The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-20

Washington, July 19.-Secretary Alger
today rendered to the president his
resignation Of the war portfolio. The
resignation will become effective Aug.
1, though it was rendered "at the pleas
ure of the president" Gossip already
has begun as to his successor, but it
is entirely speculative; for, notwith-
standing the reports that Mr.. Alger
would not long continue at the head Of
the war department. his actual resigna-
ton came suddenly and unexpectedly.
Formal acceptance Of the resignation
had not been made by the president up
to a late hour tonight, but will be in a
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
rotary Alger. Nor was the letter of
resignation obtainable. For the present
nothing will be made known officially
concerning the severance of the official
relations between the president and his
war minister, but later the official cor
Iespondence 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
date generally set for it was toward the
close of the year, after he had submit
Ted his annual report. Its tender then
had been regarded as almost a foregone
conclusion, in view of Mr.. Alger's an
nouncement about month ago that he
had concluded to enter into competition
FOR the vacancy of United States sena-
tor to be caused by the expiration of
the term Of Senator Mcmillan, a strong
supporter of the administration, and
thai he had enlisted in his support Gov.
Pingree, to whom had been attributed
free criticisms of the policy supposed
to be cherished by the president toward
the Fiiipinos.
There are many explanations and
denials of the facts in that case, but in
the end the impression was conveyed
that the result of the Michigan visit of
the secretary had been to change the
relations between the president and
himself to such degree as to render
the connection of the two as part of
the same official family undesirable
1t was learned today, as a result of
a conference with Vice President Ho-
bart at Normanhurst, N. J., that Score
tary Alger decided to leave the cabinet
at this time. AT this conference there
were present, besides Secretary Alger,
his military aid and close friend and
adviser, Major Hopkins, and perhaps
some other person or persons interested.
There has been no disclosure of what
pessed at this conference, but it is sig
nificant that the return of the secretary
to Washil gton was followed by prompt
action He arrived in Washington last
night.
Almost before the executive depart
ments were opened this morning, he
called at the White house, and, visiting
the president in his Office, announced
that he had concluded to resign What
passed on that point between himself
and the president is only a matter of
surnlise, for neither has anything to
say on this point. Some routine bust
ness pertaining to the war department
was disposed Of between the president
and the secretary, and then Mr.. Alger
went to his office and spent some time
with Cen. Wilson, chief of engineers.
and Maj. Hopkins.
Several times they were interrupted
by Ad5utant General Corbin, with mat
tiers of pressing business requiring the
Secretarys personal action. This at
tended to, Secretary Alger wrote out
his letter of resignation and personally
carried it to the White House. His call
on this occasion was brief, and when
he returned to the department he had
long conference with Adjutant Cen
eral Corbin, who afterwards announced
the resignation
Mr.. Ayers plans for the future have
already been defined. Mr.. Meiklejohn.
the assistant secretary of war, is at
present supposed 30 be in Wisconsin.
He Is expected to return to Washing
ton to assume charge of the war de-
partment, until such time as the pres