Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-22
Secretary AIger Must Resign


New York Times)
,rba intimation that Secretary Anger
an resign was entirely 20 be expected
", oonse1uence Of the Presidents decis-
ion IN court-mGrtial General basan' ~
80 ~ onening a court OF Inquiry ior
h. discussion OF the issues or fact pc
ty,eer his testimony and that or Genera
Nfuos II "a no secret that the secretary
,rererred and urged the course winch .no
pprasident did not accept, and thdt tne
-.,a+tar was brought before a CABINET
,,,oetirg in which only one voice "as
raiseI b, favor Of the Secretarys posi-
rio, 'at IS 70 say, the secretary nso
Lesr overruled. in a matter arecuhs .io
conduct Of his own department py IA"
chiaf with the approval Of all but one VI
his colleagues. What can ne 90 D"'
sign? ,,,.t..r,,p like that
Of England OF Of France MS los.s' mr.
roads Of departments in our government
are not upon that footing, but the alsap-
TrovaI md overriding Of one OF them III
his own department leave him no opNoh'
a. n matter Of self-respect except az
Ioost 10 offer his resignation. Secretary
I@er could scarcely have taken any
otbor course than that he did take Inc
inef8ciency charged by the maJor-sene-
raj commanding the army upon 'Ie
,oro roissariat. and by the army IN gem
osai mon all the stan departments -
~ ineaiciencv Of the chief whose supoi
dinates. under our singular system. 80
ali are The Secretary OF war AlI''
connot rid himself Of one OF theih "a
cent by preferring charges asa'h9l L.
There they are, irreuONaOle, III -,
HE inaccessible, and theIeloiS ~,
,,,,ossar,Iv insufficient But secretary
49,, 49, sbovn no disposition 70 remoF
tbern He has not publicly repI min .Ii' y
~s tbero for any of the SHORTCOMINGS
% u,bich all Of them are geneIaiiy sup
| - ~ have been guilty. indeed II =.
poe,ftia that each of them might say VI
~ secretary Of War. as Eagan ola sd,
90 the commanding general lha1 ne W
Vi subordinate OF his and would no
NJ a renrimand from him. But, at any
80 nv not diss0ciating himself IRON
/ -. orarations. The Secretary has asso
! oiated himself with those operations an
10 himself responsible Tor the oa'i'e
! cles who according 70 their own $3.50 -s'-,-.
Of themselves, are Responsible u - -
Even the Commander-lh-Chloi e"'''S , y
move them summary. bus' ii'S'1eN
reforming or trying TO reform lhe aD"se o.
| ~ the department htS '~
oravated them all, insomuch that .n
system OF combined ineficiency anu liIe
! snonsibility % come 10 De hho"'
,hrougbout country as AlgerlsIn'
T. "a a nifty mat General Eagan shoul'
ha such a olackguard. Because II IN
,,,ostion of fact between him and Genera
Mics had not been necessarily postpone
10 the previous question raised py ~.
blackguardly language, court OF naP'' !,
,,ouId have been the proper lIlouhai =
trv II Such tribunal would nave So ~
handed far more OF the confidence OF .i
arn,v md OF the public than the war ~
,,as,ioating Commission. In such PRO
ceeding the Secretary would nave Dee
hound 20 take the part OF his suoordihat'
a. The military head clerks be really sur
ordlnates OF the Secretary. IL "ouio nS
been really Secretary Alger VINO "ou,
have been on trial, and sucn trlal eoul
hardly have failed 10 be beneficial as We
a. tnteresting. II has been prevented :
the fact that Eagan's offence has bee
too gross ana palpable 20 enable him
nIead his proyocation. That the Secretai
~ war should think that Eagan's lai
9uage was q matter for controversy
inquiry shows anew the value when u
secretary sets upon good order a.
military discipline" But now that he n
| been overruled and court-marual o
dered in spite OF him. he has no opti'
in any code even Of political ethies.
must resign