The age-herald., 1899-07-06
FIGHT MADE ON
 SECRETARY ALGER PinSr0e'S Letter Has Done Little to Re-
 lieYe the Situation. THE PRESIDENTS FRIENDS
Have Not selented in Continued Criticism
 Of War Official.
ROBERTS, THE UTAH MORMON
Now Member of House of Representa- tives, or Has Drawn Four Months Salary As Such How to
 Get Him Out.

Washington, July 5.-(Special.) )-Governor Pingree's letter to Secretary Alger has done little to relieve the situation, especial ly in view of the fact that the letter is supposed to have been inspired from Wash ington, if not actually drafted here. It begs the question, and, moreover, drags in the administration by declaring that any criticism of the war department is an open criticism of the entire cabinet.
 From Secretary Algers point of view the letter is cleverly worded, and if the papers and public men hammering for his resigna- tion had done so on account of the manage ment of the war department, it would have been almost unanswerable. But the friends of the president who think that the secre- tary of war should resign have never given his management of the department as their reason, but based their opinion solely upon the facts that a member of the cabinet is making a fight against a senator of his own party and one who is a supporter of the president and his administration.
 From Presidents Friends
 The fight upon Secretary Alger does not come especially from his enemies, but is directed from the presidents circle of
 
 belief, too, that there is nothing left for the secretary to do but to resign The per- sistency with which the personal friends of the president keep up their criticisms would indicate that the president himself is of the opinion that his secretary of war should retire. The situation is almost unique in cabinet history. Men have left high offices to enter cabinets, frequently senators have given up their seats for the executive branch, and several cases are re- corded where cabinet officers have resigned voluntarily from the cabinet because they could not endorse the public policies of the president Martin Van Buren resigned the. goyernorship of New York to enter Jack sons cabinet, but surrendered it when he began to work to succeed his chief Blaine followed similar course, but remained in the cabinet of President Harrison too long to satisfy those people who had a nice sense of honor and personal integrity
 Secretary Alger reyerses the usual order when he desires to step from the cabinet to the senatorial chamber. Just why Sec retary Alger should resign has not been made very clear. In fact when one takes into consideration both sides it is hard to give any logical and convincing reasons But everybody here almost without dissent thinks that the secretary should resign passing their thoughts on the subjects pure ly on ethical grounds The presidents friends say that for one of his cabinet off,. cers to enter the race for the senate against supporter of the president puts the latter in a very embarrassing position But the president has made it perfectly clear to every one that he in no way sym pathies with General Alger and that if he has any sympathies for any one they are directed toward Senator McMillan. Secre- tary Alger might take offense at this and resign, but he has not chosen to do so.
 McKinIey's Loyalty
 Up to the present time the president has been most loyal to General Alger. During ali the time when the latter was under the
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