The evening times., 1899-06-27
TUESDAY, JUNE 81, 1899.
The Alger-Pingree Organ.

The AIEer-Pin.ree organ.
Mr. Alger's leading organ in Michigan
at the present time, is the mouth organ
owned and continuously operated by the
Hon. Potato Pingree. Its views are clearly
defined and vigorously expressed on all
occasions. 1t is typical of the whole class
OF organs. in that it frequently utters
things which its control would give brig
adler generals commissions and fran
chises to have suppressed. Sometimes in
stitutions of this kind unwittingly let a
tlcod of light into things that the inter-
ests of their directors demand should be
kept dark. Perhaps the latest ebullition
of the Alger mouth organ is n case in
point
In a newspaper interview in Detroit
yesterday, the Hon. Potato Pingree took
the public into his confidence, and that of
the Algerian combine, in way to excite
lively and general interest. and TO raise a
question as TO the real attitude OF the
President, with regard TO national ex-
pansion, and which we should say will
compel an answer of some sort from some
body authorized to speak for him.
Mr.. Alger had been quoted as declaring
that Mr.. Pingree was a Mckinley man
first, last. and all the time,'' Mr.. Pin
gree admitted that his political partner
was correct in the assertion always as
suming. that the President is opposed TO
territorial expansion and is mot an ad-
vocate of the murder and devastation that
the Government is creating and forcing
upon an innocent people in the Philip
pines
1t is notorious that Mr. Alger has been
for two years past more closely in the
confidence of his chief than any other liv-
ing man, Marcus A. Hanna alone excepted.
What Mr.. Mckinley really thinks about
national expansion, right down at the bot
tom of his heart, his War Secretary is in
much better position TO know than auy-
one else. Mr.. Alger has, also. been famil-
lar with the Atkinsonian views of the
Michigan Governor. and with the certainty
that the latter would always express them
freely and publicly. According to his own
statements, Mr.. Alger went into the heef
and potato combine. expecting neverthe-
less to remain at the head of the War
Department with the consent of Mr. Nc
Kinley. and TO maintain his old relations
with that gentleman unbrokenly. Consid-
ering the vital Importance of his present
position to his political ambition, it is fair
to assume that Mr. Alger would not have
undertaken the Pingree deal without first
making sure that it would be agreeable to
his great and good friend. and that Pin
gree, with his extreme Filipino tendencies,
would be taken into the bosom of the Ad-
ministration family, vice Mcmillan. re-
moved.
Now the question arises: Have these
things any connection with the half
hearted way in which the War Depart
ment has prosecuted the work of sup
pressing the mutiny in the Philippines?
Without prompt explanation and action
on the part of the President, can the
American people be sure that the Alger-
Pingree alliance is not the first manifes-
tation of retrogressive policy adopted by
certain controlling and corrupt element
within the Republican party? We cannot
believe William Mckinley to be an anti
expansionist; but we know that his sec
ond best friends partner is one, and one
OF a most violent and obnoxious charac-
Ter Inc cOHneCtlOn may De not 0lrect,
but it must be considered directly con-
tinuous while Alger remains in the Cabi- |
net.
Was it then under the influence of the |
Atkinsonian Pngree's coparcener that the |
President ignored General Miles recon- |
mendation in April, that he send ten fresh |
regiments to Otis? Was it under Algerian |
advice that he allowed DENLY and the two |
schoolmasters to wreck General Otis |
spring campaign? And is it under like |
pressure that the press censorship at Ma
nila and the war edtorship in Washing
ton are made to subserve an apparent pur-
pose to prevent the adequate and speedy |
reinforcement of our army in Luzon?
Pingree seems to have opened little
rift within the Presidential lutte that
should be closed and glued without days
delay We do not think it can be done
neatly or successfully by stuffing the hole
permanently with Aiger. That, if we are
not mistaken, would tend TO split the in
strument wide open, and make its musi;
mute'