Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-07-27
y, a thing which even the war
tment had hardly thought lia-
> occur, and for which no provi-

eAiShU udu SndTuly lIHOugnI' Hd-
I, occur, and for which no provi-
had been made. Transports had
ssN purchased and fitted up. and
supplies of every description purchased
that would keep and be palatable and
useful in such hot countries. All these
emergencies had to be met, and the
man of the hour, on whom fell all this
work. and the responsibility for il,
was Secretary Alger. At once all eyes
were turned upon him, and he soon be-
came the target fuf the abuse of those
newspapers that objected to the war
for Christianity that was begun in
Cuba. There was no other loop-hole
for criticism, and in the multitudinous
duties of the war department these
papers found here and there a chance
to show their superior knowledge of
how things should be conducted.
& With all this criticism of the retir-
inc secretary. there is gradually eking
out in Washington an inlSling of the
good that the secretary accomplished
during his term of office, and as time
rolls on there will probably be enough
facts unearthed to show that Secretary
.Alger did his whole duty as he saw it,
and to the best of his ability. No man
can do more.
The story referred to is one which
the secretary the other day, in a remi-
niscent mood, told to friend in WASH
ington. regarding a small matter of
$s00000 which he saved the govern
ment by sending the Spanish-Cuban
prisoners back to Spain. 1t follows:
"On the night of July 8, 1898. the,
president asked me what in my iudg-
ment we should do with the Spanish
prisoners of Santiago after their cap
ture. The matter had received very
much thought from the president and
myself, but no definite conclusion had
been reached. Ithen suggested to the
president that Galveston, Tex, wou,u
be the best place in the United States
in my judgment where we could send.
them; that its climate would he as near
ly similar to that of Santiago as we
could probably present. The president
signified his approval. went to my
home about 2 O'Clock in the morning.
Being too tired 20 slsep lay awake
for awhile, but finally dozed off. I
awoke at day break and my first
thought was concerning the Spanish
prisoners and the idea came into my
head, why not send them. back TO
Spain?' This thought impressed me
SO deeply that i formulated my plan
and on the morning of July 10, instead
of going to the department direct, 1
went to the White House and laid the
new plan before the president, saying
that it would be an unprecedented pro-
cedure and most gracious act. I also
stated that / believed that ii would be
o. aof srl Va, l.
surrender, which Gen. Shafter after
wards assured me was the fact. The
president heartily approved the plan
and on the same day ] cabled Gen.
Shafter as follows:
SHOULD the Spaniards surrender un-
conditionally and wish to return to
Spain, they will be sent back direct at
the expense of the United States gov
ernment.s
'Alger, Secretary of War;
On receiving this, on the 18th of July,
Gen. Shafter sent a communication to
the commander in chief o. the Spanish
forces demanding the surrender of
Santiago and incorporating Secretary
Ayers proposal.
Jose Toral, Ii military governor of Sam
tiago, replied, saying he had communi-
Gated the proposition to the general
in chief. Secretary Alger then detail
ed the work of the quartermaster's de-
partment in carrying out the pledges
of this government, and says that the
Spanish Transatlantic company's hid
being the lowest, was accepted. 1T cost
this government $513.s80 to carry the
Spanish prisoners to their country. II
the bids of the other companies had
been accepted il would have cost ST.
3l2,915, thus effecting saving OF
about 100000.
In conclusion the secretary said:
h "Some days after this contract was
awarded, the president said to me as /
entered the cabinet room: Mr.. Secre-
tary, would you like to hear something
favorable to you printed in the New
York Times? and went, on to read the
editorial comment. complimentary to
the man whose mind originated the
plan of transporting the Spaniards
back to Spain"