The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-03
ALGER IN DETROIT.
the War Secretary Declares We
Will Hold the Philippines.
GEN. WESLEY AERRITT's TRIBUTE

he Declares General Alger the Best
Secretary OF War the World Has
Ever seen-Senator Depew an Ex-
pansionist, But Not an Imperialist.
Detroit, Mich, May 3.-The Michigan
society, Sons Of the American Revolu-
ton, entertained the visiting delegates,
officials of the order, and distinguished
guests last night by dinner unequal
led hitherto in Michigan by any SIM
liar event in respect to elaborateness
Of menu and decorations or the dis
tinguished character of the guests of
honor of the evening: The occasion
was made notable by the presence Of
Secretary Alger, Senator Chauncey, M.
Depew, Generals Joseph Wheeler, Wess
ley r. Merritt and Horatio c. King, In
spector General J. G. Breckenridge and
many others who rendered distin-
guished services in the Spanish and
the civil wars.
After two hours discussion Of tho
menu ex-senator Thomas W. Palmer.
president of the Michigan society, as
toastmaster, began the speechmaking
with a'witty introduction. When he
mentioned the name of Secretary Alger
the banqueters rose and cheered en-
Enthusiastically, After the reading Of
several letters of regret Secretary Al
ger was called upon. He said in part:
"Under the American flag battles
have been fought and won against
every force that has sought to check
its onward progress toward the set
ting sun; nag that has never yet
been unfurled against an enemy but to
prevail. Every sign of the present and
destined to be permanently in the lead,
the center of civilization and of power,
a power which rests in all the people,
which has no sovereign save the peo-
pie.
within the last year we have again
been called to arms, and upon April Fl,
1898, under the first call for volunteers,
$4,000 patriots were sent into the
field, while million men offered their
services At that time, owing to the
persistent parsimony OF congress in
making appropriations for munitions
of war, we had no provisions of war,
we had no equipment for war, but we
had men and we had the manufac-
turers, who, sooner than those of any
other nation on earth, could equip that
army, an army which, including the vol
unteers of the first and second calls,
numbered approximately 275,00O. and
this army was marshaled in camps
and equipped 10000 of whom were sent
to distant islands, 10000 miles apart;
battles were fought victories were won
without single reverse or without
the loss of gun or color, and all
this within 115 days from the dec
laration of war to the signing of the
protocol. Supposing they had a little
beef spoiled, what of it? If they had
had no beef at all they would have had
more than General Joe Wheeler and I
had in the other war
THE flag of this nation has been
hoisted over Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Philippines, in lands whose peopleha
for centuries been oppressed by Span
ish misrule. Whatever else may be, we
can be assured as it has been raised in
Porto Rico and the Philippines, there
it will remain. One of these islands
we nOlu III tTltSl, lie OllltIs Dire Ouis.
General Joe Wheeler talked along
similar lines He reviewed the circum-
stances of the mobilization of the
army during the war, and asserted
that history will record that the Uni
ted States humbling of Spain was
without parallel. General Wheeler as
serted that he had heard no complaint
about rations. The only question was
whether the benefits of American civil
and religious liberty should not be
given the people whom Providence hal
placed under our control.
Senator Depew said he was an ex-
pansionist, but not an imperialist, in
the commonly accepted sense of that
word. As to the Philippine campaign
he declared that the Filipinos were
not to be tyrranized over by the United
States, but were to have some one like
General Sherman TO tell them, 60
home, stop raising hell and go to rails
ing crops"
A feature which was Of peculiar in
terest was a speech by General Wesley
Merritt warmly defending Secretary
Alger. He declared Alger the best sec
rotary of war the world has ever seen.