New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-19
WHY ALGER RESIGNED.
PINGREE EPISODE SAID TO HAVE BEEN
CLOAK FOR ACTION.
No INTENTION TO CONTEST MMILLANs
cANDIDACY-CoURsE FORCED UPON
ADMINISTRATION.
[Br TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

/ Washington Aug 1s-The announcement yes
! terday at Montreal Of r. A. Alger. the former
| Secretary OF War, in tone that left no room
for doubt" that he was absolutely out Of poll
| tics OF course disposes Of his fake" candidacy
/ for the Senate before the Michigan Legislature
| two years hence against that faithful adherent
OF the Administration, Senator Mcmillan. Cen
eral Ayers singularly I'll timed almost imperti-
rnent declaration, so ridiculously far In advance
| Of the event that he would contest Senator NC
/ Mnlan's reelection deceived some people but 1t
! did not fool everybody.
These dispatches ventured the opinion at the
time that II was a cloak for the Secretarys med
! itated resignation OF the War Department port
folio That event took place shortly afterward'
and on the morning OF its Geographic announce
ment In a review Of Ayers official career ana
the embittered attacks which had admonished
the President that ne must let 60 Of his Secre-
tary Of War or face defeat in 1900 the follow
! ing language vas used by this paper concerning
the astonishing Alger-Pingree alliance pro-
claimed from Detroit with such a confident beat
! ing OF tomtoms:
It was. indeed Of such a character as to Lead
! some persons to doubt the assertion 'hat tIlS
President really incensed at the alliance an
| 10 suggest the thought that II was really ulNH
| 10 create a new situation which would coupei
the President to demand the Secretarys resign ma
ton, and which would In turn ley GOWN .me
| Secretary before the public after all the pyro-
technics about not retiring under nre'
A GOOD FRIEND OF MMILLAN.
That naragraph described this sharp politicai
manouvre exactly. Although stu unoer the
hottest sort Of a fire from his enemies the sec
rotary retired under the pretence that ne couu
not compromise the Administration by remain
ing in the War Department While openly
candidate for the Michigan Senatorship asal"''
a strong Administration Senator. MS sen
ate candidacy was absurd on its race Aser
| and Mcmillan were warm personal friends' Al
cor had never evinced any desire for seat IN
the Senate when the door was open, ana MS
sudden ambition under these and other singular
! circumstances peculiar to the case was pohti-
| cal incongruity.
7, WAS too entirely improbable that he could
defeat his friend Mcmillan, already strongly in
trencbed in the office Pngree and his follow
ing had only recently signally failed 10 defeat
! Senator Burrows's reelection with Albert PACK
q movement supposed TO have had at least the
ouiascent support Of General Alger himself
General Alger doubtless has a large personal
following in Michigan. where he is influential
and greatly respected. notwithstanding his war
! Department record and consequent unpopuiarly
elsewhere through the country. But II Is
true that Mr.. Mcmillan is far stronger as a
factor in Michigan politics. besides which Gov
ernor Pingree's fortunes are unquestionaoly on
the wane since his humiliatng failure TO down
, Burrows
THE WORK OF ALGER's ORGAN.
There was another circumstance which fairly
disclosed the whole game to we'll informed peo-
pie here Fearing perhaps, the trick was too
deep for the general pubic's ready comprehen-
! sion the Alcer organ In New-York promptly
! gave to the goods the proper trademark BREAK,
ing ground for the intended climax II cohceueu
| with artful painstaklng General Ayers per
| feet right" to be a candidate for the senate II
| he so desired. and also admitted his prerogatlVe
! 10 avail himself OF the inimitable Flngree diu
II he placed a high estimate uECn thal sentle-
! mans influence but at the same time made II
| clear that his open candidacy against an "a
| ministration Senator in alliance with factloh
bitterly opposed to 1t was totally inconsisren'
with General Ayers position In the Caoinet
| Therefore he should at once resign, SAID the
| Alger organ. II was also casually hnted tHat
| President Mckinley was greatly incensea VIII oa
| Ayers highly improper collision with Pingree
and intinated in tolerably specific terms that
| Ayers days were numbered
| Thereupon. as expected the puonc natuianS
| took II for granted that Alger had committed
| some objectionable offence against the otncla
proprieues which would compel him 70 resign
! but ii was to be understood. nevertheless, thaC
! Sacretary's Spanish War record, or the almost
universal cry for his resignation growing out
Of his conduct OF the War Department, In due
| course under the artificial situation thus Gre
! ated General Alger gracefully retired. in man
ner as he himself. at least supposed to save MS
political prestige and preserve his self esteem
! before the country. Then followed his magnlh-
/ cent public reception at Detroit, In which McMll-
! ian and the other Michigan Republican leaders
cheerfully Joined all doubtless laughing In their
/ sleeves.
HOW THE TRUTH WAS MADE KNOWN.
The way was now paved. according TO the
original programme. for the PRONUNCIATION OF the
real truth that he was not and never had been
a candidate for the Senate at all It has at last
come in the form OF a rounda bout telegraphic
dispatch from Chicago. but having It's origin In
| the foreign town Of Montreal IL is noteworthy
fact that Senator Mcmillan seemed from the
| outset TO borrow little trouble about the matter
and he doubtless fully understood and approved
the object OF General Ayers peculiar tactics. A
| very pretty story on the whole. but II was tax
ing a good deal Of trouble 10 secure a small ad-
| vantage OF doubtful utility after all.
The real truth is. probably that the change
| finally in the War Department was compelled
not so much by the bitter opposition to General
| Ager personally as to the necessity confronting
the Administration OF infusng new vigor into
the war in the Philippines. which was anguish
ing beyond the period set for its successful con-
| cluson. For Secretary Alger to call for new
/ troops under the Volunteer act was 70 confess
| failure after the confident stand taken by the
| War Department, Immediately upon the ad-
tournment OF Congress, that General Otis would
| ipinos Time has demonstrated otherwise, and
! II was realized that the invigoratng measures
| now necessary 10 he set foot were better the
| work OF a Secretary under a new policy
| than Of the old one. who would thereby stultify
| himself and his advisers.