The record-union., 1899-07-20
ALCER TO RETIRE
FROM CABINET.
Hands in His Resignation as Sec
retary Of War.
rendered at Pleasure Of President, Though
to Become Effective August Ist.

Will Go to His Lumber Camps in
Michigan for a Rest, and in the
Fall Enter Upon His Campaign
For United States Senator to
Succeed NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
as to Who Will Be Selected as
Secretary of War.
WASHINGTON, July 19-Secretary
Alger to-day rendered to the President
his resignation of the War portfolio.
The resignation will become effective
August 1st, though it was rendered
at the pleasure of the President"
Gossip has already begun as to his
successor but it is entirely speculative,
for notwithstanding the reports that
Mr.. Alger would not longer continue at
the head of the War Department, his
actual resignation came suddenly and
unexpectedly. That it would come by
the end OF the year was generally be-
Heved, but so little was it expected at
this time that some of the Cabinet Off
GERS, when the news first became pub
lie, were inclined to regard the an
nouncement as premature, the an
nouncement that it was actually in
hand coming to them in the nature of
surprise.
Formal acceptance of the resigna-
ton had not been made by the Presi-
dent up to late hour tonight but
will be in letter to be written within
the next day or two
No official statement as to the cause
of the resignation was procurable,
either from the President or from Sec
retary Alger, neither of whom would
talk on the subject Nor was the letter
of resignation obtainable at this time.
For the present nothing will be made
known officially concerning the sever
ance of the relations between the Pres
ldent and his War Minister, but later
on the official correspondence closing
the latter'S career as chief of the War
Department doubtless will be given to
the press.
The belief had prevailed in Washing
ton for some time that Secretary Alger
would resign from the Cabinet, but the
close of the year, after he had sub
mitted his annual report, in which he
intended to sum up what had been ac-
complished during his brief but event.
ful objection of the War Department
Its tender then had been regarded as
almost foregone conclusion, in view
of Mr.. Algers announcement about Il
month ago that he had concluded to
enter into competition for the vacancy
in the United States Senate to be
caused by the expiration of the term
OF Senator Mcmillan, strong sup
porter of the Administration, and that
he had enlisted in his active support
Governor Pingree, to whom had been
attributed free criticisms of the policy
that was supposed to be cherished by
the President toward the Filipinos.
Ihere have been many explanations
and denials of the facts in that case,
but IN the end the impression was con-
Veyed that the result of the Michigan
visit or the Secretary had been TO
change the relations between the Pres
ldent and himself to such a degree
to make restoration of their former
status impossible and to render the
connection of the two us
part of the same official family un-
desirable. One time since then was
ground for the belief that a rupture
might be avoided, but this belief ceased
to be held when the news spread that
Vice President Hobart and Secretary
Alger were in conference at Norman
hurst. 1t was largely at least as a
result of this conference that Secretary
Alger decided to leave the Cabinet at
this time. AT this conference there
were present, besides Secretary Alger,
his military aide and his personal and
political friend and adviser, Major Hop
kins, and perhaps some other person or
persons who felt also deep interest in
the future of the Secretary. There has
been no disclosure of what passed, but
it is said that the return of the Secre-
tary to Washington was followed by
prompt action. He arrived in Wash
ington last night too late to make any
official calls Almost before the Execu-
tive Departments were opened for bus
mess this morning he called at the
White House, and, visiting the Presi-
dent in his office, announced he had
concluded to resign his Office. What
passed between himself and the Presi-
dent is only matter of surmise, for
neither have anything to say on this
point. d
Later Secretary Alger wrote out his
formal letter of resignation. and per-
sonally carried it over to the White
House. His call on this occasion was
brief, and when he returned to the
War Department he closed the door of
nftl6p Of Of
who were in waiting, and had a long
conference with Adjutant General Cor
bin. To the newspaper men who
sought to secure some expression from
him the Secretary was courteous but
firm. On the one side General Corbin,
and on the other Victor Mason, his
Private Secretary, by his authority, as
they said, made the announcement that
Secretary Alger had submitted his res
ignation to the President, to take eff
feet at the pleasure of the President
At his residence in the evening the
Secretary was equally uncommunica-
tive, and positively declined to assign
any reason for the action he had TAX
en-. He had called during the afternoon
on Secretary Hay at the State Depart
ment and with him at home were Ma
jor Hopkins and Mr.. Mason, but be-
yond the newspaper men, few of whom
secured access to him, the Secretary
saw no one.
His plans for the future have already
been defined. Mr.. Meiklejohn, the AS
sistant Secretary of War, is at pres
ent supposed to be in Wisconsin, whith-
e. he went two weeks ago to make 4
personal inspection of the Fox River