The Portland daily press., 1899-07-03
Never Uttered Words Put In His
Mouth.
Disapproves of Philip
pine War.
But Voted For Mckinley And
Doesn't Regret 1t.

Detroit, Mich, July 2--Gov. Pingrse
tonight despatched letter to Secretary
Algsr brought out by criticisms Of the
secretary and tho mum srous comments re-
Gently published concerning the agree
ment made by the governor to support
Secretary Alger in HIS campaign for the
United States lSenatorship. The letter
is as follows:
my Dear GeneraI-I subscribe to Z
clipping bureau and have, within the
past few days been re,eiving large num-
ber of clippings from newspapers pub
iished in every part of the country con-
tanning what purports to be an interview
With me in which criticisms of the pres.
ent administration are put In my mouth.
am astonished at the circulation and
credence which this ,:lleged interview mas
received. would not take cognizancs
OF 1t were 1t not for the fact that 1t seems
to have been so widely circulated and
also for the reason that there al many
people who have. yet to learn that.wSat
is termed political news and opinion, are
as unreliable, inaccurate and prejudiced
as the newspaper mans ingenuity and
cunning can make them. 1t did not
seem to me necessary to deny the inter-
view.sI would not now give it thought
whatever, were 1t not for the fact that IL
is made the basis of petty and mean
spirited attack upon you which is, how
ever, but a natural product OF small
calibre intellests.
s"The interview to which have referred
is pure fabrication. There Is not sim
gle sentence in it which was spok an By
me. 1t is the invention of q reporter who
may or may not have been ng under
Instructions from his chief
81 have at different times expressed
my opinion Of the necessity for the war
In the Philippines. / have In common
with Thousands Of others in the country,
disapproved of 1t, and have had no hesita-
tionin giving my views whenever have
been asked for them. / voted for Mr..
Mckinley. and have had no cause what
ever to regret 1t. IIf he is candidate
again, will take pleasure In giving him
my support.
"It has always seemed to me that the
criticism by New York newspapers of
the management OF the war department
only of the President, but of the entire
cabinet. 1t is we'll known that no i'm
rortant step Is taken without the con-
| currence or at least the adyice of the
President and the cabinet 1 am well
satisfied that the attack upon the war de-
partnent is nothing but cunninaly
conceived plot to create vacancy to be
filled by New York politician. Already
the New York newspapers are discussing
the distribution of the patronage of the
department.. The other papers In the
country have simply repeated what the
New York newspapers have said. OF
| course 1t Is not surprising that Senator
McMillin and his me too Senator Bur-
rows, have Joined in the contemplate
scheme to discrediu and defame the war
department.
"In so far as the alleged alliance with
you ID concerned, / can freely and frankly
cay that none has been made. As you
are already aware. simply preferred
you my support in your candidacy for
United States Senator. and only wanted
TO know whether you were In favor of
an amendment to the constitution per-
mitting the election of senator's by direct
vote of the people. am glad to be ad.
yised by. you that you favored the re-
strietion OF 'trusts,' but neither of these
things was made the condition of my sup
port In common with thousands Of 9th
er Michigan people, I merely offered to
assist you.
q" If anything I have proatsd by 1t po-
litioally, because the American people de-
test cowardly methods Of fighting.
1.-The language which is attributed to
me in the false Interview in which am
made to criticise and abuse the adminis-
tration, should have condemned the in
terview as fabrication, at once. But
even more absurd is the statement made
by the press that l am an avowed candi-
date for President at the next national
convention. that you had an alliance with
me and that therefore you have declared
your opposition to President Mckinley
and should retire from his cabinet. OF
course such statement Is too silly to be
entitled to serious attention. 1t Is sufficient
to say to you that I have not and never
did entertain the remotest intention OF
becoming candidate Tor the presidency.
The story Is only another invention OF
Michigan newspapers.
81 think the time Is not far distant
when public opinion will compel news
papers to besfair and decent in their
treatment Of men in public life. Until
|it does, !. am convinced that The only
s<M rse~ss~