Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-10
THAT RECEPTION TO ALGER
It Was Rather Insignificant as . Political
Incident,
Gov. Pingree the Moving Spirit-His
Senator McMillan's Friends.
special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
DETROIT, Mich, August 8, 1899.
The reception and welcome home extend
ed General Alger was a pleasing and very
graceful tribute to the distinguished fell
low-citizen returning, but as function of
state Importance of any particular po-
litfcal significance it was a distinct and
positive disappointment. When the an
pouncement was received here that Gen.
eral Alger had retired from the cabinet
the reception was proposed as an evidence
of Michigan's continued confidence in him.
The father of the reception idea was Gov.
Pingree, and with characteristic prompti-
tude and energy he called in the repre-
sentatives of his machine and started the
plans and arrangements. Railroad Com
missioner Osborne, Insurance Commission
er Campbell, Labor Commissioner Cox Oil
Inspector judson, many of the board MEM
bers appointed by Pingree and the entire
military force, staff and file, were put to
work, with instructions to spare neither
time nor effort to make the function a sue
cess The democrats were invited to par
ticipate and Mayor Maybury, of the
shrewdest politicians of the democratic
faith in Michigan, cheerfully swung the
municipal machine into line to help the
movement along. The federal wing of the
republican party, seeing the drift of things
and experimenting that the reception would
be made an anti-admlnistration demonstra-
ton, demanded a representative in the pro-
ceedings. and the demand was so earnestly
made it could not be denied. And then the
reception became non-partisan-on paper
Inasmuch the chief reason ascribed
for General Ayers retirement from the
cabinet was his alliance with Governor
Pingree as originally planned the reception
was much a vindication for Governor
Pingree as a welcome for Alger, but the
federal machine adroitly turned their pur-
pose, and it was to be state affair instead
of purely local.
Reception Widely Advertised.
1t was widely advertised. Reduced rates
were secured the railroads and the
promise was made it would be the most
brilliant affair of the kind Michigan had
ever seen. The non-partisan nature of the
function was emphasized
The first incident in the reception was
the trip of a reception committee of citi-
zens to Toledo by special train to meet
General Alger there and escort him home.
The committee on arrangements provided
free badges and transportation for pretty
nearly everybody who wanted to go along,
and about 400 went. In this reception COM
r1ittee was Governor Pingree and his en-
tire official and military family. There
were nearly as many democrats as Pin
greeites Custom Collector Rich, Revenue
Collector Wright and several anti-Pingree
members of the legislature were the chief
representatives of the federal machine
When the excursion met General Alger in
Toledo the usual mailing cry: Whats the
matter with Alger?' was sounded, and
General Alger responded by going through
the train to personally shake hands with
each member Of the big party. The depot
here was prettiiy decorated in honor of his
coming; but after General Ager had pass
Cd the depot gate the decorations that
greeted his eye were not profuse. 1t is true
1000 autographed portraits of himself had
been distributed, and these looked out from
nearly every store window. But the flag
ana bunting display was very modest. and
there were no triumphal arches anywhere
IN sight. The parade which followed the
arrival was perfunctory, and including the
militia, the bands, the city firemen, the
ora Army posts and the mail carriers, it
had Il numerical strength of probably 1900.
The crowds on the street, though the fac
tories and stores had just closed, were not
so large as an average circus would call
out and the crowd that surrounded the re-
viewing stand when the speaking began
Old not begin to compare with that which
greeted Bryan three years ago.
The Speeches of Welcome.
The speeches of welcome were made by
Governor Pingree and Mayor Maybury, the
FEDERAL machine having no part in the ora
tor1cal part of the program, and General
Alger responded.
Whether or not the reception will induce
General Alger to enter the senatorial race
IN earnest remains to be seen. Since his
return he has refused to discuss this aucs-
ton He will canvass the situation anew.
consult with his friends in different parts
OF the state, hold councils of war, have es-
Inmates made of the expense and in due
time VIII announce the conclusion he has
reached. He has number of friends who
are willing to help back him financially in
his campaign should he enter and they are
urging him to go in. He has an advantage
over Senator Mcmillan in that he has many
more personal friends in the state but Nc
MILAN has thoroughly organized and very
smooth working machine at his back, and
he has not Ptngree to carry as a handicap.
The speech that Pingree made at the recep-
ton gave the McMillanites much satsfac-
ton, and they will make use of 1t as an
anti-Alger document when the campaign