Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-14
SECRETARY ALCER TALKS
He Discusses Very Briefly Many
Subjects.
Uphoids Ills Homogeneous or War
nepa~sm~nt-Snleo OF Army wntious
In Havana santiago ana Manila
Campaigns.
tny Telegraph to virgin an-Pnot,


New York. Feb. 13.-Secretary of War
Russell A. Alger. who came here yes
terday TO attend the Lincoln dinner OF
the Union League Club in Brooklyn to-
night, will leave for Washington at
midnight tonight.
In regard to the report of the War
Commission, Secretary Alger said that
he would rather say nothing about it
until he had read the entire report.
General Alger. however. said that he
had carried on the work all the way
through the war to the best of his abil-
ity.
During the war" said the Secretary,
when we had so much to do, criticisms
began to appear in some papers. When
this happened l gave orders that those
papers should not be sent to me, as
there was no time to waste. My first
duty was to conduct the affairs of the
Department as we'll as / could"
STORMS CAME UP.
General Alger compared the depart
ment with large private business,
saying that many unforeseen things
happened in the department just as in
a large private business. Storms came
up that could not be prevented.
Sometimes the manager of a private
business" said the Secretary, has
looked over the field and believes he
has good and faithful helpers. Then
he learns that he has been incorrect in
his thought and that some of his men
have not proved true. These are gen.
orally unforeseen things which will
happen in any large private business
concern as well as to a government
department. Though the work OF the
War Department was difficult. 1 carried
IL on as was my duty. to the best of my
ability"
When asked about the criticism by
the War Department of General Miles,
Secretary Alger asked to be excused
from talking about-that.
REGULARS AND VOLUNTEERS
Secretary Alger said in connection
with the intended naming of a COM
handing officer for the army that he
thought regular army man would be
named in preference to a volunteer. AL
though Congress could do as 1t wished
about such a matter.
He said that the volunteers have no
standing after their two years tsrm OF
service.
SELLING ARMY RATIoNs.
Secretary Alger's attention wac
called to the selling Of supplies in Ha-
vana at less than the regular marke,
rates, in connection with which 1t was
rations. The Secretary said:
Colonel Bliss. who was in charge Of
the collection Of customs at Havana
was asked to Investigate this, when
1t was learned that such sales we're be-
ing made. Some persons we're selling
supplies at less than anyone else could
sell them and paying the duty. Colo
mel Bliss found that two men were
buying up all the surplus rations from
the troops. The rations the troops re-
celved were more than they could use
and it Is considered legitimate to sell
them again. 1t Is q general practice
In the army for companies TO sell their
surplus rations and place the sums re-
ceived to the credit of the company
funds. These two men were, in a way,
carrying on a legitimate business.
Colonel Bliss found that they had a
storehouse full OF flour and coffee and
some other things and that they were
able to sell Hour at $500 a barrel less
than persons who were importing flour
and paying duty on 1t, He told them
after consulting Washington. that they
must either pay duty on the goods or
he would prevent them from selling
them. This practically stopped this
practice. Orders were given to the COM
missary department TO buy back the
extra rations, so that the soldiers
would get as much from the govern
ment AS from outsiders and save tho
i.
SANTIAGO AND MANILA.
In speaking of the Philippines and
Santiago campaigns, Secretary Alger