Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-20


ant Secretary OF War is at present sup
| posed 10 be In Wisconsin, whittier ne
went two weeks ago to- make "A personal
inspection OF the Fox river improvements.
a scheme which has given the Engineer
! ing Bureau endless trouble and which
now requires some positive recommend
auon at the hands OF the Secretary 10
Congress at the next session. He has
been notified OF what has happened. and
Is expected TO return 10 WASHINGTON 10
assume charge OF the War Department
until such time as the President shall
name a permanent Secretary. Probably
mat VIII be by the end OF the present
month.
secretary Algcr IS much wearied by the
weight OF the responsibility he has borne
lor nearly two years and half has aged
many years, in the opinion Of his personal
friends and Is IN need OF rest. He pro-
poses 10 depart for the Northwest and
spend some time In the lumber camps be-
longing Co him. and then 10 pay visits TO
his children. This will occupy his time
until well along into next fall.
About political matters the Secretary
does not speak now, but II may Toe fairly
/ surmisCd that he will then be ready in
View Of mis- already announced decision.
TO take such part In the Michigan sena-
toral contest as events at that time Will
warrant.
THE SUCCESSION.
The closest inquiry fails TO elicit any
Information as to the intentions of the
President respecting the appointment OF a
successor 10 Mr.. Alger as Secretary OF
War. Names are mentioned. but they
are only those which have already been
suggested with more or less of plausi-
bility In the press. without securing
either confirmation or denial from any
well-informed persons.
The members Of the Cabinet were all
Gisinclined TO talk about the succession.
although one did remark that the Presi-
dent had made no mention OF a name 20
him, and he believed that no decision had
yet been reached. He also conveyed the
impression that no appointment would be
made Immediately. but that Mr.. Meikle
john would be allowed TO direct affairs
Tor some time TO como.
Among the names which have been
mentioned from time To- time in this di-
reCtion, when talk of Secretary Ayers
forthcoming resignation have been rife,
have been those of General Horace
Porter, OF New York, now Ambassador
20 France; Governor Roosevelt, Of New
York; General Harrison Gray Otis, and
notwithstanding Meiklej0hn.
CORBIN SECRETARY AID INTERIM.
mentioned i'm connection with an interim
appointment, pending the selection of
permanent occupant of the Office. The
gossip. was also expressed locally that the
appointment would probably ne made
from somewhere i'm the West.
The fact that the resignation was sub
mitted only to-day shows that the Presi-
dent has not had time to canvass the
situation and make q selection, As to
the report that General Corbin would be
Secretary al interim, an official close to
the President said that the report had
no basis. and the President had no inten-
ton of naming General Corbin adj interim,
and if such appointment were rendered,
it would not be accepted. There was
some talk, also, that General Corbin
might be given the portfolio permanently,
although this was considered improbable,
even among General Corbins friends.
There would be precedent for such
course however. as in the case of Gene
raj Schohelds Cabinet service.
WHITE HOUSE UNDISTCRBED.
The news Of the resignation caused a
buzz Of comment this evening in oil pub
lie places, but at the White House there
was no evidence throughout the evening
that any unusual event had occurred. The
President went for a drive with his niece,
MISS duncan. ldlt III the AFTERNOON manu-
ling the Ieins himself.
There were no callers OF importance
during the early part of the evening. but
about 9 o'clock Secretary Hay accom-
panied by Senator Fairbanks. of Indiana,
who is just back from an inspection OF
the Alaska boundary seat of difficulty,
came over for a talk on this subject.
Secretary Hitchcock and Comptroller
Dawes called socially for a few minutes.
There was no evidence Of Cabinet con-
ference and no suggestion of anything
i'm that line. There was nothing TO give
out for publication. it was said.
An evening round of the Cabinet Of
0cers still in town showed the same I'M
Willingness to talk of the resignation.
Adutant-General COTbin was seen dur
ing the evening, and while not wishing 10
discuss any Of the facts connected with
the resignation, expressed his personal
regret at the turn of affairs. lie said:
CORBIN PRAISES ALGEk.
81 feel great sympathy and great re-
spect for the Secretary. History VIII
show that if he has erred, it has been
ON the side of the soldiers-on the side
of those who were fighting the battles.
No man i'm that position has ever had
more at heart the interests of the sol
diers. their comfort, and their welfare.
Time and again he has said TO US that
everything must yield before the require
ments of the men in the field, and If the
funds were lacking, he would pay NM
self. He will leave the department. WIN
tbe respect and esteem Of every one
in it,"
ONLY THREE REMAIN.
Secretary's Ayers departure from the
Cabinet will leave IN 1t only three OF
those members who entered ii at the
beginning of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Messrs. Gage Long, and Wilson. me
of changes that have occurred IN
the two and a half years of its HE nave
been very unusual. Six Cabinet officers
i'm all have resigned their portfolios
either TO retire TO private life, or 10 ac-
cent other positions Of honor and trust |
M the hands of the President. These !
include Secretary-of-State sherman, who |
wont ONT because Of III health and adj |
vanced age. and Secretary Day, who ac-
cepted a United States Judgeship; Attor- |
Mckenna, who accepted a |
nosition on the bench of the Supreme |
Court Of the United States; Postmaster |
General Gary. who retired because OF III |
health. and Secretary Bliss, OF the Int
rior Department. who returned TO New
York and resumed active connection with |
business affairs.
GRIGGs AND WILSON.
The transfer Of Attorney |
Gricgs from the Department OF Justice
IN the War Department has been suggest
ad by those who are figuring on Secre-
tarv Ayers successor tonight 1t Is
urged that the largely increased number
Of legal questions which are constantly |
coming before the War Department as a
,onseouence Of our new possessions make
:. - thn4 IT, nNncnfiNe OlIlcar |