The San Francisco call., 1899-07-20
PRESS HAS NO KIM
WORDS FOR ALGER
Chicago Inter Ocean Alone Defends
His Conduct of the War
Dapa artInenf

NEW YORK, July 20.-The Herald says:
That Secretary Ayers resignation will
be accepted goes without saying. In the
appointment of a successor d solemn duty
devolves upon Mr.. Mckinley.
THE vital need of the hour is a war
minister who is a soldier and patriot,
who will rescue the War Department
from the decadence into which it has
sunk under Secretary Alger.
I'VE trust there is nothing in the re-
port that the President intends to ap
point some great New York lawyer to
this high office, which at this juncture is
of supreme Importance. 1t is not an At
torney General that is to be chosen, but
Secretary of War. Mr.. Mckinley il
his first appointment made calamttous
and awful mistake: he cannot afford 10
make another now"
The World says: Secretary Alger has
again retired under fire Public opinion,
which has been powerless in inducing the
President to ask for his resignation, has
proved strong enough to force him 10 re
sign.
If Mr.. Mckinley had asked the Secre-
tary of War 10 retire a year ago, when
the demonstration of his utter unfitness
was complete, he would have saved his
administration from the odium of AIger-
ism. But by retaining and sustaining him
until he voluntarily retires the President
has made himself responsible for Ayers
ofenses and shortcomings. 1t is too late
for a scapegoat. Alger resigning under
outside pressure becomes more a victim
than burden bearer"
/ The Press says: History will undoubt
edIy reverse the Secretarys judgment of
his career. But it's final verdict will be
that the army was got into as good work
ing order in his time as it's antiquated
and infieXlble machinery permitted. This
is not high praise. but. owing to our fixed
custom of letting all the staff enginery go
to rust between wars, it is the highest
that can be bestowed on any man whom
the outbreak of any hostilities has found
in office And the Secretary can at least
congratulate himself that the army-or
rather the people-has under him learned
its ever-forgotten and ever-recurrent les
son without corruption and without disas-
ter"
The Journal says: "Alger is down.
When the wind blows through the orchard
it is the rottenest fruit that falls first.
"Alger now-Otis next. Then, perhaps,
Corbin, and then, pattering down too
swiftly to count. the whole worthless lot
of War Department incompetents and ma
Hgnants that have brought the nation to
shame and smeared discredit on the in
comparable valor of American troops.
THE Journal heartily congratulates the
\
on this auspicious beginning of reform
There would probably have been beef
s. andaIs if Alger had never been inside
the War Department.; Shafter and Otis
would have made their records under any
Secretary and the anti-ScLley intrigue was
worked up in a department that Alger
never touched.
The Times says: 1T will be agreed
about Secretary Alger as it was said about
Cawdor in Macbeth that Nothing in his
life became him like leaving it.
CHICAGO July 19.-The Inter Ocean,
which has upheld Secretary AIger
through the entire controversy, will
saw: THE forces arrayed against
Secretary Alger military, personal
and political - have prevailed, and he
has sent his resignation to the President.
Had General Alger resigned six months
ago it would have been said the friends of
General Miles had driven him from the
Cabinet. Had he resigned three months
ago it would have been said the President
had Welded to the outcry against the War
Department raised by the MugWump and
Democratic press. Neither of these things
can be said now.
The Record says: president McKinleys
desire to receive a second term of office at
The hands of the American people long
ago rendered inevitable Alger's departure
from the Cabinet. That departure was
only a question of time and manner AL
ger at last has chosen to resign, and 1t is
understood al Washington that his resig-
nation is to take effect on August IL