The Portland daily press., 1899-07-20

Washington, July 10. -Sscretary Alger
today rendered to the President his resig-
nation Of the war portfolio. The resis-
nation will becomeseffeotive August 1,
though it was rendered ''at the pleasure
of the President"
Gossip has begun already as to his sue
oessor. but 1t Is entirely speculative, for
notwithstanding the reports that Mr..
Alger would not long continue at the
head of the war department his actual
resignation came suddenly and unexpect-
edly.
Formal acceptance of the resignation
had not been made by the President up
20 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 procu rable
either from the President or Secretary
Alger. Nor was the letter OF resignation
lobtalnable. For the present nothing Will
be known officially concerning the sever.
ance Of the Official relations between the
President nnd his war minister. but later
official correspondence. doubtless, viii be
given to the press.
The belief had prevailed In Washington
for some time that Secretary AIger would
resign from the cabinet, but the date
generally set for 1t was towards the close
of the year after he had J. submitted his
annual report. Its tender then had been
regarded as a foregone conclusion in view
of Mr.. Alger's announcement of about a
month ago that he had concluded to enter
into competition for the vacancy in the
United States Senate to he caused by the
expiration of the term of Senator McMil-
Ian, strong supporter of the administra-
tion and that he had enlisted in his sup
Io:t Governor Pingree to whom had bee n
attributed free criticism of the policy sup
posed to be cherished by the President to-
ward the Filipinos. There have been
many explanations and denials OF tho
facts In that case, but In tho end the I'm
preston 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 a degree as
to render the connection of the TWO as
part of the same official family unde-
sirable.
1t was largely at least rs result OF a
conference with Vice President Hobart,
at Normanhurst, N. j., that Secretary
Alger decided to leave the cabinet at this
time. AT this conference there were
present besides Secretary Alger, his mill
tnry aide and close friend and adviser,
Major Hopkins. and perhaps come other
perso n or persons interested.
There has been no disclosure OF what
fN,Sepd af fhfa RnnfaFanaa hnf 4 io 81 fl
can't that the return Of the Secretary to
Washington was followed by prompt
action. He arrived In Washington last
night. Almost before the executive de-
pnrtments were opened this morping, he
cnlltd at the White House, and visiting
the President in his Office, announced
tn at he had
CONCLUDED TO RESIGN.
What passed on that point between
himself and the President Is only mat
ter of surmise. for neither has any thing
to say on this point Some routine busi-
was disposed of between the President
and the Secretary and then MIR. Alger
went to his Office and spent some time
with General Wilson, chief Of engineers,
and Major Hopkins, looking into q con-
Several times they were interruptel by
Adiutant General Corbin, with mntssrs
| of pressing business requiring the Score
tary's personal action. This attended to,
Secretary Alger wrote out his letter Of
resignation and personally carried it to
| the White House. His call on this oeca-
sicn Was brief aud when he returned 70
the department be had q long conference
with Adjutant General Corbin, who
afterwards announced the Resignation.
Mr.. Alger's plans for the future have
| already been defined. AFR. Msikleiohn the
assistant secretary Of war, Is at present
supposed to be in Wisconsin. He Is ex-
peoted TO return to Washington to assume
charge of the war departments until snoh
time as the President shall name per-
manent successor. Probably that will be
by the end of the present month and by
the first Of August Secretary Alger win
bs ut liberty to lay down his task, He Is
much weaFied by ths weight Of responsi-
billty he has borne for nearly two years
aud half. lie has
AEED MANY YEARS
In the opinion Of his pc -sonai friends and
ls IN need Of rest He proposes to DEPART