The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-25
Of Mckinley by Cover,
nor Pingree.
ALGBR'S RESIGNATION


uon.
Detroit. Mach. July cl.-Governor
Pingree today handed TO the Associate
ed Press a prepared. signed interview.
giving the governor asserts to be
facts which are absolutely reliable.
bearing upon the relations between
General Alger ard President Mckinley.
with which the public are not familiar"
At the outset the governor said: II
have no hesitation in saying that the
course pursued by the president in this
matter is little less h a cowardly. II
is, to say the least. very unmanly."
Governor Pingree said his information
did not come from General Alger. but
from "one whose knowledge OF the
facts ann be disputed"
Proceeding, he says that repeatedly
since the eastern newspapers began
their attacks upon Secretary Alger. the
| secretary informed the president thai
II these press comments embarrassed
the administration in the slightest de-
gree, he would resign at once. but the
president as often protested emphati-
cally that he had the utmost confidence
in Secretary Alger and his conduct OF
the war department and that the coun-
try could not afford to lose his SER
vices.
The governor says that at the time
his alleged alliance with General
Alger was announced, and before his
disavowal of interviews criticising the
president had reached Washington,
General Alger told the president hat,
upon the presidents slightest intima-
ton, he would resign, but the president
refused to entertain the idea for 4 mo-
ment.
AS TO the alleged alliance" being any
reason for asking for General Ayers
resignation. Governor Pingree says:
Long before my announcement that
l would support General Alger for the
senate, Secretary Of State Hay, on June
End last, requested Vice President Ho-
bart to intimate to General Alger that
his resignation would be acceptable 10
the president and would relieve him
from the embarrassing attacks OF the
press upon the conduct OF the war. Mr..
Hobart very properly declined 10 be a
party to such unmanly, not to say
cowardly, proceedings and expressed
his opinion in terms decidedly vigorous.
After that General Alger, entirely
gnorant of this miserable conspiracy,
several times offered to end the at
tacks by submitting his resignation,
but still the president did not have the
courage to express himself to his sec
rotary. General Alger finally did hand
his resignation to the president to take
effect January End.
The president dared not face the
general in a manly way and ask him
to retire and give his reasons for maxi
ing the request. He finally accomplish
ed, by indirection, what he dared not
do in an open and frank manner nlm-
self"
Governor Pingree states that Mr.. Ho-
bart was finally prevailed upon by At
torney General Griggs to convey TO the
secretary that his resignation was de-
sired, and gave my alleged alliance
with the secretary as a pretext."
Commenting on the whole matter, the
governor says that General Ayers
sacrifice was compelled by demands OF
New York politicians, backed by Nthe
INSCRIPTIONS n heartless press" He
predicts that it will be learned that
the pr, sident himself will be RESPONSE
BILE for whatever mistakes have been
made in conducting the war" He adds:
i am told on the very best authority
that General Alger made very few APP
pointments of officers during the war,
and that the commissions were issued
almost entirely upon the order OF the
president
The governor asserts that the most
recent attacks upon General Alger were
caused by his frank declaration OF op-
position TO trusts, and he adds: There
IS a decided odor OF trusts around the
present administration. with Mark
Hanna as the acknowledged king
: maker"
In conclusion, the governor calls upon
/ the Michigan people n newspapers
) to protest against the injustice done the
states foremost representative in pub
{ lie life.
} 1t Is conjectured here that Brigadie-
General Henry NJ. Dufield gave some
2 OF the foregoing IN but the
general declines to be interviewed