Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-04-27
THURSDAY, APRIL 81, 1899.
IT FIXED THE RESPONSIBILITY

In view OF its present attitude toward
Secretary Alger and the administration,
the following leading editorial in the Sc
attic Post-Intelligencer Of Sept. :, 1898,
is seen to be more severe arraignment
Of the administration than can be found
anywhere in the columns Of the opposi.
ton press. At that time its only aim in
life was to defeat Col. Lewis, and, to Al
tain that end, it unwittincly gave out the
following-what must now be unpleas.
ant-truth:
"The populist press is now attempting
weakly to explain that its campaign
against the administration for its conduct
OF the war is not directed again st the
president, and is indeed not intended 10
include him. This is pleading the baby
act with q vengeance. II the president
is ignorant Of the gigantic frauds and
gross and corrupt Encouragement charg.
ed against the secretary Of war and other
heads of departments by yellow orators
and sensational journals. he is the most
colossal incompetent ever elevated TO the
executive chair, and his character must
be cleared at the expense Of his intelli.
gence. II he is aware OF them-as he
must be if they exist-he is the defender
OF criminals, the apologist for shocking
infamies and notorious negligence, and
the personal, if not pecuniary. benefc ar
, in the instruct Of the manipulstions d
his friends. There lie no alternative. The
president. who has directed this war TO
brilliant conclusion, is either without men.
tai integrity or he is without moral integ-
rity, if the Lewis indictment is correct.
The president is the responsible head
Of the United States government. This is
not an Alger administration, or a Miles
administration, but Mckinley admins
tration. 1t is his highest duty to surround
himself with capable and efficient cabi.
net. By go much as the secretary of war
or the secretary Of the navy or any other
cabinet officer is incapable, inefficient or
dishonest. by so much is the administra.
tior incapable inefficient or dishonest.
The acts Of all these officials and the di.
rection Of the various departments 90 to
make up the sum total Of the presidents
administration. They are accountable
Immediately to the president, and can be
appointed only BY him, and can be re-
moved only by him at bis pleasure and
without the advice or suggestion or inter
vention Of congress. By what system OF
reasoning can it be made to appear tina.
charge against Secretary Alser is not q
charge against his management OF the
war department, and that charge against
his management is not = charge against
the national administration, and that
charge against the national administers.
ton is not charge against its executive
chief?
President McKinleys retention Of
Secretary Alger in Office is direct a..
sumption and acknowledgment Of his
own responsibility for the conduct OF the
war, and for the official acts OF his secre-
tary. 1t is his answer to the falsehoods
and misstatenents that have been made
by unprincipled newspapers and dema.
gogic orators. There is no evidence that
he is dissatisfied, or that ne believes all
has no. been done tina. could and should
have been done. The president is per.
feet y aware tina. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
costly mis,akes-have been made. But
he thinks that. on the whole, no other
could have done better, and he is prepared
to g to the people on his record"
Here the responsibility is fixed beyond
a doubt. The P..I. makes rp its case :
II the fusion charges against the war de-
PARTNER. were true. Mckinley is 1.-The
most colossal Incompetent ever elevated
to the executive chair" Whether or not
the charges were true We will submit to
the Tacoma Ledger, another shining
ligh. OF republicanisn. On April 20,
1899, !. convic.s Mckinley in these
words:
In spite OF the evidence in the beef
cases, which was as strong and unsavory
as the beef itself, the investigating com.
m;ttee has embalmed the contractors and