The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-03
Merritt Comes to Aid
of Secretary of
War.
ABUSED MAN TALKS
"What If Beef Was Bad:
It's Better Than
None"

Detroit, May 2.-The Michigan Soci-
ETY., Sons of American Revolution,
entertained the visiting delegates, Of
ficials of the order and distinguished
guests tonight at grand dinner. The
menu was elaborate and the decora-
lions fine. The occasion was made no.
table by the presence of Secretary AL
ger, Senator Chauncey M. Depew, Gen.
Joseph Wheeler, Maj. Gen. Wesley R.
Merritt, Gen. Horatio C. King, Inspec-
tor Gen. Breckenridge and many others
who rendered distinguished services in
the Spanish and civil wars.
A feature of peculiar interest was a
speech by Gen. Wesley Merritt warm
ly defending Alger. He declared Alger
the best secretary of war the world has
ever seen.
Secretary Alger was next called upon.
In part he said: Under the American
flag battles have been fought and won
against every force that has sought
to check it's onward progress toward
the setting sun; a flag that has never
yet been unfurled against an enemy
but to prevail. Every sign of the pres
ent and past assures us that this gov
eminent is destined to be permanently
in the lead; that this country is to be
if it is not already the centre of eli
vilization and of power, a power which
rests in all the people"
On April q, 1898, under the first call
for volunteers, 125,000 patriots were
sent into the field. At that time, ow
ing to the persistent parsimony of
congress in making appropriations for
munitions of war, we had no equip
ment for war, but we had men and we
had the manufacturers who, sooner
than those of any other nation, could
equip an army, which, including the
volunteers Of first and second calls
numbered approximately 275000.
This army was MAJ shaded in camps
and equipped; $4,000 were sent to dis
tant islands, 10000 miles apart; battles
were fought, victories were won with
out a single reverse or without the
loss of a gun or a color; and all this,
within 113 days from the declaration of
war to the signing of the protocol
Surprising they had a little beef
spoiled, what of it? If they had had
more than Gen. Joe Wheeler and l had
in that other war. The people of the
United States have never sought terri
torial acquisition except to the benefit
of the peoples that came with it. The
flag of this nation has been hoisted
over Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines in lands whose peoples have for
centuries been oppressed by Spanish
misrule. We can be assured as it has
been raised in Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines, there it will remain. The
strife that brought upon this country
war with Spain was not of our seek
ing; the force Of events and the cry of
doWn-trodden humanity called for our
aid. No human mind could stop it.
There is not heart in the breast of
any true American whose pulsations
do not quicken with pride over the
achievements of our army and navy.
l trust that congressional action shall
give such recognition of the services
Of the soldiers in the Philippines as
shall show our appreciation of their
valor.
Gen. Merritt referred to the present
secretary of war as the best secretary
Of war the world had ever seen. He
added: mo secretary was ever more
abused. Secretary Stanton stood
through his abuse as the most foolish
secretary that ever lived. We have
now another secretary who has made
fewer mistakes and been more abused
than any of his predecessors. He has
had the support of all except a few
malcontents. Through him they have
attacked the president of the United
States. He is almost sick at heart at
the weight of the unjust obloquy that
has been heaped upon him but with no
promises to make or platitudes to in
dulge in, he is conducting an honest
administration. I was born a demo-
crat. I am proud to belong to that po-
litical faith. But I hope the time will
come when there'll be no difference
between democrats and republicans,
at least manifested against those who
rule the government.