows:
My Dear General subscribed to a
clipping bureau and l have. within the
past few days, been receiving numbers
of clippings from newspapers published
in every part of the country containing
what purports to be an interview with
me, in which criticisms of the present
administration are put in my mouth
] am astonished at the circulation and
credence which this alleged interview
has received. / would not take cogni-
zance of it were it not for the fact that
it seems to have been so widely circu-
lated, and also for the reason that
there are many people who have yet
10 learn that what is termed political
news and opinion are as unreliable, in
accurate and prejudiced as the news
paper mans ingenuity and cunning can
make them. 1t did not seem to me
necessary to deny this interview. L
would not now give il any thought
it is made the basis of a petty and
mean spirited attack upon you, which
is, however, but a natural product of
small caliber intellects.
THE interview to which l have re-
ferred is pure fabrication. There is
not a single sentence in it which was
spoken by me. 1t is the invention of
reporter who may or may not have
been acting under instructions from his
chief
Il have at different times expressed
my opinion of the necessity for the
war in the Philippines. L have, in
common with thousands of others in
the country, disapproved of it, and
have had no hesitation in giving my
views whenever l have been asked for
them. / voted for Mr.. Mckinley and
j have had no cause whatever to re-
gret it. If he is a candidate again 1
will take pleasure in giving him my
support.
1T has always seemed to me that the
criticism by New York papers of the
management of the war department
has amounted to a condemnation not
only of the president but of the entire
cabinet. 1t is well known that no i'm
portant step is taken without the con-
currence, or at least the advice, of the
president and the cabinet / am well
satisfied that the attack upon the war
department Is nothing but a cunningly
conceived plot to create a vacancy to
be filled by a New York politician. AL
ready New York newspapers are dis
# cussing the distribution of patronage of
the department. The other papers of
the country have simply repeated what
the New York papers have said OF
course it is not surprising that Senator
MCMILLAN and his me, too Senator
Burrows have Joined in the contempti-
bic scheme to discredit and defame the
war department. In so far as the all
legged alliance with you is concerned
can freely and frankly say that none
has been made. AS you are already
aware, | simply proffered you my sup
port in your candidacy for United
States senator and only wanted to
know whether you We're in favor of an
amendment to the constitution of the
United States permitting the election
OF United States senator by direct vote
of the people. / was glad to be advised
by you that you favored the restriction
of trusts but neither of these things
was made the condition of my sup
port In common with thousands of
other Michigan people, l merely offered
to assist you.
If anything, l have profited by n
politically, because the American peo-
pie detest cowardly methods of fight
ing.
THE language which is attributed tc
me in the false interview in which am
made to criticise and abuse the admin
istration should have condemned the
interview as a fabrication at once
But even more absurd is the statement
made by the press that l was ar
aVowed candidate for the republican
nomination for president at the mex
national convention: that you have
made an alliance with me and thai
therefore you have practically declared
your opposition to President Mckinley
and should retire from his cabinet. OF
course such a statement is too silly to
be entitled to serious attention. 1t is
sufficient to say to you that / have not
and never did entertain the remotest
intention of becoming a candidate fOI
the presidency. The story is only an
other invention of Michigan newspa-
pers.
II think the time is not far distant
when public opinion will compel news
papers to be fair and decent in their
treatment of men in public life Until
1t does ! am convinced that the only
course to pursue is to ignore their
malicious attacks. Attempts TO cor
rect their reports only result in pro-
voking more liberal outpouring of
editorial venom. After all it is well
TO remember that a newspaper repre-
sents the opinion of only one man. and
that opinion is undoubtedly Influenced
by every motive except a desire to do
full Justice. The time is not far dis
tant when the people will awaken TO
this fact and when they do there will
be radical change In the policy of
conducting the newspapers of the coun-
try, especially in their treatment Of
public men.
"Regretting II the unwarTantable lib
critics taken with my name have caused
you any embarrassment, l am, yours
very sincerely.
"HAZEN S. PINGREE,"
Strike Didn't Materialize.