Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-07-22

GEORGE d. MEIKLEJOHN.
will be by the end of the present month
and 10y the first of August Secretary
Alser will be at liberty to lay down his
task. He is much Wearied by the weight
Of responsibility he has born for nearly
2ii years; he has aged many years, in the
opinion of his personal friends. and is in
need of rest. He proposes to depart foi
the northwest and spend some time ir
the lumber camps belonging to him anC
then to pay visits to his children. These
Will occupy his time until well along into
next fall. About political matters this
secretary does not speak now, but 1t may
be fairly surmised that he then will be
ready, in view of his already announced
dersI ion, to take such part in the Michi'
gan senatorial contest as conditions at
the time will warrant.
The closest inquiry fails to elicit any
informal ton as to the intentions of the
president respecting the appointment Of
a successor to Mr.. Alger. Names are
mentioned, but there are only those
which have already been suggested iI
the press without securing either con.
III IidtlOfl VI ucIlul lIolll any We'll III
formed person. The members of the
cabinet were all disinclined to talk about
the succession, though enc did remark
that the president had made no mention
Of a name to him, and he believed that no
uecis,on had yet been reached. He con.
Veyed the impression that no appoint
m@nt would be made Immediately, but
that Mr.. Meiklejohn would be allowed to
direct affairs for some time to come.
The news of the resignation caused q
buzz of comment in all public places, but
at the White House there was no evidence
that any unusual event had occurred
An evening round of the cabinet officers
still in town showed unwillingness t.
talk of the resignation. Adjutant Cen
eral Corbn expressed his personal regret
at the turn of affairs.
Secretary Algers departure from the
cabinet will leave in it only three of those
members who entered it a the beginning
of the administration, namely, Messrs.
Gage. Long and Wilson. The number Of
changes that have occurred in the 2H
years of its life has been very unusual
Six cabinet officers in all have resigned
either to retire to private life or to accept
| Cent.
! Among those mentioned from time tC
time in this connection have been Gen
tral Horace Porter of New York. now
/ ambassador to France; Governor Rouse-
welt of New York. General Harrison Gray
Otis and Assistant Secretary Meike-
john. General Corbin has been men
! toned in connection with an ad interim
, appointment. The opinion has been ex-
pressed in some well posted quarters
that the selection would be made from
the west. All this. however. is mere
speculation. AS to the report that Gen
eral Corbin would be secretary ad in
term, an officer close to the general said
there was no basis for the report
| The transfer of Attorney General
Griggs from the department Of justice
to the war department has been sug-
| gested by those who are figuring on
| Secretary Alger's successor. 1t is
| urged that the largely increased legal
/ questions which are constantly coming
before the war department as con-
sequence Of our new possessions make
it desirable that its executive officer
, should be a man of legal attainments
anu Nhp'ii i'iNN' III tHiS SAINT IplllCC-
ton the name of Elhu Root. the we'll
known New York lawyer. is mentioned.
| General James II. Wilson of Delaware.
now in the volunteer establishment and
governor of the province of Matanzas,
Cuba, is also spoken of.
! London, July 20-The Standard edi-
torially says President Mcliinley's
! prompt acceptance of Mr.. Algcr's resig-
| nation is equivalent to an admission
| that the war department has been badly
! managed 1t is significant that the
resignation followed so closely on the
/ Manila correspondents round robin.
Alserism is the great blot on the Nc
Kinley administratiD 1t has given
the enemies of the imperialist policy the
! most effective weapon that could have
been forged and President Nc Kinley can
wrest it from them only by the appoint
ment of q successor whose past COM
mands confidence.
The Times describes the resignation
! as Il decided victory for public opinion
and public morals over political organi-
/ cations. by resigning, Secretary Alger
has practically allowed Judgment to go
by default. and has relieved the Nc
Kinley administration from a RESPONSE
bility that was assuming very serious
proportions. 1t is the first and mos,
essential step toward the publication
of the Republican party, and. indeed, OF
the whole political system of the United
States.
The Daily News says: He might have
defied public opinion to the last. but
t,,s ,t,f, fnr
ond term and has to he on his good be-
havior with the electorate.
The papers generally regard the resig-
nation as a prelude to vigorous policy
in the Philippines, and the recall of Gem
eral Otis.