The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-20
GEN. ALGER HAS RESIGNED.
ur cans AT THE WHITE HOUSE
avn HANDS ~ MS RESIGNATION.

IbrEn
the Cabinet After Aug. 1.-The Arrange
,,.rt for His Retirement Is said to Have
u..u Made by yice-President Hobart
Attorney General Griggs or General
lame. II. wilson Mentioned as Socre-
.,ry Ayers Most Probable Successor.
N,suINGroN. July 10 Gen. Russell A. Alger.
Secretary " War. called at the White House
fms afternoon and personally handed his
,,sivr,t,or 10 the President, No date for the
,stiremcnt VI the Secretary is mentioned. 1t
s,y. merely that the resignation Is to take
.yert AT the pleasure OF the President. An
,,nnrnfnnut Of this action was made by Secre-
,orv auer this afternoon. TIE Sun reporter.
xho snw him in his Office shortly after the for
,Ionn, un.cmcn. found Gen. Alger In very
,o,t humn- He was signing his mail at the
tne md continued to do so while answering
ulestious. smiling occasionally. There was
nothing ABOUT him 10 indicate that he was
worried He looked bettor than at any time
,e,eptly. and showed none Of that haggard-
mass which was noticeable to his friends when
no returned from his first visit to Vice -Presi-
dent Hobart at Long Branch early this week.
In fact he appeared like man from whom a
c-os, mental burden had been removed and
who was con seuuently. in cheerful frame OF
mind ten Niger declined to talk for publica-
u.u. exccptto say. after some pressing. about
the time his resignation would take effect
My resignation will 10 accepted when the
President sees nt Don't you think. he con-
tnucd smiiingly. that man who has been
in this office two years and half ought to
have at least week to finish up official husi-
ness; shall stay here until the Assistant
Secretary returns. l sent a telegram to Mr..
MeikeJohn this afternoon. telling him OF my
resignation but / don't know that IL will reach
him We are not sure OF his address. There
are several matters which | desire to see
settled before 60 out. some bridge disputes
and contracts. | am more familiar with these
than anyh, iy else in the department. and want
10 dispose Of them myself. No. l don't care to
make any statement. I have rendered my
esgnntiOn from this Office. to take effect at
the pleasure OF the President. and that is all
care 10 say
Secretary Algcr vii! not remain in the Cabi-
net. in any event. after Aug. l. sHe has de-
termned that positively. although the Presi-
dent will allow him to take his own time In re-
firing Mr. Mckejohn is on his vacation. and
when last heard from was In Minnesota. His
return 70 Washington will not be delayed. it Is
believed. later than week.
The story comes from Long Branch, and Is
for the retirement of Secretary Alger was made
by Vice-Presdent Hobart. As told to THE
SuN reporter by man familiar with all the
circumstances. the resignation was brought
Rbout in this way For several months prom
ment men IN the Republican party. including
lomc Cabinet officers. have urged the Presi-
lent 10 call for Secretary Algers resig-
tation. The President would not con sent to be
lul,lcd by this advice however. contendih that
heyu h-ul teen no groand- for tho clamor for
Ten. Ayers retirement. It was urged on the
PRESIDENT that for the good OF the party the
services Of Gen. Ager should be dispensed
:, with even though he be innocent OF theeharges
concerning his conduct OF the War Department
In the war with Spain. The President still re-
NAMED firm. He insisted that Gen. Alger had
made good Secretary OF War and that no
reason for his dismissal had appeared. After
the publication of the Pingree interviews. fol-
lowing the report that Secretary Alger and
Gov. Pingrce had made a political alliance to
assist Cen. Alger in his candidacy for the
United States Senate to succeed Senator
Mcmillan. prominent Republicans In the con-
hlence OF the President became insistent
that the Secretary OF War should retire. They
urged President Mckinley to use the PinRree
interviews as an excuse for asking for Gen.
Ayers resignation. This the President re-
fused 10 10. although he showed that he would
D" Cad to have Gen. Alger voluntarily relieve
nm ot embarrassment. He believed. how
ever thar AlGer should not remain a member
otthe Administration on account OF the Pin
gree compact. and was anxious to have the
secretary so understand.
The matter dragged along until finally the
President determined to take action to secure
TIE resignation in an indirect way. He sent
ho"rncy-heneral Griggs to soc Vice. Presi-
cent Hobart. Mr.. Hobart has been stanch
'Fend NJ the Secretary OF War throughout his
troubles. This was known to the President.
ana II was through Mr.. Hobart that he worked
10 accomplish what had evidently been in his
mind Tor some time. Mr.. Griggs told Mr.. Ho-
part that tho resignation OF Secretary Alger
would be very acceptable to the President and
asked the Vice President TO advise the Score
'ary 70 tender 1T.
After witnessing tho first days yacht race
he'ween the Columbia and the Defender at
New lorE. Secretary Alger went down to Long
branch at the invitation Of Mr. Hobart. While
.He'e the Nlcs-Presdent advised him to resign
from inc Cabinet, but without m Mentioning that
tne suggestion had been inspired by President
"'h'l''ey' Secretary hlger apparently did not
understand at the time that the President
wanted him to retire and the question OF his
resignation was not then disposed Of 1t was
understood between the Vice President and
III" secretary, however. that Gen. Alger should
nov remain in the Cabinet much longer. GER
'"'h'y not after the 1st OF January. 1900.
ast Saturday the Secretary again went to
long Branch. at Mr.. Hobart's invitation. and
remained until yesterday. when he returned to
warrington, The Vice. President frankly
urged nm to tender his resignation to the
resident giving as reasons that he was very
""ioI"Ihr throughout the country and that his
N''h IHn"c as a member OF the Mckinley Ad-
n"">,rd''on was very embarrassing to the
i''s'"cht The Nice-Presidenu did not hest
,"'' 10 tell Gen. Alger that the country wanted
"'." 20 get out and that he must be sac
t'"e"'! Gen. Alger then asked Mr.. Ho-
'''' II he made that statement for himself
" at the suggestion OF others. and the
vice. PRESIDENT then confessed that II was the
''>.ient desire. made known to him through
'' "f'GgS Gen. Alger expressed surprise
."'' me President should have taken such
'''""about way to secure his retirement He
t'' mat he had told the President several
.'""' during the cutlery against his conduct OF
."' war Department that his resignation was
SD II fft ha 81 n