Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-28
Republican Division in the State of
Michigan.
PINGREE AGAINST M'MILLAN
AIger Being Played by the Shrewd
Governor.
SOME INSIDE HISTORY


character of a struggle between Senator
Mcmillan and Secretary Alger. Those who
are best acquainted with the innermost
workings of Michigan politics and who have
followed the trend of political affairs in
that state for number of years declare
rnat the contest is really between Mcmillan
and Pingree, with Pingree using Alger
to suit his purposes.
Alger Being Played by pinpree
Alger Is being played by the shrewd
Michlgan governor, it Is said, chiefly for
the purpose of bringing about a disruption
IN the cabinet for it's local effect in Michi
gan rather than because of the influence
the Secretary of War might exert through
MS own personality within the state IF be
can De used to injure Mcmillan and the
aumlnlstration in the eyes of the peonle Of
MIC MiGnlgan, the imputed purpose of Pingree
WIN nave been accomplished and then
When 1t comes to actually elect a senator
advantage would be taken of the situation
SO formed, and there are a score of darlr
tntSI wItnln the Pingree stables who en-
.eltain 1ond hopes that fortune NAV come
thelr way. 1t is the fact that Alger is not
Iesaroed as the only possibility Among thc
rlnsree men, 1t Is said, that is being
hJfKea ho1die oy the calculating governor He is
no!uIhs out TO the republicans of the sta to
tempting bait to bring them within tbe
fold of his followers ' '"e
me republicans realizing that AIeer Is q
tinno tianoiaate VINO may be displaced at any
.ue are pelhS made to feel that thew NAV
entertain great expectations if thev entay
eiie ranks or the men who oppose Mcmillan
aau a1 tnat no one can tell who will be cover
ed with the senatorial mantle
Pingree is against the administration and
McMllian, and If he can persuade AIper
.,lat ms political future is with him rather
lhan l with the administration and can in
duce him later on to saw some unnIeasan.
g1D nipic
nave strengthened himself with the neonIe
with whom he is working
Effort to Retire Alger.
Here Is involved a question that Michigan
people are discussing with great interest
ana IL relates to the effect of the retire.
heht OF Alger from the cabinet While the
demand that Alger shall be displaced from
MS position as one of Mr.. McKinley's ad-
VlSers is coming from many parts of the
country, the effect Of such action on the SIT
uation in Michigan is said to be question
apie. Michigan politicians say that while
from national point of view, the party
might be benefited by the reputation of
Aiser, yet from their point of view the case
would be different Alger out of the cabi-
net tney say, could be made to talk by
Plnsree in way that he would not talk
II sun holding an important office under
the administration. The very fact that he
would be displaced in the cabinet would be
tage, and they hesitate about giving him
that opportunity.
beginning of the Fight,
The factional fight among republicans in
Michigan really began eight or nine wears
ago, when Pfngree and Mcmillan marshaled
their forces, which have since been facing
eacn other. 1T was shortly after the cleo
tlon OF P1ngree as mayor of Detroit He
was elected largely by the men who are
opposing him. He then had the BACKING Of
many substantial business men, but he
soon peSan a campaign that strengthened
hlm with the mass Of the voters but weak
ened MIN in business circles Then he was
called a demagogue. Senator Mcmillan has
az all times been opposed to Pingree and
!as HletnodS ON two occasions the Mo
MILAN people defeated Pdngree for gov
ernor- but then the tide was turned and
f'ngree scored a victory by securing the
nomination and election. Pingree was as
sisted by Albert Pack who was his canT-
GATE for the senatorship against R,lrrou-s
Dut VINO is now dead 1t was during the
nsht OF Burrows for denomination that Al
ger made his final break with the McNu
Ian faction that was behind Burrows
Aiger's Endorsement for the Cabinet.
Both Burrows and Mcmillan had indorsed
AlSer for the cabinet. Their strong sunnort
Tor that place was with the understandings
1t Is said, that he would help them down
that burrows made several trips to Can
ton to see Mr. Mckinley. The tall TO-,
was TO the effect that in due time MCMILLAN
would retire from the Senate and that
Alger would become the leader of his fac
s9ainot sion ot IN, 1he party to continue the fight
against Pingree When Governor Pingree
came up Tor reelection Alger was expected
10 proceed to help down him. but he had
become SO impressed with the power of
Pingree, it Is said, that he decided to va
on friendly terms with the anti-Pingree
men, but would not come out stronpIv
against the governor. The war came on
and the force of events made II annarent
that no successful fight against the gou-
ernor could be waged, and his renomina-
tlon and reelection occurred as a matter
OF course.
Tied to Pfngree.
The failure of the plan to defeat Pineree
impressed Alger with his power, and since
that time he has been regarded as closely
tied to him. When the time came for him
TO assist Burrows in his reelection he fail
eo 10 90 so. 1t Is said he sent check
without letter to accompany 1t, all the
while being friendly with Pinpree The
Pingree men had control of the state or
ganization, and then the Mcmillan men be-
gan a fight to get control of it, and from
that time -Alger was left out of the Nc
MILAN conferences and events forced him
closer Ito the side of Pingree. Even If Nc
MILAN had not been candidate, 1t is said
the faction of which he was the leader
would have gotten another candidate than
Alger for the Senate. Later it was de-
cided that Mcmillan was the strongest
man and was the one to rehabilitate the
old organization, the fight all the while be-
Ing primarily against Pingree and his fac
tion.
Pingree's Proposition.
1t is said that Pingree has offered to
support Mcmillan for the Senate, II the
latter would give him the delegation at the
next national republican convention, when
Pingree could make capital for himself to
strengthen his hopes for the presidential
nomination in 1904. This Offer it is de-
clared, was rejected promptly, and McMil-
Ian continued his fight against the Pingree
men. The declaration of Pingree in favor
of Alger for the senatorship is said to be
the direct result of McMillan's action In
turning down his peace proposal. 1t is not
believed that Pingree really cares for Alger
and his political future, but that he served
his purpose and he used him to intensity
his fight against Mcmillan II he could
disrupt the cabinet his general object might