The times., 1899-06-26
The Presidents Algerian Dilemma

manufacture.
The Presidents Algerian Dilemma.
| There is charming naivete about Rus
sell A. Algeri When he says. as he is re-
/ ported TO have said in Chicago, that ne
sees no reason why he should leave the
, Cabinet just because he has made deal
with the Hon. Potato Pingree to work the
I political destruction of Senator Mcmillan,
/ he is distinctly Algerian in the quality of
| his mental process. But, if he really
means that he is determined TO stick to his
place and use its imperial patronage and
control of contracts, franchises. and other
enormously valuable things, to promote
/ his senatorial ambition. and incidentally
to disrupt the Republican party organiza-
/ tion in Michigan he is counting on an
amount Of personal influence and power
/ over the Administration that even some
/ of his warmest friends believe he does not
possess. Such people say that the plebe-
ian frankness of the bucolic Pingree has
made impossible his . further connection
! with the Cabinet. But for that, he might
remain at the head of the War Depart
ment for some time to come, and use the
position efiicaciously against his intended
victim. But Mcmillan, forwarned By
Pingree, will make immediate trouble, and
| it is doubtful if the President will care or
dare to meet it with Alger on his back.
The latter may make the mistake of
thinking that. because Mr.. Mckinley was
very happy to contemplate the voluntary
retirement Of Mr.. Mcmillan. as an easy
means TO get rid of his War Minister with
out actually ejecting him, he would be
equally pleased to back him in the impend-
| ing fight, and allow him TO use all the
sinews Of war provided by his present Of
nee for the purposes of the campaign.
This might be the fact if President McKin-
| ley's personal attitude toward Alger were
the only thing to be considered 1t hap
pens, however. that Marcus A. Hanna, who
is as courageous rs he is cold, is net like
ly to regard Algerism as good thing to
carry, in the face of what the Michigan
Senator and his friends will be able and
certain to say and do in the premises.
| The prospect seems to be that Mr.. AL
ger will not step down and ont without a
serious struggle. After much study and
I preparation the municipal and other pub
lie franchises Of Porto Rico are in a way
to be negotiated It is not certain that
even Cuba does not offer opportunities OF
the same sort, under cover CT Span, ,sh con-
cessions, or in other ways not yet publicly
understood. The war in the Philippines
offers many chances for a shrewd Secre-
taTy to benefit friends or former partners.
There are many new Army commissions in
sight with which 10 cultivate Congre ss.onal
friendships, and, altogether. the portfolio
must be recognized as a hard thing to give
Up.
Probably ii Will have to go. because a
Senatorship would be such an anchor to
windward that even the hope of il may
outweigh all ether considerations Mem
be-ship in a great law-making body Ike
the United States Senate, which is famous
for being dominated By courtesy" even
more than by justice and equity, acts as a
sort OF statute of limitations in favor of
those who are able 10 reach the toga
through corporation attorneyships or the
judieious use of financial influence with
State legislators. On much the same prin-
ciple there is. or used to be, famous
creek out in the Rockies, on The read 10
LeadyiIIe. After crossing it in westward
ly direction. by the courtesy of the
camp" no man could be questioned as TO
anything that might ever have happened
10 or through him on the other side.
Such considerations. Of course, may rot
have occurred to Mr.. Alger but they can
not have escaped the senatorially traineI
mind of Mr.. Mcmillan. and we are mis-
taken if they do not suggest to him the
idea that he is destined to an extremely
desperate fight. They may also indicate a
counter plan OF campaign which, if con-
Quoted with the relentless vigor OF which
the Senator from Michigan is thought 10
be capable, would fill the press with Joy,
and afford the American people one more
chance to get light on the dark places Of
the Spanish war history, which the Alger
Relief Commission. and the packed packer
army inquest, were intended to and par
TALLY did shut off.
We have never felt as kindly disposed 10
Mr.. Alger as we DO at this moment. In
putting on his war paint. in spite of the
discomfort anything like il may have been
to him in the past. and coming out into
the open to fight veteran politicians and
hard hitters like Messrs. Mcmillan and
Burrows, as well as the st 1ng organization
behind them. he is really conferring bsn-
eft upon the public. When he gets
through with the fracas, we have no idea
that its end Will find him enthroned in the
east end of the Capitol: but his services
viii entitle him to a decent funeral. to the
expense of which a hilarious community
would doubtless subscribe with uproar o is
delight.